Full reveal:
(No bumpers were harmed in the mounting of the front plate)
2019 Golf R w/ DSG and the 19" split 5-spoke gloss black alloy wheels package in Lapiz Blue (R's heritage color)
This comes with the Digital Cockpit Dash Display, Dynamic Chassis Control, the updated 7-speed DSG, with full Safety Assist functionality- Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Park Pilot, Pedestrian Detection (All of which can be disabled).
I also opted for the full maintenance plans to save some money out of pocket later. This covers all the oil changes and regular maintenance along with brake rotors, pads, hoses, belts, etc. It's all done through VW so that I can take the car to any VW dealer and be covered. Since I used to work at VWoA, I've already asked about getting some parts from Germany to add the R Performance Pack to it too.
Purpose of this move:
Reduce my car expenditures from 2 cars into 1 thats covered by warranty and isn't inconvenient to drive like the ZL1. Have a better commuter car for the twice a week trips from Richmond to DC for work or the twice a month trips to Raleigh from Richmond. Use active safety features to keep the car moving through traffic and highway driving to lessen fatigue. Have bumper to bumper warranty and maintenance coverage for 6 years, 72k miles.
As a performance platform:
0-60 in 4.6 seconds, traps around 103-104 mph. Can be outdone by a Type R or Focus RS but offers huge tuning potential and large aftermarket support (APR, Bilstein, StopTech, etc.) I won't be modifying this one much (sort of like the ZL1) because I'd like to keep the warranty going for awhile.
My plans: DC-area autocross and a few HPDEs would be nice. Definitely want to go down to the Tail of the Dragon (surrounding roads especially) too. I'm envisioning this car as being the best of both worlds for what I'd like to do, year-round. Frankly, this is the car I should have gotten in the very beginning when I sold off the GTI and 911. I wasn't a huge fan of it's styling at the time, but the refresh in 2018 gave the R a more aggressive look which is more of what I like.
After having two 6th gen Camaros, this is a huge change. There is noticeable throttle lag while the turbo spools up, which I will need to learn to downshift to mitigate. I am already missing having a manual transmission, but the manual trans for the car is severely limited by a poor clutch and for a commuter, the DSG just made more sense.
I can suddenly park a car again...nice benefit to going to something I can see out of
The steering and adaptive suspension are a similar feel around town to the Camaro, although I think the Camaro was definitely stiffer in Sport/Track mode with it's adaptive dampers. Body motions are controlled better in the R for street driving.
In some ways, this feels like I'm coming home a little bit. It's not big, bulky, awkward to get into or hard to see out of. I don't actively avoid trying to park the car in garages or on the street. Plus, the fuel economy is hilariously better, despite what the sticker says. The stereo/infotainment/technology is clearly much better too.
More to come!