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The covers have just come off the new VW Golf R in Frankfurt. Don't be fooled by its understated looks, this is one monstrously fast hot hatch.
It's the fastest Golf ever, in fact, powered by the same 266bhp 2.0-litre turbo engine found in the Audi S3. It'll propel the four-wheel-drive Golf to 62mph in 5.5 seconds if you spec the DSG transmission, or 0.2 seconds slower if you'd prefer a manual ’box.
That's more powerful and quicker than both the front-wheel-drive Scirocco R and indeed the old Golf R32, which had a bigger, heavier 3.2-litre V6. Emissions and economy are both hugely improved on the old R32, consumption falling from 26.4mpg to 33.2mpg, with CO2 emissions down to 199g/km from 225g/km.
Though visual, er, enhancements over the Golf GTI remain subtle - new front and rear bumpers, LED running lights and central exhausts being the most obvious - the suspension has been lowered by 25mm while the ESP has been revised with two additional track settings.
Because of the four-wheel-drive hardware, the Golf R weighs in around 80kg heavier than the GTI, though 35kg lighter than the R32.
Don't expect to see many on the road: VW says it expects to sell just 500 or so Golf Rs per year, with prices starting at around £28,500.
That's a few grand more expensive than the slightly more powerful but similarly quick Focus RS: which one would you take?
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
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zonda-lover commented on this article
at 12:55 pm on 15 September 2009
New Golf R or Focus RS?! hmm, for want of speed and insane looks, its gotta be the RS! P.s i got the 1st comment :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
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Nakke commented on this article
at 01:09 pm on 15 September 2009
Focus for me thanks, drives much better then a Golf, all across the range. And has always done. And the Golf is just too conservative (boring), a hot-hatch for accountants in grey suits. And 28.500 is just a ridicilous price.
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ben10Topgear commented on this article
at 01:33 pm on 15 September 2009
niice!!!!!!!
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Showie commented on this article
at 01:42 pm on 15 September 2009
loving the looks. i really like the GTi and R spec golfs. i do miss the old lots of spoke wheels though.
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AshHorne commented on this article
at 02:01 pm on 15 September 2009
I'd go for the Golf. A fraction slower, but a million times less stupid looks-wise.
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