If the rear wheels are slipping going around the corner that’s called oversteer. That’s actually want you want to be fast on a racetrack. It helps the rear of the car rotate around so you can get it pointed in the straight direction and under full throttle sooner. Unfortunately, it can get away from you and you can wind up in the weeds.

It depends. I’m in the fourth owner of my current car. I purchased it with 4,600 mi. The vehicle was originally leased, owner #1. Then, returned to the leasing company, owner #2. It was then sold at auction to a dealership group, owner #3. Then I bought it, owner #4. All in the space of about 30 months…

Michelin PS4s is the go-to tire. It’s going to work a bit better than your super sports. It is$$$$ however.

Previous recommendation of the Firehawk 500 is sound. It’s a very good tire, especially considering the price. Btw, The Firehawk 500 and General RS are exactly the same tire (same construction, same rubber compounds, different mould)—One of the Continentals is exactly this tire as well: same construction and 24/26 identical rubber compounds. ( It’s amazing what the guys at Tire Rack will tell you when you call with questions…)

Horsepower is derivative on engine speed. It won’t matter much.

It’s the compound on the brake pads that BMW uses. You can get other manufacturers product that aren’t as noisy. For example, hawk, akebono, eBC, project mu, pagid…

As someone who’s owned both-- at least until last month, the f87, doesn’t ride nearly as well as the golf R . It is a much more taut, high strung, needing perfectly smooth pavement kind of beast. The spring/shock combo on the f87 isn’t great. BMW used progressive springs and they’re not quite firm enough to balance out the shock. In other words, it’s too rough of a ride on non-perfect road and then it kind of porpoises(not enough rebound) when you go over any type of significant bump/imperfection. Apparently, switching to a firmer/static rate (non-progressive) spring actually helps.

Make no mistake, it is a beast. It has a great suspension on perfect roads and the engine is sublime. The BMW has much better front grip/feedback compared to the R. I prefer the DCT in the BMW to the automatic in the golf R. It just seems like it’s better programmed. However, I had the six-speed auto in my previous GTI ( Mark 7) and it was the best transmission I’ve ever owned

Driving wise, it’s a completely different beast (it should be since the BMW was about 50% more in cost). Think of the BMW as a track toy you can use on the street when necessary. The R is safe because of the understeer. If you go too fast in the corner all you have to do is lift off. If you do that at speed in the BMW the rear wants to come around on you as the balance of the car shifts… The golf is much easier to drive fast, above 95% effort. You just point and shoot and stomp on the gas. For a rear wheel drive car, the f87 does handle quite well(understatement). You can drive using the throttle to get around corners. When it does start to get away from you it’s quite easy to modulate. However, if you’re inexperienced or the road is rough or wet, it can be quite a handful when you’re pushing it. If you drive at 85%, even in the wet, you never have to worry.

Note: I sold my BMW last month. Currently, I’m looking to purchase a BMW 240ix. My R is going away. I’m not sure whether I’m giving it to my son, or going to sell it out right. (The golf R was my daily driver and the BMW was the weekend car… I decided to consolidate.).

Take a look at the CT4 Blackwing and the BMW 240i(X). Personally, I found them both superior to the golf R and both superior to the f87 on a daily use basis when I was test driving everything last month.