My dad's 1M or a brand new VW R

[E30 Racer]

Well stated Pete, and spot on.

[Trond]

Hi Pete. I loved your write-up. Eactly how I feel about the 1M. I had a 964 turbo a few years ago which gave me similar pure passionate drivers fun but more scarier than the 1M.

[scotth944]

I've owned both (at the same time) and Pete is spot on. I prefer the R for daily practicality given that it can haul crap, can't be stopped in winter with a set of snow tires, and it does not feel under powered most of the time. I miss the M as a weekend car, a much more tactile car to drive and you are rewarded on many levels of sensation that the R can't deliver on but it requires your attention and could suprise me sometimes even though I knew to be prepared. Both are fun at the track and on the street but I think the R needs more camber in the front to balacnce the handling beter, the M needs a different diff. to be more stable/predictable when getting though corners. If I had the money, it would be a tough call on if I would build out a second R or a M for the weekend/track. If you were to sink the same amount of money into either one, I think the R could potentially be faster but the M would probable still be more fun to be in
-Scott

[craina]

Originally Posted by Pete_vB

The good news is that you can't go wrong with either car. The bad news is that the two cars are completely different driving experiences, meaning you'll make a significant sacrifice either way.

I've owned an 08 R32, WRX wagon, and recently got an Audi S3 (the R's big brother dressed in a suit) for my girlfriend, so I know the charms of the small 4wd Swiss Army knife. I also put 75k miles on a 1M as a daily driver. And just for perspective I own a few Porsches, and have owned an even dozen over the years.

You mention 0-60, but the more I drive the more useless that stat becomes. It impresses guys who have no clue about cars. In terms of driving experience however it says very little. Yes the R will feel fast (if you're willing to do the whole "flash back to stock and hope they don't void my warranty" dance). It still won't feel as fast as a 1M with traction control off. So let's forget speed and talk driving experience:

The R is hugely competent, to a fault. You need to be a complete idiot to get it out of shape, and even then it's going to do its damnedest to save your butt. You'll find yourself chucking it into corners ever faster and jumping on the gas ever earlier, but you'll strain to hear a whisper of complaint. While willing, however, the R doesn't always encourage shenanigans. The steering is aloof and lacks feedback, while the chassis does "stuck" far too well in the dry. Come wet or winter you'll appreciate all that grip, but in the dry it's simply not hugely playful. German efficiency. Call it "intro to driving" for the Xbox generation, much like your GTI. Good fun on most dry roads only at ludicrous speed...

The 1M is in contrast a graduate level course. Obviously not in the dry and with traction control on, but switch it off and suddenly you're playing in the pros rather than little league. It's a far more involving car, much more feedback, interaction and sensation of speed. The R's powerband is smooth, linear and flat. The 1M has drama in comparison- lag, peaks and valleys. The steering is alive, the chassis rolls and pitches. Most important it wants to dance, and it loves to slide. Like a wild mistress it's a flawed thing, but those flaws make it all the more compelling...

The smart move is unquestionably to get the R. It's the more sensible car, and as a bonus it won't try and kill you. It will be easier to live with given your local weather, and in terms of practical capability it simply has more breadth and depth. On a wet or snowy road the 1M won't see which way it went, and real world it will be just as quick almost everywhere. That said...

If you're a skilled driver who wants to get better (not to be confused with the average overconfident fool who has never seen a closed course or held a drift), you'd be foolish to turn down a stint in one of the last great old school drivers cars. Get a second set of wheels with winter tires and convert to the church of opposite lock. The R is in my mind a very talented SUV, a hugely capable machine that's actually more than decent from behind the wheel. The 1M lacks some of that capability, but it makes up for it with passion.

Either has advantages and disadvantages. Pick your poison...

Pete pretty well summed up why I ditched my TT-RS for a 1M. The VAG cars are extremely competent but I never really got white knuckles driving my TT-RS, even on the track.