The McLaren name is so evocative here in the UK, it comes as a surprise that it鈥檚 hardly known at all in other parts of the world - including the US. So it鈥檚 nothing short of miraculous to see how far it鈥檚 come in such a short time, producing incredible cars like the 600LT Spider and the 720S Spider (you鈥檒l have to wait until next week for that). While some British car makers are struggling, McLaren is going from strength to strength. As others are shedding workers, McLaren is busy recruiting. Last year, the Woking-based firm recorded global sales of 4,806 cars - up a whopping 44 per cent. The aim is to get to 6,000 cars by 2024, while the entire range will be 100 per cent electrified by 2025 as part of the Track 25 plan. Of course, there are dangers of growing too fast - as Jaguar Land Rover has proven. However, McLaren is doing it with a more considered (and easier-to-understand) line-up of sports cars; we鈥檙e constantly reminded that there will be no SUV (selfishly, I think that鈥檚 a bit of a shame). In the US, which accounts for nearly 40 per cent of McLaren sales, its well-heeled customers are younger than elsewhere and are excited that McLaren is the new kid on the block, taking on Ferrari and Lamborghini. And as somebody who has run a McLaren in the UK, I know that its cars are greeted over here with a warmth that owners of other supercars don鈥檛 always experience. Of course, not everything is perfect, as is often the case with fledgling car companies. Build quality still leaves a little to be desired, while the current models are saddled with an infotainment system that鈥檚 clunky to use and unreliable. However, the future is very bright for McLaren, which is shaping up to be one of the greatest British automotive success stories of the 21st century.
鈥淟ift off mid-corner and the Honda will start to tighten its line. Hit the throttle and the front wheels will pull you around the bend. The Volkswagen Golf R set the blueprint for modern hot hatch design with its potent engine, four-wheel-drive layout and practical body. Prices for WLTP-homologated models haven鈥檛 been released, but you can buy a brand-new 2018 car from stock for 拢34,910, which sits between its rivals here. Under the skin of the Golf is the VW Group鈥檚 MQB platform, which is the basis of many different models. It鈥檚 versatile, too, which allows the R variant to use four-wheel-drive. The 2.0-litre petrol engine produces 306bhp and the R鈥檚 four-wheel-drive system makes excellent use of the powerful motor, especially thanks to Volkswagen鈥檚 clever XDS electronic differential. Opting for the 拢850 Dynamic Chassis Control adds adaptive suspension, which allows you to switch between Comfort, Normal and Sport modes. It鈥檚 pricey, but still worth having because it broadens the Golf鈥檚 already impressive everyday usability without compromising its handling. The interior is another strong point in the VW, because build and material quality are excellent, and the neat design means the cabin feels spacious without losing any practicality.
The eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system is excellent, too. Standard equipment on the Golf R isn鈥檛 quite as generous as the Honda鈥檚, but it鈥檚 on par with the A 35鈥檚 because you get 18-inch alloy wheels, sat-nav, a digital dash, smartphone connectivity, parking sensors and a reversing camera. There are also LED headlights and keyless operation to match both rivals鈥?specifications. The Golf R鈥檚 potent engine, snappy DSG gearbox and four-wheel-drive traction work together very well, resulting in ballistic straight-line performance. It was the fastest car from 0-60mph (4.3 seconds) and took just 4.0 seconds to go from 30-70mph through the gears, which was 0.2 and 0.3 seconds faster than the Mercedes and Honda respectively. It was also quickest in our fourth gear 30-50mph test, beating the A 35鈥檚 3.3 seconds and the Type R鈥檚 3.4 seconds with a time of three seconds flat. The Volkswagen was faster than its rivals in higher gears as well, asserting a straight-line advantage everywhere in the slippery conditions of our test.
Alongside its huge performance for a family hatch, the VW鈥檚 engine revs smoothly. The Golf R鈥檚 overall character is much like the engine: it鈥檚 incredibly well engineered and effective. For example, the steering is very precise and there鈥檚 lots of grip, which gives you confidence in corners, yet we prefer the more communicative Honda. The A 35 is similarly well engineered, yet the Golf feels lighter on its feet, faster and more composed on a typical B-road than the AMG. Its four-wheel-drive system also feels more eager to send power to the rear wheels, so if you get on the power early in a corner you can feel the system working hard to tighten your line using the rear axle. The electronic differential also works very well, pulling the car around tight bends when you get on the power and maximising traction. That allows you to make the most of the Golf R鈥檚 explosive performance. With the 拢850 DCC set-up fitted, the Golf R rides very well, especially at speed, and even mid-corner bumps don鈥檛 upset the car鈥檚 balance. The Volkswagen is also more comfortable than the Mercedes with the dampers in their softest mode.
While the Golf鈥檚 4x4 system is useful in bad weather, it eats into boot space. Capacity drops from 380 litres in a front-wheel-drive model to 343 litres in the R, which makes it the smallest in this test. However, this is still enough day to day; it鈥檚 just that family trips will stretch it further. The Golf is also roomy for rear-seat passengers, with a wide door opening and lots of head and legroom in the back. There鈥檚 not quite as much in-cabin storage as its competitors鈥? but the dash design means it feels more spacious inside and there are still plenty of cubbies and storage bins. Volkswagen performed well in our Driver Power 2018 survey, finishing fifth out of 26 in the makers鈥?rankings. The Golf also scored a maximum five stars in its 2012 Euro NCAP crash test, and standard safety equipment includes autonomous braking, parking sensors, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and seven airbags. You鈥檒l need to pay 拢1,225 for an option pack in order to get blind spot monitoring, but that price also includes auto high beams, rear cross-traffic alert and traffic jam assist.