Yes, yes, we know, the 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR is no longer being produced nor is it still on sale. However, while Australian enthusiasts eagerly await the arrival of the Mk8 Golf GTI, we were offered the chance to drive the swansong to the Mk7 GTI. That’s not an offer you turn down.
On initial impressions, the TCR may simply look like a standard GTI with new bumpers and some stickers. However, it is much more than that and the upgrades made result in one of the finest front-wheel drive hot hatches going around.
Key to the Golf GTI TCR is the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that’s good for 286 hp (213 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque. Interestingly, that torque figure is down from the (272 lb-ft) 370 Nm of the standard Golf GTI, but the reduction in torque has been offset with the implementation of a six-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission as opposed to the seven-speed DSG of the standard GTI, the Golf R, and GTI TCR models sold in Europe.
Whereas the standard model has always been quite subtle, the GTI TCR is a real head-turner, thanks in no small part to the matte black stickers applied to the doors. Other alterations include a new front bumper with a unique splitter, ducts to reduce air pressure around the front wheels, and a sharp diffuser at the rear. A set of matte black, 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Continental ContiSportContact 5p AO tires also come as standard. It’s a nice looking thing and to some eyes, better looking than the Mk8 model.
For as eye-catching as it is, however, is it actually much of an upgrade over the standard GTI when driven on the street? Absolutely, and then some.
No ordinary Golf
A new exhaust is one of the first things that grabs your attention once you fire it up. It produces a lovely bark on upshifts and a nice burble on the overrun, immediately making the TCR feel more focused than other Golfs, including the R.
While the output of the TCR is considerably higher than the standard GTI and much closer to the Golf R, it continues to be routed through the front wheels courtesy of a limited-slip differential. Is this a good or a bad thing? Well, it depends.
Off the line, the GTI TCR is at an obvious disadvantage to the all-wheel drive R. In fact, VW quotes a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time of 4.8 seconds with the R and 5.7 seconds with the TCR. While 0.9 seconds may not sound like much, the real difference is how easy it is to achieve those times in the real world. Thanks to the R’s excellent launch control system, matching its claimed 0-100 km/h time is quite easy. The same cannot be said about the TCR.
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It too has a launch control system but it could be better described as a ‘burnout mode.’ Depressing the brake and pinning the throttle enables the system and lets the 2.0-liter roar. However, once you let off the brake, the car doesn’t manage traction to get the best launch; it instead ferociously spins up the front wheels, leaving thick tire marks on the pavement and sending tire smoke directly into the cabin through the air vents and right into your face. It’s fun but not effective. Using the system with a lighter right foot is the way to go but dropping below the 6.0-second mark to 100 clicks isn’t easy.
Once you get moving, the TCR actually feels quicker than the R. This is partly due to the fact that it weighs 3,057 lbs (1,387 kg) compared to the 3,196 lbs (1,450 kg) of the R. The engine pulls strongly through the gears and shows no signs of letting up as the numbers start to climb.
A car that thrives in the corners
Dare I say it, the TCR also handles better than the R. The car is equipped with adaptive dampers and the ride height has also been dropped by 5 mm. Regardless of which driving mode you’re in, the hot hatch tips into corners the moment you start to apply pressure to the steering wheel. The initial turn-in feels better than the R and the car manages to maintain this grip through the duration of the corner without breaking a sweat.
The interior is a great place to spend time and feels special thanks to the red and black sports seats. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is also perfectly shaped and sized, although it would be nice to have seen VW fit a set of metal paddle shifters rather than cheap plastic ones. VW’s superb digital gauge cluster further adds to the experience.
Volkswagen sold 300 examples of GTI TCR in Australia during the final months of 2020, all finished in either grey, white, or red, with prices starting at AU$51,490 (US$39,676) plus on-road costs. That placed the TCR neatly between the standard GTI (AU$47,190 / US$36,362) and the Golf R (AU$55,990 / US$43,143), and a few thousand dollars below the likes of the Honda Civic Type R and Renault Megane R.S. Trophy.
Due to its all-wheel drive, the Golf R is more well-rounded than the GTI TCR. However, if I had to choose between them for an early-morning blast up a mountain road, I’d choose the latter every day of the week.
