Following yesterday’s teaser photo, Volkswagen has revealed the new Golf R in all its conservative glory. For those who have already seen the R-Line packages for the Golf Mk7, the looks of the new Golf R won’t be a surprise at all.
The all-wheel-drive flagship Golf model sports a more aggressive body kit consisting of redesigned bumpers, new side sills, new 18- and 19-inch “Cadiz” alloy wheels and an air diffuser that integrates chrome dual tailpipes on each side.
Other new details found on the hot hatch include the darkened LED taillights and headlights, with the latter also featuring a new layout and lighting design (they also incorporate the DRLs). The matt chrome door mirror caps and black brake calipers round out the exterior changes.
Although VW hasn’t yet released photos of the interior yet, the company says the Golf R features an extensively customized and upgraded cabin, including front sport seats, optional Nappa-carbon leather package, R design instruments, redesigned radio and navigation systems and Car-Net – a series of new mobile online services.
Moving on to what’s most important about the Golf R, under the bonnet there’s the same engine from the Audi S3: a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine developing 300PS (296hp) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque, available from 1,800 to 5,500 rpm.
Power is sent to all four wheels via a fifth-generation Haldex coupling with the 4Motion system paired to a manual six-speed transmission as standard (a 6-speed DSG will be optionally available). The Golf R also has four electronic differential locks (EDS) integrated in the ESC that act as transverse locks, while XDS+ electronic differentials are fitted to the front and rear axles.
A sport suspension setup reduces ground clearance by 20mm (0.78in) compared to the standard Golf and 5mm (0.2in) over the Golf GTI. VW said the 2.0-liter engine offers an average fuel economy of 6.9 l/100 km (34 US mpg) when mated to the DSG gearbox – that’s 18 percent better than its predecessor. With the manual gearbox, the new Golf R reaches 100km/h (62 mph) from rest in 5.3 seconds, an improvement of 0.4 sec over the previous Golf R, and with the DSG, in 4.9 seconds. The Golf R’s top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250km/h).
The Golf R will premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show and will arrive in Europe in the fourth quarter of this year. Prices in Germany start from €38,325 ($51,325). U.S. sales should start within the next year or so.
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
