2019 Volkswagen Scirocco R Vs 2019 Volkswagen Golf R
Read the engine spec sheet and you would be quick to surmise that the Golf R and the Scirocco R must be the same wine and from the same bottler, but on different production lines. Having racked up a few hundred kilometers in just a few days, we can confirm that you would be far off the mark with that presumption. True, both these are VW鈥檚 performance R versions boasting a similar output, equipped with VW鈥檚 2.0 liter TSI engine and spooling out an overly muscular 255 bhp. This is way more than the previous generation Golf R32 could manage with 3.2 liters and 6 cylinders. With a fair bit of weight shedding thrown in, it is no surprise that both the Golf R and the Scirocco R have moved the performance bastion further when compared to VW鈥檚 erstwhile performance champ. The benchmark 0-100 kmph acceleration is dusted off in under 6.0 seconds in the by both cars. The lighter engine also helps in achieving an environmentally sound fuel consumption of about 8.0 L per 100 kms. Driven back to back, the strong points of each car assert themself.
The Scirocco is clearly a light-weight, low slung sports car masquerading as a hatchback. At just 1,344 kilograms, this car needs but 5.5 seconds to blat from 80 to 120 km/h in fifth gear. VW鈥檚 claimed figure was put to test when we pitched it back to back against the Infiniti G37 S Coupe. The G37 S is not a slouch by any standards, but the Scirocco R kept easing away whether it was being gunned away from stop lights or speeding up in mid-range overtaking spurts. There鈥檚 no doubting the intent behind the Scirocco鈥檚 aggressive stance. Wide set oval twin exit exhausts perfectly complement the 19-inch 鈥楾alladega鈥?wheels sporting 235/40 inch tires. The raked waist line, the wide haunches and the roof spoiler all work to further cement the sports image. Once inside, a small and chubby steering wheel, embellished with the R logo greets you.The dash board layout is unchanged from last year and remains stylish, aesthetic and functional. The sports seats are figure hugging and provide lots of lateral support when hard cornering.
Work your way through the DSG gearbox and the engine keeps egging you on, the exhaust note filtering into the cabin relatively loud and persistent and with occasional burps when downshifting. This car actively encourages you to stay in attack mode every time you get in. At anything less, you start questioning the stiff ride and the over eagerness displayed by the engine. This is where the Golf R steps in. Drive from the sporty engine is transferred to the road via VW鈥檚 4MOTION all-wheel drive system which is standard fitment on the R version. While this should add weight and therefore inertia in the car鈥檚 handling, none of this is noticeable from the driver鈥檚 seat. What grip the Scirocco R conjures up with its low slung chassis, the Golf R matches with its 4 driven wheels. You get the same 19 inch wheels as the Scirocco R but with 235/35 tires, the higher profiles helping the Golf achieve a more pliant ride despite the R riding a full 25 mm lower than the Golf GTI.
The optional DCC dynamic chassis control helps to continually adapt suspension damping to the road condition while allowing you to manually change the ride characteristic from 鈥淣ormal鈥?to 鈥淪port鈥?or 鈥淐omfort鈥?mode, depending on preference. We chose to leave it in 鈥榗omfort鈥?during most of the test, unless presented with a sharp corner on an empty road - which prompted a quick dab to 鈥淪port mode鈥? There is an immediate feel of extra room when you get into the Golf R, especially for the rear seat passengers who are spared a tortuous entry/exit thanks to the practicality afforded by rear doors. While the Golf R also brandishes twin exhausts, it does so without shouting its presence. Thanks to extra sound insulation, there鈥檚 less exhaust noise filtered in. The same engine which pushes you on in its sport counterpart somehow calms down, ever so slightly, when propelling the Golf. This allows the Golf R to assume the role of a quiet commuter, even when the chassis is set to 鈥淣ormal鈥?mode. The last time we had the Golf GTi and Scirocco R on test, we had to concede a draw.
