[Deschodt]

Funny... I test drove one this very week end - stick... It's a *very* nice car, in some ways it reminds me of my Audi S4. I suppose the new S3 would be a better comparison, same engine. Very nice interior, typical VW, etc... nicer than the Focus for sure, yet I would probably buy that instead for the $ once Ford stops marking them up. At the end of the day though, I struggle with paying 42K+ tax on a souped up Golf GTI hatchback. That's my only beef with it. That's slightly used S4/CaymanS/997 money right there... A regular GTI can be had for $26K or so and 99% of the time it's enough of a good car vs the R.

I'd say you have to be a special VW gearhead for the R to make sense, it's definitely a unique proposition and you see only a few on the road, so that's cool.. it's a nice car... For the record there was a used one FS at the dealer for $26K and I was tempted but it had 60K miles (of abuse, presumably) and no warranty left so I did not want it..

(I wanted a GTI but ended up with a Mini cooper S just based on price/options/the dealer not being an *********... I'm not proud but it works for me, trade in was $3K better at Mini, VW was very inflexible for a comapny that is embroiled in a customer scandal with TDIs)