The R32
This would be the real test. Could the R32 retain its crown at the top of the Golf food chain?
In the city and the open road, there was little to choose between the GTI and R32. The incredible exhaust note is the R32's only advantage under these circumstances because the 3.2 VR6 24v sounds like nothing else - although you're paying extra at the pumps to be entertained by its sonorous tones.
But that's not what the R32 is about. Its 250hp motor, 4Motion all-wheel drive, 345mm front brakes and 18" wheels were designed to get you from a-to-B as fast and as safely as possible. At least, that's what it's supposed to do. However, the R32 is a contradiction. It has more power than a GTI, but also more weight and more transmission losses. It also carries a great deal of its weight up front, so while the big brakes can stop it very efficiently, that weight causes the front end to push. With all-season tires on our test car, they overheated rapidly and that exaggerated the problem.
Otherwise, the R32 was hugely entertaining in the canyons. A slow entry to reduce understeer put the emphasis on the 4Motion to pull you out the other side. With the traction control off, we'd get all four wheels sliding on the way in and then spinning as the fought for grip on the way out.
Once again, the stock suspension was very forgiving, coping well with the rapid extension and compression caused by the undulating road surface, but understeer was your constant companion.
In a recent test, Eurocode Tuning provided a modified GTI (similar to ours) to run against a stock R32 on a racetrack. The FWD 2.0T reportedly returned faster lap times. But in the uniquely demanding canyons, the R32 seemed to have the upper hand.
With more straights, where the tuned 2.0T could stretch its legs, the modified GTI may have had the advantage, but in the twisting canyons, the R32 felt marginally faster.
It would be interesting to return with summer tires on the R32 and narrower rear tires on the modified GTI. With each car's weakness canceled, the battle would be even more intense.
Ultimate Golf
So which of our three Golfs represents the ultimate version? All three are winners.
A stock GTI represents incredible value for money because it does everything so well. It was never embarrassed but can definitely be improved upon: as the modified example proved. With some well-chosen parts, you really don't lose anything. In fact, we gained in acceleration, braking, handling and comfort. These parts brought the GTI almost level with the R32. In fact, the lighter four cylinder was a distinct advantage, resulting in less understeer compared to the R32. However, the R32 is able to compensate for its weight with great traction and a spirited engine that has more power and torque than our initial impressions revealed.
The R32 is certainly flawed - heavy, thirsty, expensive, cosmetically dull, no manual option - yet it's incredibly rewarding to drive under the right circumstances.
If you simply drive city streets and freeways, we'd recommend you save buy the stock GTI, with the option to modify it at a later date. If you want to occasionally track your car or enjoy a blast through the countryside, we'd advise you to modify the GTI and unleash more of its potential. But if you regularly drive on demanding roads, where all-weather traction is essential and where the exhaust note can bounce between rock walls, we'd happily recommend the R32. It's a spectacular, if imperfect, machine.