Setting Up the Test
So I dug out the dusty RS200 from the back corner of the garage today. Been sitting under a tarp for months, honestly forgotten what it sounded like. Pulled off the cover, dust flew everywhere – poor thing. Battery was dead as a doornail, obviously. Had to jump it for ages. Finally heard that turbo rasp crank to life. Sounded angry. Good.
Getting Down to Business
Took it over to the dead-flat industrial park road near me. Early Sunday, nobody around. Perfect. Slapped my basic timing gear on the dash – just a G-meter and a stopwatch set-up, nothing fancy. Checked the tires – decent pressure, at least. Didn’t even bother warming it up all the way; just let it idle for a few minutes. Felt impatient.
Lined it up at the start point. Dropped the clutch to feel the bite point. Held the revs around 4,000. Heart was pounding a bit – this old Group B monster ain’t exactly tame. Took a deep breath.
The Moment of Truth
Slammed the gas and dumped the clutch. All hell broke loose for a second. That turbo scream. Wheelspin everywhere, sideways lurch. Fought the steering wheel like mad. Once it hooked up – kinda – it just PULLED. Stuck me back in the seat hard. Saw the needle climb… fast, but not mind-blowing like the stories say.
Glanced at the stopwatch the second I hit 60.
The result? Solid 5.1 seconds.
Felt… underwhelmed? All the forums whisper about 3-something sprints. Total rubbish, feels like. Did it again. Twice. Best was 4.9 seconds when I got a cleaner launch without spinning so much. Stupid stopwatch never lies. This ain’t some hypercar rocket like people make it out to be.
Why the Hype?
Pulled over, popped the hood. Still ticking like crazy. Heat haze coming off it. Yeah, it’s raw, sounds savage, looks nuts… but seriously fast by modern standards? Nah.
- Old tech suspension makes launching consistently a nightmare.
- Turbo lag kicks you in the back when it comes online, but by then you’ve already wasted time.
- Everyone remembers the Group B aura and just assumes it was quicker than it actually was.
A stock Golf R nowadays feels just as quick off the line, probably quicker honestly. Less drama, sure. But faster? Yeah.
Final Thoughts
Don’t get me wrong, the RS200 is a riot. It’s brutal. It smells like old petrol and danger. The noise alone is worth firing it up. But that legendary “supercar-beating” 0-60 time? Pure myth, far as I can tell after actually doing it myself. Reality bites, I guess. Doesn’t make it less cool, just means people need to stop repeating the same old exaggerated stories. Modern hot hatches would smoke this thing off the line without breaking a sweat. Legends aren’t always fast. Sometimes they’re just loud.
Put the tarp back on it. Dust probably settled already.
