aloha_from_bradley
Autocross Champion
- Location
- AZ
I’ve got a 2019 GTI and test drove a few used R’s before buying and did again so recently just to check it out. I love the quad exhausts and the engine tuning on the R a little bit more - laggier is almost adding character, and the gearing on the manual is SO MUCH BETTER. Digital dash I could take or leave, but building in Germany seems to be a huge benefit as my Mexico-built GTI has had so many freaks and rattles.
You said you’re modding down the rod, so this won’t apply- but driving the R it felt so quick 0-40 and then barely ahead of the GTI from about 60 on. Sure enough, I checked Car and Driver and they had GTI’s going from 70-100 in about 7 seconds and R’s in 6.5. APR on the tune site lists their dyno as showing the GTI really only is about 25 hp & lbft down. Random, but was anyone else surprised by how similar they are speed wise above 50 or so?
Regardless, enjoy the R. Chris Harris did an excellent video with it vs the BMW 2 series. While the R is never a car that’s worth nearly 50% more than the gti (used R’s with 10k miles can be 40k, used GTI autobahns are high 20’s), it’s got excellent resale and is surely a great package. Not sure how well it’ll age with the MK8 GTI being even faster than it is, though - and with the MK8 R coming with the twin clutch AWD.
You're not feeling engine tuning, but rather turbo lag. Sure the tuning is different, but the bigger turbo on the R is less responsive lower in the power band. The K04 spools faster.
Sure, the R is only .5 of a second faster 70-100, but you're so far ahead when you reach 70 MPH that the extra half second is just icing on the cake. Especially if you're driving a DSG. Use it in manual mode and rip through 1st - 3rd. Leaps and bounds above trying to find front end traction. I've heard story after story of people who decided on the GTI over the R for so many different reasons, the bottom line is price. Some just can't swallow it.
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