Golf R first drive...and coming to the US? But not til 2011

[JST]

http://www.insideline.com/volkswagen...rst-drive.html

Important bits: The car is good. If they sell it here, it will be spendy. It will probably be a limited edition. At this time, it does not sound like it will be DSG-only, though really, who knows? Finally, it might even come in 5 door form.

But it won't come until next calendar year as a 2012 model.

[equ]

As I posted here,

http://forums.carmudgeons.com/showpo...18&postcount=2

I'm highly interested in this 'mobile. It is cuter, shorter and likely more playful than my a4. The a4 does have some advantages though. It's a sleeper in both torque and handling. It has a torsen center diff with no delay, closer to neutral weight and power distribution. In fact, despite the size/tuning disadvantage, I'd bet a sport-pack, MT a4 is not far behind the R dynamically. And of course, it is serene and efficient on the highway. It just doesn't look as hot.

Side note: there is a good chance that the 4-cyl in the R (ea113) is not as efficient as the 4-cyl in the a4 (ea888).

[Jeff_DML]

still think it would be decently efficient, better then the VR6

[lupinsea]

Interesting. But $32k? Wow.

[JST]

Originally Posted by lupinsea

Interesting. But $32k? Wow.

If it is just 32K, that would be a big surprise. I bet it'll be closer to 40. The original R32 was 29 without options back in 2004; the subsequent Mk. VI R32 was pushing 36, IIRC. Hell, you can get a GTI near or above 30K these days if you tick the right boxes.

Is 36-40K for this car crazy? Not really. It exists in a category basically all its own; in the states, at least, it doesn't have any competitors. The WRX and Evo are rolling penalty boxes on the inside compared with this; the Mazdaspeed3 a bit less so, but it's FWD only and doesn't have the luxury kit this car would have.

[lemming]

Originally Posted by JST

If it is just 32K, that would be a big surprise. I bet it'll be closer to 40. The original R32 was 29 without options back in 2004; the subsequent Mk. VI R32 was pushing 36, IIRC. Hell, you can get a GTI near or above 30K these days if you tick the right boxes.

Is 36-40K for this car crazy? Not really. It exists in a category basically all its own; in the states, at least, it doesn't have any competitors. The WRX and Evo are rolling penalty boxes on the inside compared with this; the Mazdaspeed3 a bit less so, but it's FWD only and doesn't have the luxury kit this car would have.

i intensely dislike the majority of haldex AWD vehicles mostly because the transfer of power to the rear wheels is decidedly not transparent.

was/is the R32 a constant split feed to the front and to the rear wheels? the a3 sucks, as do any "4motion passats".

[equ]

Originally Posted by lemming

i intensely dislike the majority of haldex AWD vehicles mostly because the transfer of power to the rear wheels is decidedly not transparent.

was/is the R32 a constant split feed to the front and to the rear wheels? the a3 sucks, as do any "4motion passats".

FWIW, the older 4motion passats are torsen, I think the newer transverse ones are haldex. So it's not like quattro = torsen and 4motion = haldex... Both are wrong, pure branding.

[John V]

AWD and a spiffy VW interior isn't enough to make up for the $13,000 (or is it $21,000) price delta between this and our MS3.

[lemming]

Originally Posted by equ

FWIW, the older 4motion passats are torsen, I think the newer transverse ones are haldex. So it's not like quattro = torsen and 4motion = haldex... Both are wrong, pure branding.

ergo, this would be haldex, then?

there aren't any VWs with longitudinal engines, are there?

[JST]

Not anymore. The older Passats used to be based on the A4, and had longitudinal engines. The new Passats are transverse.

The Golfs have always had transverse engines.