Following the world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September last year, the U.S. premiere of the VW Golf R will take place at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show.
The most powerful Golf ever to be sold in the United States, the Golf R, is powered by the most advanced version of the EA888 four-cylinder turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0-liter TSI engine.
Producing an estimated 290 horsepower (some 6 hp less than the Euro-spec model rated at 296hp or 300 PS), the new Golf R has 34 hp more than the previous version, which was sold as a 2013 model. The engine produces 280 lb-ft (391 Nm) available between 1,800 to 5,500 rpm
Naturally, it is faster too, covering the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in 5.3 seconds with the six-speed manual (0.4 seconds quicker than the old car). When fitted with the six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox, the Golf R completes the sprint in 4.9 seconds.
Despite being more powerful, the Golf Mk7-based Golf R is also significantly more economical. On the European cycle, the car gets a combined figure of 33 mpg US (7.1 l/100 km) with the manual gearbox, up from 28 mpg US (8.4 l/100 km).
Just like its predecessors, the new Golf R features a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, this time with a fifth-generation Haldex coupling. There’s also a new sport suspension, progressive steering and a stability control system (ESC Sport) that can be deactivated for track driving. VW also offers the DCC dynamic chassis control system as an option.
As its European brother, the U.S.-spec Golf R features specially designed bumpers, side skirts, 18-inch alloy wheels, standard Bi-Xenon headlights with LED DRLs and four chrome exhaust tips, among other upgrades. Inside the Golf R gains sport seats with leather seating surfaces, leather-wrapped three-spoke sport steering wheel and R-specific instrumentation.
The VW Golf R will be launched in the U.S. in the first-quarter of 2015 in four-door form only.
By Dan Mihalascu
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