The Many Faces of Volkswagen's Golf R

[tom@vwvortex]

We love the Golf R (and hatchbacks as a whole) for its versatility and ability to adapt to so many demands. Check out how many different situations we plopped the hot hatch into, and see how well it coped.

FULL STORY

[R3Drew]

Things that make me go "Hmmm"

[Nebby]

After running all day at the track — from 9:00 am right up to the last available minute at 6:00 pm — the Golf R was dead reliable. Three of us, along with one extra set of tires and all our gear, packed into the R and headed back to Los Angeles at the end of the day, exploiting every bit of the car's versatility.

I was passenger #3 and slept in the back seat next to the extra set of tires.

The weather for the track event was perfect — sunny, clear, and a temperature hovering in the mid 70s all day, significantly more accommodating than what inland Southern California normally sees in June. Roughly forty cars entered the track event,

Uh... there were 100+ cars at the track event thank you very much!

[renato]

where do I sign?

[socaldave]

Nice article, cant wait for the R to get here!

[gringoloco2000]

I might just have to sell a kidney for one of these suckers. I don't want to part with my MKIV .:R32 to have extra cash to throw at this. Can't I have both?

[Remedy]

the Golf R is the kind of car you can drive every day to work and still take to your local track day on the weekend

And that pretty much sums it up...

[WonderBucket]

And that pretty much sums it up...

x2

[pure85gti]

Hmmm... a 2012 2.0T Blue Golf R would match my 1992 Blue GTI VR6 verrrry nicely.

Any idea when these would hit showrooms?

[Shneeds]

The R32 is Dead

I can most certainly assure you that the R32 is not Dead. It is in fact alive and well... and still kicking ass.

[Candyman1]

Enjoyed the various viewpoints

My R arrives in a few weeks. Can't wait

[MadJerry]

Nice collection of writeups, nary a bad thing to say. I hope to evaluate one myself soon. Double edged sword though really, it neither confirms nor denies the lingering question many have about when it will get here. This post almost comes off like the admins are stroking us to keep us interested... Almost...

[shivi1345]

cool article

seems to confirm what people have been saying for a while.....this is a goooood car


The guy who took it to the track never said if he was able to beat the older .:R32s tho......

I feel some nose heaviness in my .:R, but that can easily be dealt with if you know how to drive it. I feel like the new Haldex would be it's greatest benefit (as well as the +5 or less MPG)

[brakedust]

well it's not like we're patrolling these forums daily for any new info lmfao ... I know I am!

[29_MALE_SOCAL_SPICY]

I think the Golf R will be great. Great in its own right. Unlike that joke of a R car, teh MK5.

[KatieLuvsFstRabbits]

I can most certainly assure you that the R32 is not Dead. It is in fact alive and well... and still kicking ass.

That photo is sooooo badass!

[Loshambo]

" the kind of car you can drive every day to work and still take to your local track day on the weekend without the embarrassment of gold wheels and large wings"

What is embarassing about gold [BBS] wheels and wings? Full props to the STi's. there are clearly more of them at the track than Volkswagen's. Hopefully we'll see more R's in the paddock with this new 4 cyl. R. and hopefully someday I will be driving it.

[pandavw86]

The guy who took it to the track never said if he was able to beat the older .:R32s tho......

Or the MK6 GTI with the Ko4 at the track

I have to say that on the tighter turns my GTI would push wide as i got the power down where as the Golf R20 was able to stay nice and tight...

Wish I had a chance to drive it at Buttowillow as I prolly had the closest thing to a Golf R20 with the same Ko4... Only difference being that mine has a TSI engine and was also wrong wheel drive...

[155VERT83]

4-door, 6-speed manual Golf? Win!

[Budah]

if the front end just wasnt so damn ugly maybe people would be more into it. and who the hell do they think they are saying the R32 is dead. i shall spit in your direction!!!

[PSU]

4-door, 6-speed manual Golf? Win!

Agreed.

Sign me up for a white one.

[Dutchmastr9]

Agreed.

Sign me up for a white one.

if you put sawblades on it i will hunt you down and skin you alive and wear your skin to shows as an overcoat

[GOT R32?]

I was there at Fastivus and at Buttonwillow. As a PROUD MKIV .:R owner I can tell you that the .:R32 will NEVER die!!!! What was this "Journalists" watching? If the .:R32 is dead HOW COME THERE WAS AN EVENT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!! The host of the event is SOCAL .:R32! Having said that, I must say that at the very least the MK VI will not be the disappointment that the MK V was/is. It has tremendous possibility with the better weight and distribution of that weight. There are rumors of a Stage 1 flash that will take it to 311 HP and Stage 2 to 360 HP!! Wow!! Also the MK VI did not blow anyone away on the track. Then again it was also "Stock". There needs to be a flash to kill the Nannies!! Also the "People" are eagerly waiting the new .:R. Only time will tell if it lives up to the LEGEND THAT IS THE .......... WAIT FOR IT............. THE MKIV .:R32!!!!!!!!!!

UNDER STEER MUST DIE!!!!!!

[29_MALE_SOCAL_SPICY]

I was there at Fastivus and at Buttonwillow. As a PROUD MKIV .:R owner I can tell you that the .:R32 will NEVER die!!!! What was this "Journalists" watching? If the .:R32 is dead HOW COME THERE WAS AN EVENT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!! The host of the event is SOCAL .:R32! Having said that, I must say that at the very least the MK VI will not be the disappointment that the MK V was/is. It has tremendous possibility with the better weight and distribution of that weight. There are rumors of a Stage 1 flash that will take it to 311 HP and Stage 2 to 360 HP!! Wow!! Also the MK VI did not blow anyone away on the track. Then again it was also "Stock". There needs to be a flash to kill the Nannies!! Also the "People" are eagerly waiting the new .:R. Only time will tell if it lives up to the LEGEND THAT IS THE .......... WAIT FOR IT............. THE MKIV .:R32!!!!!!!!!!

UNDER STEER MUST DIE!!!!!!

LOLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz

[s14_sr20_silvia]

This one has more pictures!

http://kilometermagazine.com/artman2...en_Golf_R.html

[KC Jazz]

and a at jamie for that immature bull**** comment about gold wheels and large wings.

[GhostRing]

I don't see the big deal; many of us are not interested in that boy racer look.

[justinsvr6]

Well yeah....but you forgot that the GOLF R will be CRUSHED by everything in its PRICE range...and CHEAPER!!!!

C'mon VW....256hp for the new R.....when several other hot hatches/coupes etc have had atleast 260hp a FEW YEARS AGO!!!!

Incase nobody else stated this in the thread...u knew it was only a matter of time...lmao.

And yes i owned an mk4 R32 and have owned my SLC Corrado since 1995 and it looks as if i will keep on driving my C EVERYDAY and save my $$$$$$$$$$

[likes2driveslow]

I'm glad to see that so many on this forum care about nothing but paper specs.

256 hp is plenty for me, the R is nicer in every other way than the Evo/WRX/STI/MS3 (if my GTI is any indication) and even a simple tune really helps this car out in case 256 isn't enough. Where do you guys drive that 256 hp and 300 or whatever ft-lb torque isn't enough? I'm not racing everyone on the street on the way to work and don't really consider myself "getting crushed" by the idiots flying by me at 100 mph in a 70 mph zone.

As far as price, sure you can get a 335i for $42k but option it out to what the R has and you get to $60k. An STI is more than the price of the R and the interior still looks like crap. I don't have much experience with EVOs but don't get my started on the MS3 -Civic Sis have nicer interiors. At $33-34k, this car is competitive in specs and quality. If you really need something better and faster, throw a couple grand at it and it'll smoke that STI.

If they left everything the same but threw an Audi badge on it would people still cry about the price of the car? Could you tell the difference between the build quality on this VW and an entry level Audi? Maybe I'm just getting old (I'm 29...) but I don't really dig the high school "300 v 302 hp my car is faster than yours so yours sucks" thing anymore.

[GhostRing]

Well yeah....but you forgot that the GOLF R will be CRUSHED by everything in its PRICE range...and CHEAPER!!!!

Many of us are also not interested in the boy racer attitude.

[likes2driveslow]

^ yeah what he said. lol way to sum it up in a dozen words.

[shivi1345]

the relatively low stock power numbers are a good thing I think.......cheaper insurance

and since it has a KO4, simple bolt-ons and a tune will go VERY far


......biggest disappointment has to be the lack of sick ass MKIV seats though, thank god it's a manual though

[dieselraver]

still do want..... but at $34,000..... it better come fully loaded

[likes2driveslow]

at $34,000..... it better come fully loaded

sounds like it does, except for:

- navi
- keyless start
- sunroof
- dynaudio (who wants that crap anyway?)

[dieselraver]

sounds like it does, except for:

- navi
- keyless start
- sunroof
- dynaudio (who wants that crap anyway?)

NO SUNROOF???

please tell me what "loaded" is if it doesnt have a sunroof

and don't tell me "A/C" CD player, power windows and locks, all that ish is standard now