I don't see any other point in that car but to offend petrolheads, and to me, that's not a valid reason for a car to exist. Ok maybe also to lure petrolheads stupid enough, and I don't like it either. Reminds me of a vegan sausage.
8.5Y RS3
- Thread starter HereWeGo
- Start date
Or, it's designed to offer a more familiar way for ICE enthusiasts to consider transitioning to an EV, by creating a driving experience that's closer to what they're used to. Particularly those who would otherwise be conpletely close-minded to it 
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hmm not for me that one in terms of styling and 200 mile range is $hi7e !
View: https://youtu.be/DYnUu1R_7kw?si=-dkEG4fi3HWUe1yA
Something about the wheels and rear bumper just doesn’t look right.
I’m sure it drives great but so many question marks considering the price.
I think it's the uneven thickness of the spokes that you distinguish only when you've looked at them closely for a while, and the thicker metal colored parts on the outer rim between the thicker spokes. The rim should be even width all around to look clean and "right". I think they look better in gunmetal finish of which lesser contrast almost hides those points.
The local dealer has gone bonkers and ordered not one but two showroom RS3's, both SB and sedan. Interesting to see if the rear bumper looks more proportionate in the flesh.
I didn't own a PFL either but I thought the opposite, looked like it was trying too hard. I really hated the large amount of cheap looking fake vents. I am pleased they got rid of them on the FL but it now looks like they are trying too hard even more.
I don't mind the wheels from a distance but they are too fussy and going to be a pig to clean (that is coming from someone used to cleaning 20-spoke wheels) and look easier to damage and harder to fix when kerbed.
That humongous rear black diffuser thing lol. It looks like it’s got the wrong underpants on lol
Not a criticism, more of an observation, but the rear diffuser does jut out much further than on the PFL and seems to have some working aero on it.
I was a little disappointed to see something like that on my PFL both in terms of its size and function, but I'm definitely not a fan of how much more space the new one takes up with black plastic.
For the price, I was hoping they would increase power output and sharper gearbox.
Think I will be selling my 8Y. Something leaves me cold about the car.
Just not sure what to replace with.
Just looks so big. The side profile of the bumper looks like some random Maxton body kit add on.
maybe not so bad if you pick a darker colour to contrast.
My RS3 with the 5/10 Y spoke are hard enough to keep nice, the 'new' facelift wheels have twice the number of spokes so presumably would take twice as long to clean
Thought the same not sure how both can be compared. Very different driving characteristics.
It's not just the rear though, look at the front from a side view, the grille is now nearly straight and sticks out more,
If you painted the new rear bumper bit red it would look like a Baboons ar*e
If you listen at the start of that, why is he trying to be smart and pronounce SportBack in a pidgeon German accent
He did that a while back with a Clubsport video as well lol.
Banging on about the RS3 still under steering around a bend when in off the throttle lol I can honestly say in my 2 years with the 8Y it never ever had an issue going around any bend.
And if you are ok with the RS3 pricing you wouldn't even look at the Golf's direction. There's a clear reason why the Golf is cheaper, its interior feels levels below Audi and the R form doesn't change that. Indeed there are some spots in 8Y as well that aren't exactly great but the Golf is on its own level of cheapness.
I had one of the early Golf 8Rs and realised it was a mistake ordering from early into my ownership, within a few months I was looking for something else.
Besides the well documented software issues it did feel like some serious cost cutting had been done plus the really slow kick down/throttle response was annoying to say the least, also in my opinion the large infotainment screen in the facelifted Golf looks terrible.
You are spot on about not looking at a Golf R if seriously looking at an RS3, I've never driven an RS3 (mine built and sat at the port in Germany) but from the reviews I've seen the 2 cars are miles apart.
I don't understand why the reviewer is comparing these two directly. Surely the S3 is a much more relevant comparison to the Golf R?
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Because he likes the sound of his own voice, is biased and full of s***
Agreed one thing we can all agree on is the 8Y has better driving dynamics than a 8V.
I find his reviews really boring and stale. Comparing a hatch against a Porsche sports car. Odd
I agree. Read a review by Plato that said the same about the understeer but be bemused as to how. The front end on the RS3 is ****** good. Better turn in than my G80 x-drive and they rave about that.
Too much bias in most of these reviewers.
Not so sure, never felt confidence in what the back end was doing in the 8Y, bit like the Skyline in as much as you ignore the feeling and let it get on with it. Golf was worse though IMHO.
If I wanted the feeling of the a$$ end sliding around I'd have bought an M3
For me 7.5 was peak Golf R, nothing I have seen since come close to changing my mind.
Not had a problem in the 8V either, but IMHO I know how to drive the thing round a bend. Unlike the FW you posted in the 8V thread
Mine left the factory almost 3 weeks ago and latest update towards the end of last week was that it was still at port of exit, dealer said he'd update me as soon as it's on a boat.Assumung it's still at the port then it's been there 17 days so far.
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I had a 7.5R also and agree that was probably the high point for the R.
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I had a nice spec 7.5R, loved it, I thought I wanted a Golf Mk8R until I took one out and ended up here
That's my sentiments exactly, just that it took me longer than you to get here due to going via BMW first which wasn't a mistake like the VWI had a nice spec 7.5R, loved it, I thought I wanted a Golf Mk8R until I took one out and ended up here
That was my thoughts about my DAZA and going to the 8Y, I'm only here for the FL but not hopeful.....I had a nice spec 7.5R, loved it, I thought I wanted a Golf Mk8R until I took one out and ended up here
Took the 8R out and it held back on just about every corner exit, I noticed the ESP light flashing in the lower right corner, quite hard to see as the steering wheel spoke covered it, I tried for about 10 minutes to find the ESP Sport or Off setting, just couldn’t find it,
I took the car back and asked the sales person how to turn it off, he didn’t know so went to find someone who did, he came back and said you need to spec the performance pack to turn ESP off.
Forums to the rescue, I asked the question on VWROC and the lengthy process was explained to me, so, back to the VW dealer for a second go,
IMHO the Golf 8R is a better drivers car than the RS3 when you grab it by the scruff and push it (once in either ESP Sport or Off) I think it's more natural and ‘if it could talk’ it would be goading you on, it just feels 'natural' when it's being pushed whereas the RS3 with it's lazy throttle pedal seems to be the opposite and would advise against any of this naughtiness.
I thought the 8R's infotainment system and dash was c*ap and all the comments on VWROC like the car not overtaking (they would undertake though) when in ACC and a few had experienced a full power reduction and brakes for no reason on Motorways plus I didnt like the interior and that was it for me
Yet to see one in the flesh and drive one, but doubtful it fixes most of what I don't like about the 8Y. Made sense to wait until it came out before deciding what I do. Most likely it will be spending a bit to future-proof what I already have, then spend the difference on doing the same to other stuff I have.
The 8Y handling was strange coming out of the 8V as it was night and day difference but you gradually learn to know its limits. It’s not like a M3. A good effort from Audi imo considering how poor the previous 8V, 8P handling setup was.
You could close your eyes driving those cars. This gen you have to be wide awake.
Despite owning one I too found the interior crap which wasn't helped by the constant software issues lighting up, the slow throttle response was something I wasn't willing to put up with and so annoying.
VWROC is a good forum, lots of helpful people happy with the 8R but definitely not for me.
Does the RS3 suffer from slow throttle response like the 8R? Last couple of cars in the household after my 8R experience are BMWs and they are all very responsive.
It’s ok but the dated gearbox also doesn’t help, could be a lot sharper which would have been nice in the 8.5Y.
The DQ500 started as a diesel van gearbox and I forgive it a lot because it is bulletproof even when people abuse it. It takes 1000+ bhp with little complaint. The clutches, driveshafts mounts and transfer box go first.
They had to take a lot of 'sharpness' out from the DNWA onwards because the MQB/MQB evo platform could not cope when idiots got hold of them and it was cheaper to soften the launch and shifts than improve the rest. DQ381 is sharper but given the issues I'll take the DQ500 any day.
I grew up on front engine RWD and plate LSD and drove nothing else for a couple of decades. To me over-speeding one rear wheel is another band-aid to make a platform do what it was never designed to do, just like reverse staggered wheels.
I have other cars I need to be awake for. I (and many others) buy Audi so I don't have to. The difference is obvious when my mate tries to keep up in his F80 M3 in the wet.
The handling of the FL8V is pretty much neutral and exactly why I bought it. If you want a tail-happy car that needs electronics to keep you between the lines then it was the wrong car, just as the 8/8.5Y is probably the wrong car for what I need now.
I think it's laggy like the gearbox, all emission related to try and get you to drive conservatively I doubt the pedal is anywhere near 1-1, I have often wondered if one of the 'pedal boxes' would improve it
