So, we're getting a 2012 Volkswagen Golf R with a pumped-up version of the VW GTI's turbocharged inline-4 engine with 266 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Fine. This almost makes up for the fact that we're not getting the 2010 Volkswagen Scirocco R, the super-sexed-up MkIII VW364 car, from Wolfsburg. On the other hand, we have to wait. While the rest of the planet gets its Golf R starting now, North America has to wait, because our Golf R won't arrive until the second quarter of 2011 as a 2012 model. Sigh.
Payoff being at least that the Golf MkVI VW360, known as the Golf R with the new fourth-generation version of Haldex 4Motion all-wheel drive, is a better all-round hottie than any like competitor on the planet and is therefore worth the wait.
It won't separate your retinas with its dynamics like a Ford Focus RS or Mugen-tuned Honda Civic Type R, neither of which will ever make it to North America (legally, anyway). However, the VW Golf R smothers the overrated old 247-hp VW R32 V6 in all ways but exhaust sound satisfaction, and we think it feels more a premium effort than the 263-hp Mazdaspeed 3 (it damned well should, of course, seeing as it'll probably cost about $8,500 more than the Mazda).
And so we've just driven the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R for two days, much of it on roads in the Austrian Alps that are thick with snow, and this trunkless marvel points, goes hard and soothes all at once.
R32 VR6-Withdrawal Group Hug
On American soil, the VW R32 with its VR6 engine and previous-generation Haldex all-wheel-drive setup became a bit of a legend, complete with breathless Internet bulletin boards all a-gush with how it kicked so much damned ass.
Which, it did, sort of. But not really. The 4Motion was the big draw for most R32 buyers — VW's survey says so, so we ain't just guessing here — and then there was that we-don't-need-no-stinkin'-turbo 3.2-liter VR6. Apparently it just didn't matter how underpowered and fuel-sucking that heavy, narrow-angle V6 has been, because it did the Pavlov thing for Americans, who could say, "at least it's a V6, dude." The engine was never really any good in the Audi TT either, and for the same reasons. But, boy, did VW Group make a lot of money on each one sold. Admittedly, too, the thing could sing real pretty through those pipes.
At 155 mph on the autobahn to the Munich airport, there is a low hum from the twin-pipe exhaust.
But, well, it's time to give it up, guys. (VW's R32 survey says you're almost all guys, as in males. Like roughly 100 percent.) The whole VR6 engine program has been scrapped already. It is time for the exceptionally better EA113 inline-4, in this case the turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0-liter TSI that we've recently driven with much delight in the VW Scirocco R.
One thing that should help us break this tortured sort of man-hug and move on to the better 2.0-liter turbo is the matter of 266 hp at 6,000 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 2,000-5,000 rpm. And you can't deny that 12.6 pounds of Golf R that each 2.0 TSI horse has to carry is much better than the 14.2 pounds that every VR6 pony had to pack. In fact, the brand-new MkVI GTI with the latest EA888 turbo-4 burdens each horse with 15.8 pounds.
A Man's Car
This VW Golf R with the 2.0 TSI is exactly what we need to stop the criticism leveled at small cars with turbocharged four-cylinder engines. There's so much premium-ness built into this car that it is not to be believed, and we mean that in the amazingly good way. A long list of upgrades in both manufacturing and anti-NVH development has made every member of the Golf MkVI family feel as substantial as an Audi A6.
And then there is the long list of features. Like the latest quick-acting all-wheel drive making snowy roads feel like dry roads, plus making serious acceleration numbers on dry roads and communicating in the corners through the flat-bottom R-type steering wheel. Like the sheer quality of the interior design that no longer seems as if it's compensating for shortcomings in another department.
The Golf R is a fully copacetic package, gents. And particularly as a four-door hatch, the new Golf R looks normal-ish, certainly when compared to the blatant sport stance designed into the Scirocco. No boy racers need even apply.
And Then on Ice and Snow
You can probably see that the weather in the Austrian Alps for our drive of a 2012 Volkswagen Golf R ablaze in Tornado Red proved perfect for testing the majority of the reasons for buying one. Though there are engineering and dynamic reasons why we would prefer a mechanical Torsen center differential, no car built on the VW Group's PQ35 chassis has ever had anything but a Haldex. Some say it's due to cost issues in having to beef up the chassis to properly mesh with a Torsen's reactive properties, especially when the engine is transversely mounted.
No matter, this fourth-gen pro-active Haldex system is just right on this lighter Golf. Its most important innovation is the way that the hydraulically activated system (435 psi) is always prepared to manage the driving forces and weight transfer in far less time than the Haldex AWD system it replaces. The previous differential could also send 100 percent of traction to the front or rear axle, but this one reacts now like the proverbial lightning. While hammering around the local mountain roads and circling a local ice-racing circuit with studded tires, we learned that the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R is always under control, even while drifting the racing circuit's curves at 6,500 rpm.
On the slick stuff, at least, the stability control still has a safety net engaged even when you switch off the system, so it would still intervene while we were trying to be teenagers for life, kicking sideways and using the hand brake and so on. But this is not exactly a dumb move for a series-built car that is expected to spend some portion of its life in controlled sledding under similar conditions. It corrects things just enough to keep the less capable out of the snowbanks.
Das Fahren auf der Autobahn
There's a good chance that the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R for North America will be limited to 130 mph like the GTI and others, which might make police-chase television shows seem a little like restrictor-plate NASCAR weekends if the getaway car is a VW. We weren't in North America, though, were we? No.
At 155 mph on glorious portions of no-limit autobahn on the way back to Munich airport, there is that low hum from the turbo engine's twin-pipe exhaust that's very close to the note of the R32, only the greatly improved acoustic insulation of the cabin admits less of it than the R32 did. Meanwhile, the stability afforded by the suspension is very much as you'd expect in a premium car, a benefit from a sport setup for the suspension's Mubea springs (20 percent firmer than the GTI springs), which lower the car an inch. In Europe you have the option of Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), electronic control of the Sachs dampers for Comfort, Normal or Sport modes. Our sources in North America say, "Chances are that our cars will come loaded, so DCC would be standard in the price." (It's Christmas every day of the year, isn't it?)
Our lipstick-red test car had the standard 18-inch wheels instead of the optional 19-inchers, but it did have the optional, broad-shouldered VW Motorsports seats that, simply put, must be available for this car in the United States or we shall storm the gates of VW HQ in Herndon, Virginia. As with the Scirocco R, these Talladega wheels slay us bad, almost as cool as the optional 18-inch Khartoum black units for the GTI.
The six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment for this car, but if we were expecting to drive the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R daily, we'd get the optional dual-clutch automated DSG manual. Then again, if we were slamming around a bit regularly and given to saying things to passengers like "Watch this!" then we'd go with the manual. Projections have two-thirds of Golf R buyers taking the DSG. Also, about 70 percent will choose the four-door version of this car over the two-door.
Accelerating to 60 mph with the DSG gearbox and launch control and 225/40R18 82V Continental ContiWinterContact tires under the fenders took about a second less than an R32.
Is It Coming? Really? Really?
No one in Wolfsburg or Herndon will go on the record as confirming or denying, but the definite majority told us that we would not be far off if we say that yes, the Volkswagen Golf R is coming to the U.S. Volkswagen of America is just a little nervous about bringing it in too hot on the heels of the new 200-hp 2010 Volkswagen GTI that just arrived.
But it will come, however reluctantly VW's business people on both sides of the ocean might be about it. The 2012 Volkswagen Golf R will be a limited edition of between 1,500 and 3,000 cars, with prices starting at $32,500 or so for a manual-equipped two-door. We might even get four-doors for a slight premium. As one executive told us after a couple schnapps toss-backs, "I mean, hell, we build a lot of these. If the U.S. would want more Rs, then we would just make some more."
Love that attitude.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Add A Comment »
deathtollwrx says:
08:14 AM, 02/24/2011
The test where the GTI beat the WRX on the track was the old 2.0 litre suby.
Can someome make a track comparision between the 2010 WRX vs the 2010 GTI?
Track and Drag Strip?
I'm talking about the base 2010 WRX Sedan which sells for 24k not the leather package that comes at 31k.
I've actually jumped from a 1999 Beetle to a 2003 Subaru WRX to a 2007 VW GLI and back to a 2010 WRX.
Bottom line on both cars.
The Subarus were always alot faster off the line and had way better grip.
The VWs had much better interior and less lag but FWD is rubbish.
The GLI interior was seriously two steps above t he Subaru.
Both of my VWs had electrical problems, I seriously brought both in 11 times within the first year
to replace light bulbs and figure out various electrical gremelins.
The GLI I had was the Fahreneiht package and after six months I was getting very rough shifting
with the DSG.
In my opnion both companies are going for different things.
VW is a poor man's european car with fantastic interiors (maybe best in business) and so so reliability.
VW looks a HELL of alot better than a Subaru.
Subaru makes ugly cars with garbage interiors but the cars are fun to drive and push hard.
I beat the crap out of my 2003 for four years and never once had to do any kind of service
besides oil changes... (i'm talking drag racing on weekends).
So far my 2010 WRX has been treating me well. The outside looks like a Corolla and the inside
looks cheap but it's fun to drive and is very quick.
I honestly do think they are cross shopped, anyone who is a VW or Subaru elitetist would
stick to his or her camp regardless of what anyone says. Being an owner of both i have to say
that each company has a niche they want to fill..
VW people tend to want something euro without having the income to support BMW / Mercedes / Audi
Subaru fans generally don't care for looks but need either the all wheel drive or the feeling of a
strong motor pushing you back into your seat without getting spendy.
Now if there is anyone out there who wants to meet me in So Cal and race my bone stock 2010
WRX versus your bone stock GTI on a few hot laps or on the drag strip i'd be happy to oblige.
3vr6cars says:
09:02 PM, 01/15/2011
The Golf R is certain to be a nice car, but it's not actually a performance car and that's too bad. I've owned and driven a few VWs over the years (Sirocco, GTI 16V, Corrado VR6, Jetta VR6, GTIVR6) and they've all been good cars (except for the assembled-in-Mexico Jetta that had all sorts of little problems). It would nice if VW would finally accept the fact that there are a huge number of us enthusiasts out there. We like the VW brand and we want actual performance at the same time.
Even the new Golf R with its 266 hp is tame in comparison to the well-established competition (Mazdaspeed 3 with 263 hp, Subie WRX STI with 305 hp, Evo X with 295 hp). I have a couple of VW's VR6 cars now and they're nice daily drivers and the VR6 sound really is as entertaining as people say it is. The cars have good handling but they're not actually fast, when compared to sports cars.
So rather than wait even longer for VW to finally bring a "maybe fast" Golf R to the us, I bought a 2010 Mitsubishi Evo X with 295 hp and 300 lbs of torque.
Now the Evo X is crazy fast and the super-sophisticated all-wheel drive system (not some old VW haldex system, by the way) lets the driver fully deploy all the power. 0-60 in 4.8 and a top speed of 162 mph and cornering abilities that defy physics. I haven't yet gone faster than about 150 mph, but the car is still accelerating nicely at that speed.
No the interior materials aren't as high-quality as those found in premium VW cars, but they're still nice and that's not why I bought the Evo X. Sports car performance and incredible handling is why people buy the Evo X. Nothing VW makes can touch that car. For that matter, few cars from any manufacturer, at any price; can touch the Evo on a twisty back road with bumpy pavement and off-camber turns.
Sorry VW, my new car is an Evo X (already modifed to over 320 hp). At best, I'll think about a four door Golf R for my wife to run the kids to and from school...but only if it has a manual transmission, my wife doesn't drive minivans.
mygodchris says:
05:15 PM, 12/17/2010
The vr6 will NEVER DIE!!!!! http://mk2vr6.com/ :)
ggeilman says:
02:59 PM, 07/18/2010
Nope, they are not alll guys. My wife has a 1995 GTI that we bought new and she recent bought a red 2004 R32. She wouldn't buy a 2008 because it wasn't available in a stick. If this one is automatic only she won't get it either. Otherwise it looks good.
powderhound says:
04:12 AM, 04/30/2010
German or Japanese? It's the old debate, rehashed for 2012. Despite the low-rent interior, Subaru makes a fun yet practical little car to zoom around in. And with a few tweaks, it'll tear it up at the track. Has anyone here actually worked on a WRX or STi? They're very easy to work on, as opposed to most modern cars. Also, Japanese reliability may be lacking in some newer cars, but my 07 WRX feels solid (knock on wood). Drive one fast and you might think it "slays you bad", to steal a line from the author.
jeffreyfranz says:
01:00 PM, 02/19/2010
I only wonder: Is this car too little, too late, for too much? I want the sexy Sirocco coupe. As far as that goes, I want the Blue Motion Concept to become reality. I don't want another "almost everything" car at a premium price. I read somewhere recently (here?) that this car actually costs slightly more than a more or less identical Audi A3 or S3 (?). If that is true, why would anyone get the V-Dub?
Actually, I think this car has a lot going for it and could see myself buying one (if I hadn't just bought a new 370Z Coupe). I do think they could give us more, however.
delraylocal says:
11:53 AM, 02/17/2010
This car looks awesome, however I know that we will only get the 2 door in the states which totally blows. In my opinion the 2 door version looks weird because the way the d-pillar window curves upward instead of following that nice straight line like the 4 door.
Also, the 2 door looks to much like a "kids" car while the 4 door one looks more mature and "adult."
It is their way of forcing me to upgrade to the audi a3, which I don't really want.
VW- I want a 4 door Golf R!!!
akitadog says:
01:15 PM, 02/10/2010
Man, I am salivating for this Golf R, in blue, 4-door (new baby in the family), manual guise. Of course, I finished paying off my 08 GTI a couple months ago, and I'm putting only about 12K miles per year on it, so I'm not sure I could make the argument to my wife that it's time to replace it in a year and a half. I guess my hope is that they keep selling the Golf R every year for the next 4 years or so after it's introduced, instead of just 5000 in one model year. I'd hate to be limited to looking at used examples, which will surely have been flogged to death by the previous owner (I know I would).
BTW, for those concerned about VW reliability/quality, my GTI has been virtually bulletproof since I bought it new. I've run it fairly hard at times, I've got 25K miles on it and I've taken it in once to replace the iPod adapter and tighten a light bulb over the rear license plate. That's it. If the Golf R can keep up this newfound reliability, then I'll be there when the time comes.
ChromieD says:
04:32 AM, 02/08/2010
for micanichi - Don't tell me you're one of those cave-dwellers who still believes that the Golf we get is built in Mexico? Please, don't tell me you think that. Because every single Golf we get is built in Wolfsburg, Germany, at the famous factory. This Golf R is the Golf R we'll be getting, man. Get over it.
jeremy_c says:
07:32 PM, 02/07/2010
Went car shopping with a friend this past weekend and VW as on the list of dealers we visited. Must say that I was not impressed by the interior fit and finish. From the Golf to Jetta to Passat, the interior is just so bare. This is nothing except for the speedo,tach and a few HVAC dials. Sure the price is cheaper in comparison to Honda, Mazda but it really shows. The cars may drive nice but I felt like I was sitting in a very cheap car inside. Even Kia and Hyundai have more luxurious interiors. VW commercials says they make other cars feel incomplete but sitting in a VW you sure get the feeling it's the other way around!