The next decision I needed to make was whether to continue a long trend of driving a manual transmission car or elect to have the faster shifting, slightly less driver engaging DSG transmission.
The idea of trying to extract maximum performance from the car had me leaning toward the DSG transmission. The faster 0-60 times were a clear sign of the superior shifting speed found in the DSG. Out of the box the DSG is able to handle more power than the manual clutch, and with an aftermarket tune in mind, I would be able to do that modification without needing to worry about making a clutch swap. Thinking about the times that I have tracked manual transmission cars, having the car shift for me would ease the driver load so I could focus on other things if I got into tracking the Golf R.
Weighing against the DSG is the enjoyment I have found in coordinating the clutch pedal and transmission shifts. I’ve never found a manual transmission to be a significant burden, even in stop and go traffic. Swapping clutches to an aftermarket clutch capable of handling more engine power from an aftermarket tune would not be a problem.
Decision: DSG
Trying something different won out. I figure if in the long term I don’t care for the DSG there are going to be manual transmission Golf R’s for sale that I can move over to.