New VW Golf GTI Clubsport vs Honda Civic Type R review which is quickest on trac
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TechTranscript
00:00Welcome to a track battle between the new Golf GTI Club Sport and the Honda Civic Type R, the limited edition one.
00:06I'm going to tie them round this circuit, see which is the quickest.
00:13Before we crack on with the track battle, I want to introduce you to the interior of my daily driver, the Tesla Model 3.
00:19In particular, what is on its web browser, because it's my account for NordVPN.
00:25Now, why do I use a VPN? Well, I travel around the country and often I'm using Wi-Fi networks in hotels and airports and stuff like that.
00:32And I can't guarantee that they're secure, whereas this VPN allows me to have the security I need.
00:39Now, I've got a great offer available on NordVPN.
00:43If you go to www.nordvpn.com forward slash Matt Watson cars and use the promo code Matt Watson,
00:50if you sign up for two years, you'll get a huge discount and an introductory gift as well.
00:55Now, I've put a link in the description and in the comments, so you can go straight there.
00:58Also, I use it whenever I'm travelling abroad and I want to watch BBC iPlayer.
01:02Being British, I have to pay the licence fee, so I want to watch BBC programmes sometimes when I'm abroad.
01:08So, I use the VPN to set my location in the UK and then I can continue watching something I've paid for.
01:14The best bit is that there's a 30-day full refund money-back guarantee.
01:18So, if you decide that you don't want to use the service, you can get your cash back.
01:21It's completely risk-free, unlike using random Wi-Fi networks around the country.
01:26That's why I use NordVPN. It gives me the security I need.
01:30Let's start off in the Golf. Oh, that's doing my head in.
01:32This Golf Club Sport has an upgraded engine over the standard GTI,
01:35so you've now got 300 horsepower and 400 newton metres of torque.
01:40That's not the only change, though.
01:41They've led the suspension by 10 millimetres, stiffer springs, firmer dampers.
01:46Also, you've got a lower final drive for the automatic gearbox, seven-speed.
01:49It's been recalibrated. ESC has been retuned as well.
01:55They've changed the camber at the front wheels.
01:57They've done a lot to it and, obviously, there's some exterior styling differences as well,
02:01like the wing, the decals.
02:04Whoa!
02:06This engine is pretty punchy, you know.
02:08The car moves around quite a lot. That's what I find surprising about it.
02:12It really does, like, start to come round on you.
02:14OK, here's the start line. Let's do it. Start the clock.
02:18Come on.
02:19Oh, oh, be patient on the power here.
02:23Get the kerb.
02:25Come on, Golf.
02:26They've also retuned the front diff, making it more aggressive.
02:29You can really feel it hooking up at the bends.
02:31And they've improved the brakes. They've got bigger brakes than the standard GTI.
02:34Got 357 millimetre cross-drilled discs at the front,
02:38gripped by two-piston calipers off the Golf R.
02:40They help. They help with your braking.
02:42Really do. Come on.
02:44Oh, keep it tidy, Matthew.
02:47That's it. On the power now. Come on.
02:52This bit. Be brave. Don't lift, don't lift, don't lift, don't lift, don't lift.
02:55No brake. Turn. Get the weight of the front.
02:57Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!
03:01It really is playful. For a Volkswagen.
03:03That's it. Keep rotating. This is nice.
03:07Come on.
03:09Take it tight. Come on!
03:10Here we go. Here comes the line.
03:12Going over the kerb. Here we are. Here we are. Here we are!
03:16Right.
03:18Find out the time that I got.
03:21Okay, okay. What is the time?
03:2414.6.
03:2714.6.
03:30It's all right?
03:31I think that's pretty good for this car, isn't it?
03:33Oh, that's a bit rude.
03:34Anyway, I'm going to jump into the Civic and see how quick I am in that.
03:40Now I'm in the Civic Type R.
03:42And this is the limited edition version.
03:44Only 20 come into the UK and they've all been sold out.
03:47Now, for the latest model year,
03:49Honda has uprated the Type R suspension, bushings, brakes.
03:54And then for this limited edition, they've fit 20-inch forged alloy wheels,
03:58which are lighter. Two and a half kilos per corner.
04:01Remove some sound ending from the roof and stuff.
04:04Really got to town on it.
04:05Even removed the stereo and the air conditioning.
04:07So it can get quite hot in here.
04:08The result, though, is a saving of 47 kilos.
04:13So this thing comes in at 1,258 kilos.
04:16So about 100 kilos lighter than that Golf, which is insane.
04:20It also comes with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.
04:23And until they're warmed up, they're a little bit slippy.
04:26So the car will come around on you like that.
04:28So you have to be careful.
04:30But once you've got them warmed, they are awesome.
04:33Anyway, here we come.
04:34Time to start the lap.
04:36Now, the steering just feels so much nicer than in that Golf.
04:41Whoa!
04:44On the way, the electronically controlled diff just hooks up.
04:48It's got even more front end bite than that Club Sport.
04:51And the brakes. On the brakes, this thing.
04:54Yeah, look at that.
04:57Oh, get in the car.
05:01Love it. It is like a touring car.
05:04It really is.
05:05Just roll it in here. Come on.
05:07Get the power down. Straighten it out.
05:09Oh, that's nice.
05:11Stay in gear. Just stay in. That's it.
05:15Now, this is the bit you've got to watch.
05:18Get this right. Get the power on.
05:20Come through this really fast chicane.
05:23Stay brave. Don't back, don't back, don't back.
05:25Little brake. Power, power, power to grip.
05:28I love this thing.
05:30I really, really do. This feels faster than the Golf.
05:33Definitely faster.
05:35Oh, what are we going to do? What are we going to do?
05:38Here's the finish line. Right.
05:41That felt faster.
05:43Oh, it's just so much faster and more enjoyable.
05:47Let's find out what I did.
05:52I bet it's a second out of it.
05:55It's in the 13s, this. One minute 13.
05:57It's got to be around there.
06:00A bit above. Let's see. Let's see. Let's see.
06:02Go on. What time have you got? What time have you got, Sam?
06:041.13 dead.
06:06But it was 0.002, so it's a 1.13 dead.
06:091.13 in the Type R.
06:13This thing is an absolute animal.
06:17I love it.
06:18Right. Let's see if the GTI Club Sport can save a bit of face
06:21by beating the Civic Type R when it comes to launching.
06:25So, my specialist timing gear here.
06:27I'm going to time this car, 0-60 miles an hour and over the standing quarter.
06:30I've got the benefits of that seven-speed automatic gearbox and launch control.
06:34So, let's see what happens. Come on.
06:36Launch control, active.
06:39Bit of wheelspin.
06:41We're going now. Oh, hesitancy on the gearbox.
06:43Not the best launch.
06:450-60, 5.34.
06:47What's the quarter mile going to be?
06:50Come on.
06:5213.47.
06:56Best two out of three or whatever.
07:00I'm going to have another go anyway. That's what I mean.
07:02That wasn't a great launch.
07:0413.47 and 5.34.
07:10It's not completely unattainable for the Civic, that.
07:12Come on, Golf. You can do better. You've got an automatic gearbox, launch control.
07:15Let's just reset that. Here we go.
07:22Bit of slip again.
07:25Better gear change that time.
07:26Come on. Yes! 0-60, 5.02 seconds.
07:30What is the quarter mile?
07:3513.22.
07:38That's all right.
07:39Let's find out what the Civic can do.
07:42Right then, let's see how well a £40,000 limited edition Honda Civic Type R can do.
07:49It's a lot, isn't it? £40,000.
07:52Would you buy one?
07:53It's irrelevant. They're all sold out anyway, so it doesn't matter really.
07:56Right, let's see what you can do. Come on. I know this is hard to launch.
07:59Come on, here we go.
08:04Oh, that's horrible. We're on now.
08:096.02 to 6.8, that's just rubbish.
08:1714.26.
08:20What an absolute **** show.
08:24Oh, God. Right, I can definitely do better than that.
08:29Not sure I'm going to get and beat the Golf, but I can beat that.
08:33Must be able to.
08:44That's insane.
08:47Utterly rubbish.
08:49Smelling some clutch. 6.01 to 6.8, I'm 14.15 on the quarter mile.
08:55I'm going again. I'm going again. One last go.
08:58Come on, Civic.
09:00I clearly love this car, don't I? I'm giving it loads and loads of chances,
09:04but it ain't getting close to that Golf, let's be honest.
09:06Come on, last, last go. Definitely.
09:09Stay with this video. Stay with it.
09:12Bit better.
09:17Oh, yeah, 5.59.
09:22Not keen to hit the quarter mile.
09:2613.77.
09:30Didn't beat the Golf. Didn't beat it.
09:36But got close and it's manual and on the track.
09:39Oh, my God, I would have this car any day of the week over that Golf Club Sport.
09:45On the road, though, year in, year out, not so sure.
09:50This can be a real pig when it's wet. Really, really can be.
09:54But if you do track days, this is by far and away a better car.
09:59It's like a racing car. I love it.
10:06Hope you all enjoyed the video. If you did, please give it a like.
10:08Also, let me know of some other videos you'd like me to do in the comments.
10:11If you want to watch more videos, then click on the windows and see you next time.
10:16Thanks for watching.