VW already discontinued the manual and half the internet is still arguing about the touchscreen. Priorities. Here's the actual case for going Mk8 Golf R in 2026, and why the years matter more than the miles: 1. The 6MT only exists on 2022-2024 cars. 2025 forward is DSG only. That's the whole post. Every clean three-pedal R that gets crashed, tracked into the ground or traded on a lease deal is one fewer that will ever exist. The supply curve only goes one direction. 2. 315hp and 280 lb-ft from the EA888 evo4, and it's the same block the tuning world has been beating on for over a decade. Stage 1 on a stock turbo is a coffee-money afternoon. The aftermarket already solved this engine before you bought the car. 3. The rear diff is the real story. R Performance torque vectoring can send torque side to side across the rear axle, not just front to back. It's why the car rotates instead of pushing. Just know the manual doesn't get Drift mode or Special Nurburgring mode, that's DSG-only, ...