In a few months, Volkswagen will launch the eighth generation of the Golf – and, unsurprisingly, enthusiasts have already started asking about the range-topping R. It so happens that TopGear has some answers after talking to Jost Capito, who heads VW’s R division.
Due to him having a long history with Ford before joining VW, Capito, who helped bring the Focus RS Mk2 (among other things) to life was asked about the Focus RS Mk3’s Drift Mode – and whether we should expect to see something similar in the all-new Golf R.
The answer was negative: “The Focus RS feels geared up for fun above everything”, he said. “Drift mode is a free piece of technology that comes from the drive systems they’re using. But it’s not for us.”
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Okay, so the Drift Mode is a no-go, but what about four-wheel steering, like the latest Renault Megane RS? Nope, that’s not gonna happen either, as Capito thinks “it’s just not necessary on a car the size of the Golf”.
Electrification is another thing the next Golf R will do without. In a previous interview, the VW R boss confirmed that the output will be around 300 hp, as bringing it to 400 hp will make it too expensive, and the goal is to have it priced at under €50,000 (~$56,000) in Germany; plus, customers weren’t really asking, or willing to pay more, for the extra oomph.
The outgoing Golf R has a 296 hp (300 PS / 221 kW) 2.0-liter, turbocharged engine coupled to either a six-speed manual or a dual-clutch auto transmission. When paired with the stick shift, it hits 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in a little over 5 seconds, whereas with the DSG, it drops just under that mark.
In all likelihood, the Mk8 Golf R will be a tad more powerful, but other improvements should make it faster and, coupled with the all-new chassis, even more agile.
