Although it’s been replaced by the Mark 8, the Mark 7.5 Golf R is pretty much the same car under the skin. The question is, can the AWD hot hatchback obliterate a front-driven performance sedan in the ¼-mile?
First of all, some numbers. Tipping the scales at 3,373 pounds (1,530 kilograms), the Golf R packs a seven-speed DCT and a 2.0-liter turbo. The four-cylinder lump makes 288 horsepower at 5,400 revolutions per minute and 280 pound-feet (380 Nm) of torque at 1,800 revolutions per minute.
The fifth-generation Haldex coupling of the Volkswagen Golf R is – obviously enough – the biggest differentiator. Designed to eliminate nearly all traction losses, the 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system sends most of the peak torque to the front axle in straight-line scenarios. Complemented by four electronic differential locks, the Haldex coupling is capable of sending nearly 100 percent of the peak torque to the rear axle in the twisties.
Capable of hitting 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in under five seconds, the most performance-oriented Golf from the previous generation is much obliged to duke it out with a DCT-equipped Hyundai Elantra N.
Obviously lighter due to its front-drive setup, the South Korean rival weighs 3,296 pounds (1,495 kilograms) when equipped with the wet-clutch box. Its party piece is the 2.0-liter turbo four-pot mill that normally pumps out 276 horsepower between 5,500 and 6,000 revolutions per minute.
Torque is rated at 289 pound-feet (392 Nm) between 2,100 and 4,700 revolutions per minute, and we’re not finished yet. Entering N Grin Shift mode unlocks 10 more horsepower for up to 20 seconds at a time, bringing the Hyundai Elantra N DCT closer to the 288-horsepower Volkswagen Golf R.
How much closer? Well, you’ll have to press play and see for yourself which of these two has the longer legs in the ¼-mile from a dig and a roll.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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