This is the Golf 7 R.
300 horsepower, 4Motion four-wheel drive, DSG-gearbox, 0-100 km/h in 4,9 seconds...
It's very quick and all, but it lacks a little bit of experience.
It's just not as adrenaline-fueled like a Renault Megane RS, or a Ford Focus RS.
Anyway, this is the pre-facelift version.
At the end of last year, the Golf was facelifted.
The Golf R received an additional 10 horsepower, so it now had 310 horsepower in total.
You could also equip it with lots of fun things. Think of an Akrapovic-exhaust system,
a Performance Pack which features special brakes, which are better for track driving.
Are those the things this car misses? Will those things make the Golf R a car which does offer you lots of driving experience?
And that's what it sounds like when it's in "Race".
When it's in "Race", the exhaust is at its noisiest.
You can already hear it when you're changing gears, a lot of crackles and small explosions.
It's incredibly cool. It does feel like the exhaust makes a difference.
Of course, it's not just the exhaust.
The engine now produces 310 horsepower, instead of 300,
and the DSG-gearbox in the R now has seven speeds as well. So you've got shorter gears,
and you go through them in a very quick fashion.
The previous one only had six gears, so it's a noticeable difference.
There's a tad more punch to it.
But mostly; it's the sound.
It sounds a lot more violent than it ever did in a Golf R.
So yeah, the answer to the first question if it offers more experience,
is yes. Absolutely.
Right, we're driving the DSG right now. The old one I drove,
or rather the pre-facelifted car, was also fitted with a DSG.
When it comes to selecting gearboxes, I personally prefer the DSG in a Golf R.
That's because if you get a manual Golf R, the gearbox tends to suffer a little bit.
Sometimes, the clutch is too sticky if you're putting your foot down.
Last year, I suffered the same thing in the Golf GTI Clubsport.
So if you're looking for a quick Golf above the GTI, always get the DSG-gearbox.
Just leave the manual, because it can't keep up.
I already mentioned the Performance Packs, which are now available on the Golf R.
It means better brakes are fitted for circuit use, but you can use them on public roads as well.
You don't really feel the difference on the latter, but if you're using them on a circuit...
You can also get them outside of the Performance Pack, and they don't suffer from fading as much and they hold up for longer.
Of course, I can imagine it's can be too much. For instance, if you're driving your mother in law.
If you've got a version with adaptive driving modes, you should put it in "Normal" or even in "Comfort".
Espcially if you've selected the latter, the car will stay in the background.
Especially the exhaust noise.
You can drive it in a quiet fashion, because it's still a Golf of course.
The all-round personality of a Golf is still present in the Golf R.
Now it's got a 7-speed DSG-gearbox, it can do 0-100 km/h in 4,6 seconds.
You can corner pretty fast as well. The nose follows the inside of the corner neatly.
The exiting of the corner can be done even quicker. Just put your foot down, 4Motion will take care of it.
It's just so incredibly fast.
Anyway, I've summed up what you should want on a Golf R,
but that comes at a price as well. €2.700.
The Akrapovic-exhaust? €3.500.
If you consider that the DSG-version has a €58.000 entry price, and you're ticking all the options,
you can easily get to €70.000. This very car would set you back €77.000.
You shouldn't have to tick everything that's on here, but an Akrapovic-system does give you quite an experience.
Also, don't just look at it as an investment for your own pleasure, but think of everybody around you.
They're able to enjoy the sound even more.