Topic: 2022 Golf R Mk8

[JohnnyMac]

Greetings from Vancouver... couldn't help but share a few more photos. Surprise of the week for us? It's LOUD. We did not expect this from the stock exhaust.

The outgoing car was annoyingly quiet. Here, my first time decelerating, I heard a loud bang I thought I might have run something over... but then it did it again on my next downshift. It was backfiring. Driving through the parking deck at YYZ, a quick burst of throttle in first gear followed by an abrupt lift generates fantastic burbles.

I might be falling in love.

Looks great, I'm hoping that you have the manual as that would likely be what I would go with and having a louder exhaust with some pops and bangs would be most welcome.  Are the rear signal lights still red or did they go with amber this time?

[Gurgie]

That sounds awesome Patrick!! 

[BWII]

That is a great looking little car.  Def prefer it to some of the over-styled stuff other companies make.  I'd love to play with one but like everything else...I really have no reason to drive anywhere and the roads around here aren't conducive to "fun" anyway.  And $. But damn, I do like that.  Feel free to leave it at my house for extended periods anytime.  I'll find a reason to drive it.

[warp]

The Fastlane Car's Roman and Tommy enjoying a manual Golf R!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5TlGeuv_yo

And Roman and Tommy enjoying a manual GTI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k96GZDgGghc

[dougjp]

The Fastlane Car's Roman and Tommy enjoying a manual Golf R!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5TlGeuv_yo

And Roman and Tommy enjoying a manual GTI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k96GZDgGghc

Haptic controls complaints all over the place in the GTi comments, and deserved based on the video. The negative noise is so loud as to drown out everything else, so I bet VW reverts to, at a minimum, "redundant controls" (which to me is the holy grail of car options, in this SAD day and age), really fast. Maybe even before year 1 is over?

I love the car overall with the exception of this. On top of the haptic Cadillac CUE epic faIl type nonsense, I especially can't imagine buying a manual and dealing with an (cost saving) electronic parking brake? At least with a DSG, I would put it in Park and never touch the @#@& thing (as I don't in the GLi). Hate those.

[Patrick_D1]

Patrick - what is the little wheel well / fender extender above the front wheel?

Aero. Helps shift airflow down the side around the wheel wells.

Re: touch controls, while I'm the first to decry them as the answer to a question no one asked, they're nowhere near as bad as some imply. I have zero usability issues, and will go out on a limb and say I think the steering wheel controls with haptic feedback are fantastic. These I've lived with for a year in my Arteon and have grown to appreciate, because they work just as well (to me) as regular buttons, while also offering finer control for some things like volume.

The car is so damn good to drive that a quick spin is all it will take. We're already stacking orders like cord wood.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I'm tempted, so tempted - by the GTI, that is.  The R is too rich for my blood.  But man, a GTI is calling my name. 

Maybe in a couple years. 

[Gurgie]

I'm tempted, so tempted - by the GTI, that is.  The R is too rich for my blood.  But man, a GTI is calling my name. 

Maybe in a couple years.

I do share your sentiment.

And I do get a laugh how you've gone from wanting a full sized truck to a hot hatch now

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

[Great_Big_Abyss]

^^Blame the Mazda3 for teaching me that a hatch can do 90% of what a truck can do (minus the heavy towing), at a fraction of the running cost. 

I just wish it had more power.  A GTI/R is basically THE perfect hatch. 

[tortoise]

It's just a bit too small for us a primary car though. The wagon is about the smallest car we can get away with.

But we all know what happened to the wagon.

[JohnnyMac]

Patrick - what is the little wheel well / fender extender above the front wheel?

Aero. Helps shift airflow down the side around the wheel wells.

Re: touch controls, while I'm the first to decry them as the answer to a question no one asked, they're nowhere near as bad as some imply. I have zero usability issues, and will go out on a limb and say I think the steering wheel controls with haptic feedback are fantastic. These I've lived with for a year in my Arteon and have grown to appreciate, because they work just as well (to me) as regular buttons, while also offering finer control for some things like volume.

The car is so damn good to drive that a quick spin is all it will take. We're already stacking orders like cord wood.

Patrick, you mentioned the sound of your Golf R, just curious if you got the manual or the automatic, also I'm assuming it's the standard exhaust and not that fancy $3K one.  I always found the MK7 R to be a bit too quiet.

[tpl]

I am seriously thinking of cancelling tHe Golf R and either waiting for the ID4 AWD  or even getting a Tesla.

If I was going for an EV that will be somewhat fun, not an CUV, and looks good, the only choice is the BMW I4 M50.  But honestly I think the Golf R would be a great last gas car for you.  Plus I they hold their value very well so you could switch to something else if you want easily.

Being old and getting very creaky it is important that I have a car I can get in and out of.  I am not sure that the very low Golf R  fits that.

The advantage over the ID4 is that my local dealer will service it.
 The ID4 will have to come from Waterloo...but it won't need much servicing although I am absolutely sure that some part of the complicated electronics will fail.  It is very unclear what VWs charging network will be like

I have not ruled out a Tesla 3 which has a good network of chargers with automatic payment rather than having to sign on to different networks.
There will be the Hyundai Ioniq5 arriving next spring as well.

I have a freshly install 40 amp circuit in my garage already either to use the cable that come with the car or for a Tesla the smart charging device.

I have been thinking about this.

Don’t you usually keep your cars for 5 years before getting a new one ?
I would think in 2024 there will be a lot choices for EVs , I been looking at Ioniq5 online

Yes I usually do but I am getting older and I think one more car will do me. So I might as well go electric. With my low mileage charging is not a problem.

[Patrick_D1]

Patrick, you mentioned the sound of your Golf R, just curious if you got the manual or the automatic, also I'm assuming it's the standard exhaust and not that fancy $3K one.  I always found the MK7 R to be a bit too quiet.

Manual, of course. There is no optional exhaust in North America - the Akropovic titanium system is EU-only.

[JohnnyMac]

Patrick, you mentioned the sound of your Golf R, just curious if you got the manual or the automatic, also I'm assuming it's the standard exhaust and not that fancy $3K one.  I always found the MK7 R to be a bit too quiet.

Manual, of course. There is no optional exhaust in North America - the Akropovic titanium system is EU-only.

Okay, just making sure.  The video review posted above was a manual NA model and I didn't hear any cracks or pops and it wasn't noted in the video.  Of course I'll be test driving one at some point to see exactly how it stacks up.

[Bubba]

Patrick - what is the little wheel well / fender extender above the front wheel?

Aero. Helps shift airflow down the side around the wheel wells.

I love details like that.

[warp]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H_Limje718

Redline Reviews with the Golf R DSG. Impromptu 0-60 time of ~4.6 seconds.

[JohnnyMac]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LEro19UesI

Carwow tested it and did 0-60 in around 4.1 seconds for the DSG.  Interestingly he UK does not get a manual option.

[Patrick_D1]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LEro19UesI

Carwow tested it and did 0-60 in around 4.1 seconds for the DSG.  Interestingly he UK does not get a manual option.

North America is the only market that gets the manual car. A minor miracle, and one I'm thrilled about.

Re: the 0-60 time, a few tenths can sway on the basis of temperature, altitude, fuel quality, and minor performance variation between individual units. The EU-spec units make 15 lb-ft of torque more due to higher-quality fuel, so I'm very pleased to see the car doing 4.5-4.6 sec out of the box in NA-spec. I'm sure Car & Driver and the other buff books will find a few more tenths in the car.

I'm falling more in love with mine by the day.

[JohnnyMac]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LEro19UesI

Carwow tested it and did 0-60 in around 4.1 seconds for the DSG.  Interestingly he UK does not get a manual option.

North America is the only market that gets the manual car. A minor miracle, and one I'm thrilled about.

Re: the 0-60 time, a few tenths can sway on the basis of temperature, altitude, fuel quality, and minor performance variation between individual units. The EU-spec units make 15 lb-ft of torque more due to higher-quality fuel, so I'm very pleased to see the car doing 4.5-4.6 sec out of the box in NA-spec. I'm sure Car & Driver and the other buff books will find a few more tenths in the car.

I'm falling more in love with mine by the day.

It's definitely a cool piece hatchback.  Patrick is VW going to come out with any performance EV's at any point.  All your current EV's are boring or just basic transport.  Would love to see something a bit more exciting from a non-luxury manufacturer.

[marcus_go]

Is there the possibility of more colours becoming available for the Golf R? I really liked the custom colours they offered on the MK7.5s.