New Volkswagen Golf R revealed: better than an Audi S3?
June 25, 2024 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
This is the new Volkswagen Golf R, and it’s packing more power and better tech than before.
- New Volkswagen Golf R revealed
- More power for flagship Golf
- Quicker than an Audi S3 from 0-60mph
- More aggressive styling
- New interior technology
- On sale imminently
We’ve had the facelifted Volkswagen Golf and Golf GTI, now it’s time for the flagship Golf R to get a nip-and-tuck makeover.
The design changes may be subtle, but there’s more power under the bonnet than before and there’s some new technology on board.
New Volkswagen Golf R engine and performance
Let’s get right into the performance stats, after all that’s probably what you’re most interested in right? The new Volkswagen Golf R uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as before, however it’s been tuned for more power.
It now makes 333hp and 420Nm of torque, 18hp more than before and exactly the same output as the new Audi S3. The result is 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds, down from 4.8 seconds in the old Golf R. It’s also 0.1 of a second quicker than the new Audi S3.
As with the old Golf R, this new one has all-wheel drive with a drift mode so you can hoon around on the racetrack. If you’d prefer to have maximum grip through the corners then you now have torque vectoring as standard, which works by sending power to the wheel with the most grip to sling you around a bend.
New Volkswagen Golf R design
Design changes for the new Golf R are pretty much in-line with the rest of the Golf range. You have slimmer lights front and rear, as well as an illuminated Volkswagen badge. The R does have some unique design cues to set it apart though.
The front bumper is sporting some much larger air intakes than the standard Golf’s, and they’re slightly re-shaped compared to the old R. You can also have new 19-inch alloy wheels which are lighter than the old ones.
Moving to the rear there’s a tweaked bumper and the usual quad tailpipes, but it all looks rather familiar. What is new though is the Black Edition model, which has darkened badges, black alloy wheels and smoked-out headlights for maximum boy racer cred.
New Volkswagen Golf R interior and infotainment
As with the exterior, the interior of the new Golf R has been lightly upgraded over its predecessor. The highlight here is the new 12.9-inch touchscreen, as seen on the standard Golf and Golf GTI, and it can be controlled using improved voice commands.
A 10.2-inch digital driver’s display also comes as standard, and you can have a sporty-looking horizontal rev counter if that floats your boat. The usual R trinkets such as a flat-bottomed steering wheel, bucket seats and blue stitching are all present and correct.
New Volkswagen Golf R: when can I buy one?
The new Volkswagen Golf R will be available to order soon, although there’s no word on pricing just yet. The current car starts from £48,000, so expect this new one to push north of 50 grand.
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