2020 Golf R 8 spotted.

[KevinC]

Cool, was not ragging on your car. I had a '85 GTI with ABA 2.0 short block and 8v head work too, I think TT was not doing headwork anymore or they stopped?

No offense taken. I think it was around 2001 when I had my head work & cams done. Ron Wood, owner of VW Specialties (long since retired, unfortunately) was good pals with Collin @ Techtonics, so he got him to do my head, even though he wasn't accepting any more work at the time because he was SO backed up. Nonetheless I had to go to the back of the line. I think it took 4-5 months to get the thing back. My car also had a 2-liter bottom end out of an early Passat, so combined with the head work and cams, it was quite a beast. I also had a polished euro 50mm intake (which I was later scammed out of, a long sad tale for another day).

 

[mmdb]

View attachment 170227

It'd make a pretty good looking SUV I guess.

Ow! But so true :X

 

[Carlosfandang0]

The worst thing about the new R is that I was supposed to be attending the launch at Goodwood festival of speed in July! However, the FOS has been postponed and is now pencilled in to take place late summer/early autumn, I can’t see FOS taking place at all now this year though, the reveal of the R will be behind closed doors like the GTI I’d guess, real shame, I was looking forward to it too, would have been great to see it tackle the hill climb ...

 

[MIKE PP.]

Here's a video of the Golf R mk 8 at the 'Ring.

 

[Carlosfandang0]

Here's a video of the Golf R mk 8 at the 'Ring.

Looks quick, although, the footage does give the impression it’s slightly sped up at one point!

 

[Al_in_Philly]

Here's a video of the Golf R mk 8 at the 'Ring.

Apparently it still tends to understeer, so no really major chassis changes--at least from the leaked videos. I am happy to see the clubsportesque rear spoiler. At least from the rear it's clear that the new R isn't just an ordinary Golf.

 

[bentin]

Is there a fwd based car that doesn't understeer? Kind of hard to avoid when you've got so much weight on the nose and can't send more than 50% to the rear.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Is there a fwd based car that doesn't understeer? Kind of hard to avoid when you've got so much weight on the nose and can't send more than 50% to the rear.

All cars tend to understeer FWD or RFD because understeer is easier to control than oversteer for inexperienced drivers.

 

[bentin]

All cars tend to understeer FWD or RFD because understeer is easier to control than oversteer for inexperienced drivers.

Tell that to an AP1 S2K or an FD RX7. Or my old M Coupe.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Tell that to an AP1 S2K or an FD RX7. Or my old M Coupe.

Did those oversteer?

 

[bentin]

Did those oversteer?

The AP1 was very nearly neutral, but would oversteer at higher speeds and of course would with excessive throttle. The FD was probably closer to neutral, only really upset by throttle and it's very non linear power delivery, but my dad's caught me out more than a few times. The E36/8 M Coupe had the E30 rear trialing arms and if you let them wind up, it oversteered for days, especially if you squared the tire setup. Early 911's were certainly oversteerers, the Lotus 7 / Caterham very much is. The Ariel Atom I drove was absurdly so, but I think that was just the particular one I drove.
I struggle to think of current cars that are very close to neutral or partially biased to oversteer. I hear the Senna is, but of course have no personal experience. The C7 Z06 certainly gravitated that way at higher speeds, with the Z07 aero package. I'd imagine a GT2 RS is very close as well, but the regular 991 certainly wasn't. Early run Scion FR-S were also very neutral or slightly oversteer biased, but the BRZ was much less neutral and understeer biased.
Probably the most significant change in tuning for the same chassis was the E82 1 series. Our 135i was an understeering mess of a thing, but swapping out the E9x control arms and shocks plus the electronic M Diff combined with the short wheelbase made the 1M a gloriously oversteering blast, nothing like the base car, I still regret not trading our car for one of those.

 

[jimlloyd40]

The AP1 was very nearly neutral, but would oversteer at higher speeds and of course would with excessive throttle. The FD was probably closer to neutral, only really upset by throttle and it's very non linear power delivery, but my dad's caught me out more than a few times. The E36/8 M Coupe had the E30 rear trialing arms and if you let them wind up, it oversteered for days, especially if you squared the tire setup. Early 911's were certainly oversteerers, the Lotus 7 / Caterham very much is. The Ariel Atom I drove was absurdly so, but I think that was just the particular one I drove.
I struggle to think of current cars that are very close to neutral or partially biased to oversteer. I hear the Senna is, but of course have no personal experience. The C7 Z06 certainly gravitated that way at higher speeds, with the Z07 aero package. I'd imagine a GT2 RS is very close as well, but the regular 991 certainly wasn't. Early run Scion FR-S were also very neutral or slightly oversteer biased, but the BRZ was much less neutral and understeer biased.
Probably the most significant change in tuning for the same chassis was the E82 1 series. Our 135i was an understeering mess of a thing, but swapping out the E9x control arms and shocks plus the electronic M Diff combined with the short wheelbase made the 1M a gloriously oversteering blast, nothing like the base car, I still regret not trading our car for one of those.

Except for the Scion those were low volume cars. I still believe manufactures tend towards understeer because it's less risky than oversteer for the average driver. An average or ordinary driver if they take a curve too fast will handle understeer simply by lifting the throttle. But with oversteer it's too late for them to correct it.

 

[bentin]

Except for the Scion those were low volume cars. I still believe manufactures tend towards understeer because it's less risky than oversteer for the average driver. An average or ordinary driver if they take a curve too fast will handle understeer simply by lifting the throttle. But with oversteer it's too late for them to correct it.

Absolutely. I had lots of friends with M3's and M5's and they were all shocked at how different the M Coupe was. You used the side windows as much as the windshield. It was all fun and games until I was driving it to its new owner, he was in Delaware, I was in Texas and we met in Atlanta. I nearly wadded it up in a snow storm coming into Atlanta. A guy in an Evo did. about ten 360's and then tackled the median retainer right in front of me. Chaos.

 

[KevinC]

I had lots of friends with M3's and M5's and they were all shocked at how different the M Coupe was.

Ever drive a Z4 M Coupe? Completely different beast. There are a lot of things I prefer about the original "shoe", but the suspension isn't one of them. Or the insanely rigid chassis.

 

[Sparky589]

Regardless of platform or layout I think we can all agree that VW/Audi have settled pretty firmly in favor of understeer on factory tuning.

Car looks quick enough, though I have a feeling Mk8 is going to be a devil in the details kind of comparison with Mk7. It's going to come down to suspension tuning and whatever improvements they've made to VAQ/Haldex.

Be interested to see just how different a Mk8 would feel from a Mk7 if both were riding on the same aftermarket suspension.