I've got two hot hatches with me here, which are very suitable for a track day. So I took them to one.
We're organizing our own track day on Race Park Meppen in Germany, just across the border.
This yellow one is seen a lot on these kinds of occasions. A Megane RS, which we've driven with 280 horsepower with a manual and an automatic.
But this time, I took the most extreme version. It's the Trophy-edition, which has a manual gearbox. And 300 horsepower.
The Trophy gets a Cup-chassis as standard, which has even harder springs and dampers. A mechanical LSD at the front, Brembo-brakes,
big 19-inch wheels and Bridgestone semi-slicks, specially designed for the Megane RS.
In the other corner, we've got the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR. It's the goodbye-version of the current Golf, which has been around since 2012.
You could see it as the successor to the Clubsport. That was the most extreme GTI from before the facelift. It produced 290 horsepower in...
overboost, but this produces 290 horsepower as standard. Changing gear is always done by a 7-speed DSG.
Just like the Megane Trophy, this Golf TCR has a mechanical LSD on the front axle as well. That doesn't distinguish itself from the regular...
GTI, which is called Performance nowadays, because it has an LSD as well. On the other hand, it has 45 horsepower and 10 Nm of torque...
less to process. The stickers and spoilers are the things that distinguish this TCR, just like the fact it's closer to the tarmac.
Volkswagen has mounted the optional Performance-pack on this TCR. That means we've got 19-inch wheels with Michelin PilotSport Cup 2-tires,
and an adaptive chassis with four different driving modes. Because we're on track today, we're going to put it in Race-mode. Of course.
And it immediately stands out that the adaptive dampers get into their hardest mode when you put it into Race-mode. That's when it becomes pretty sturdy,
but still not as extreme as the Megane RS Trophy. But we'll talk about that later. Anyway, it's still a Volkswagen, so they'll never go overboard.
Even though this is the most extreme GTI they have. The mechanical LSD is a very nice addition on this track.
Especially in the sharp corners, the LSD pulls you through. However, every LSD has its limit. One moment, you'll break through the grip...
and the tires will lose grip as well, making it move to the outside of the corner.
Anyway, that limit is very far away. There's also still some roll in the body, but it's always comfortable.
That's partly because of the seats. The Megane has ultra hard bucket seats, but the Golf has these comfortable sports seats.
And that safe personality which is clearly in this car, is also noticeable in braking or releasing the throttle.
Other cars have loose bottoms, but this car doesn't. When you brake or let go of the pedal, you can feel the weight shifting,
but it always remains very much inbetween the lines. That's logical, but on the other hand... It's the most extreme GTI ever built,
but it's actually not very extreme. Even when you turn off all of the electronics, like ESP and traction control, it will always intervene.
And that's too bad, because there's so much more to this car. The engine for example. It's a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder, producing 290 horsepower.
It's a very good engine. It picks up from 2.000 RPM and it will go on until you reach 5.500. A very smooth power build up.
A lot of torque as well. The engine is just really good, I don't have anything to complain to be honest. The only downside is that it's connected to a DSG.
It's not a bad gearbox or anything, but it's just not a good match for a race track. You want to control everything yourself.
Sure, you're able to flappy-paddle yourself, but that's done by too small paddles which are fitted to the steering wheel instead of the steering column.
They're a tad too small as well. The gearbox also changes upwards itself when you're in manual mode. That wasn't necessary.
If you want to push it against the rev limiter, or remain in second, the car thinks 'no' and changes gear. That's annoying
Then, the steering. It's typically Volkswagen really. It's nice, it's linear, it's decent. It's very direct, but it hasn't overdone it.
So that amplifies the allround-personality of this car. It's all neatly between the lines, and that's too bad if you ask me.
Maybe there will be a TCR S, like there was an S-version of the Clubsport. No rear seat, roll cage, everything lightweight... The ultimate goodbye-version.
For now, we have to do it with the regular TCR. Let's see how it holds up to the Megane RS.
Right. The Megane RS, always fun. It has built quite the heritage, and this is the Trophy. The most extreme version with 300 horsepower...
and a manual gearbox. Also, it has the Cup-chassis as standard, and it's quite hard if I'm honest.
I even think it's too hard. It's fantastic on track, but it's just not fun on public roads. You'll go crazy.
If you drive over a piece of gum you'll be able to tell if it was Stimorol or Sportlife. That's how precise you feel everything.
That's partly because of the semi-slicks, but it's also because of the extremely hard chassis. It has only one mode: extremely hard.
Sure, you can choose from different driving modes, but they influence the throttle response and ESP and such.
The dampers just remain hard. That's it. And it's the same for the steering. It has just one mode. No artificial heavier steering wheel,
It's what it is. And what's special about the current Megane RS, is the four-wheel steering. The 4WS. It didn't always work as good...
in the past, but on this Megane RS it works great. On this track, you've got some pretty long follow-throughs.
If you steer into them, you'll get a very direct steering reaction. Not unpleasant or unnatural or anything, but it pulls you through.
Also, standard on the Cup-chassis: the mechanical LSD on the front axle. That's a very good solution, because you won't slide out of the corner...
or get understeer. Sure, it has its limits, but it will give you more traction when exiting a corner. You have to control it yourself, but an LSD on...
a track is a very good addition.
The 4WS needs some additional information. The four-wheel steering. The rear wheels countersteer as well up to 60 km/h.
If you put it in Race, it's up to 100 km/h. So they'll go like this. If you go above 100, they'll steer in line with the front wheels.
And it works surprisingly well in this case.
So what other things stand out? Well, the rear is looser than in the Golf. If you brake for a corner, you can feel the rear pushing about a little.
You could say that there could be more braking pressure at the rear, but it just makes the car more fun to drive.
And that goes for this Megane RS Trophy as a whole. It feels more fun to drive. It's pure, much less technological interference.
There's less white noise... It's all more natural, and that's how it's supposed to be in a extreme hot hatch like this. There's less roll as well.
It's wam-bam through this chicane over here. The car doesn't heave as much as the Golf. And that's so much more fun.
The chassis is perfect for a track day. The seating position is as well. The seats are great and low, the gearbox is neatly withing range...
So are there any drawbacks? Oh absolutely. The biggest being in the front. It's a 1.8-litre turbo producing 300 horsepower.
However, it wakes up at 3.000 RPM. The torques are less as well. The throttle response is a little slow as well.
Actually, if they would put the engine of the Golf in this car, you'd get a monster combination. But the engine is the achilles heel here today.
The brakes could be improved as well. Or rather, the feeling the brake pedal gives you. I would like it to be bitier, there's not enough feedback right now.
And again, in an extreme hot hatch like this, that's very important. Lastly, the choice. Which one should you buy?
Well, it depends on how you spend your weekends. If you always spend them on tracks, you should get the Megane. That's the most fun.
If you've got to carry your whole family about as well but still enjoy motorway exits and such, you should get the Golf.
It's the most hardcore Golf GTI available, but it's still a Golf. So it's an allrounder, which makes it usable for track driving...
but also for public roads. If only it were more fun to drive...