Golf R vs E55K

[nickjonesn4]

Finally took the E55 out yesterday for a decent run after putting 1000 miles on the Golf in first month of ownership. Interesting comparing an £80k car from 11 years ago to a £40k car now. Some big pros and cons of both...

Noise - obviously E55 hands down winner. Car sounds dynamite since EC headers fitted and primary cats out. Golf sounds synthetic due to resonator thingy.

Go - the Golf is quick and might just about shade it to 60 but the throttle response of the 55 and power at any speed in any gear is still mind bending and above 30MPH dusts the Golf surpisingly easily.

Ride - no doubt about it the 55 rides better, although the Golf is very good

Grip/Handling - the Golf wins this one easily being capable of going round corners in all weather at very silly speeds. Have to note that the 55 is very good in comparison, especially in the dry, for such a big car and the Quaife diff is a big reason for this. In the wet its a different story of course!

Interior - Golf has all the new toys - the nav and bluetooth is top notch. 55 has much better seats and better quality. The steering wheel on the Golf is far nicer (the 55 wheel is too thin) so will be getting mine re-done at Royals asap. A draw.

Gearbox - the DSG box on the Golf is a joy at works superbly as a manual. 55 box is lazy but compensated for by the power.

Overall - two very different cars that you have to drive totally differently to get the best out of. Amazing how modern the 55 still feels in comparison. I guess so many of the toys have filtered down only now to lesser cars is a big reason.

Verdict - I ****ing love cars and actively looking for a 4th one to join the fast fleet!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

So what you're basically saying Nick is that the W211 E55K is so good that even with a car that is ten years newer with newer technology, it still beats the competition?

Because if that's what you are saying, you're bang on the money.

 

[Lit91]

So what you're basically saying Nick is that the W211 E55K is so good that even with a car that is ten years newer with newer technology, it still beats the competition?

Because if that's what you are saying, you're bang on the money.

They are in different leagues though, surely a like for like comparison would of been with a RS6 or something on that level.

It is very impressive that the Golf R has done that well.

 

[John]

This is one thing that really puts me off buying another car.

The quality of the W211 inside and out, despite being from the sh!t era, is actually very good when judging it alone.

The seats are really comfortable, the car is a joy to drive even at slow speeds - it just does the figures and mine now on just over 100k and coming up to 12 years old but it doesn't feel tired.

Yes, the technology is getting on a bit but for me, I don't use the Sat Nav most of the time and I have Sat Nav on my phone anyway. I still use 5 DVDs full of all my MP3s which I have to switch once every month or so.

I'm just a bit concerned that whatever I move to will be a bit crap.

 

[Rosso1]

I would agree with Nicks comments on the VW
VW are capable but not exciting to drive.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

So what you're basically saying Nick is that the W211 E55K is so good that even with a car that is ten years newer with newer technology, it still beats the competition?

Barely beats it:

4.9 to 62, 300Bhp & 40+ mpg

Shows what 10 years of progress does and that the difference between the '55s and the increasingly quick hot hatches arent what they once were.

 

[renault12ts]

Was the E55k really £80k 11 years ago...dearer than an E63 today?

 

[Rosso1]

When i was a teenager i thought the Granda 2.8 was a big car but seeing the odd one now they are no bigger that a Focus. Just look at the size of a 1275 gt mini to a mini today.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Was the E55k really £80k 11 years ago...dearer than an E63 today?

CLS55 AMG was £68ish when new, £63k-ish for the E55

Fully specced would get it mid £70s

 

[renault12ts]

CLS55 AMG was £68ish when new, £63k-ish for the E55

Fully specced would get it mid £70s

Thought so.

 

[nickjonesn4]

They are in different leagues though, surely a like for like comparison would of been with a RS6 or something on that level.

It is very impressive that the Golf R has done that well.

yes probably but I don't own an RS6

Golf is a great car, super capable, one of the fastest point to point cars on UK roads I would say - not as much fun though

 

[Deleted member 37751]

They are in different leagues though

That's what I said.

surely a like for like comparison would of been with a RS6 or something on that level.

The most obvious one would be the current W212 E63 I think, but you are talking another £25k on top of an E55K and *puts on tin hat* it's not that much better, and it's the exact reason I didn't splash out £25k on top of my XF-R to buy a facelift XFR-S; to me, on a sliding scale, it's not worth it.

 

[nickjonesn4]

Thought so.

The original sale invoice I have says £74k as I recall.

Slight exagerration earlier

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I'm just a bit concerned that whatever I move to will be a bit crap.

XF-R is the natural progression; both plush and British in equal measures.

 

[nickjonesn4]

Barely beats it:

4.9 to 62, 300Bhp & 40+ mpg

Shows what 10 years of progress does and that the difference between the '55s and the increasingly quick hot hatches arent what they once were.

It will do 60 in 4.5 with launch control and the DSG box but no way it does 40mpg unless you drive like a nun. I'm averaging 25mpg so far

 

[Deleted member 37751]

XF-R is the natural progression; both plush and British in equal measures.

"British" should say "brutish".

 

[John]

Barely beats it:

4.9 to 62, 300Bhp & 40+ mpg

Shows what 10 years of progress does and that the difference between the '55s and the increasingly quick hot hatches arent what they once were.

55s are not really about 0-60/62 though.

People often quote these times but actually 1/4 mile is where the difference would become apparent.

An RS5 turned up to Vmax with the same 0-62 as the E55Ks.

The E55s wiped the floor with it.

Even a 600BHP Nissan GT-R running a 2.6s to 62 time was only 5mph quicker than mine top speed at Vmax.

Given the E55K is 1845Kg - that's pretty good going.

 

[Major774]

The E55 really ticks all the boxes for me, the only replacement I can think of is the current S63... I will wait a few more years when the price has dropped significantly before switching

 

[AMGeed]

The E55 really ticks all the boxes for me, the only replacement I can think of is the current S63... I will wait a few more years when the price has dropped significantly before switching

When they drop into my budget a 5.5 BiTurbo E63 shall be mine
Until then, perfectly happy with the E55.

 

[DSB SL AMG]

I love the DSG box, super quick changes, best trans out there for me its like having 1 gear, I think the change is something around 0.2sec due to internal twin clutch...had a few DSG golf GTI's some years ago and other VW group stuff Bentley Conti GT.

yes probably but I don't own an RS6

Golf is a great car, super capable, one of the fastest point to point cars on UK roads I would say - not as much fun though