Legend in the making!
When it comes to the compact class and the most capable hot hatch around, nothing de-fines its perfect fit more than the Golf R. Encompassing 20 years of a success story and rooted in motorsport, this vehicle has realized many enhancements, putting it at the top of Volkswagen’s premium performance brand. Propelling VW to the top of all things cut-ting-edge, take a look back at the five generations of R-badged Golfs — a true picture of success.
Here’s more!
It all began in 2002, when the Volkswagen Golf IV R32 began to set new standards in the com-pact class, including a top speed of 247 km/h, 177 kW from a capacity of just under 3.2 litres. This was the first Golf to wear the Volkswagen Racing division’s R badge, powered by a six-cyl-inder engine, 4MOTION all-wheel drive and optionally with the new DSG dual clutch gearbox, a first for a production car. This first push resulted in the Golf class becoming a technical sensa-tion and marked the beginnings of Volkswagen’s premium performance brand.
In the early years, the overall plan was to build 5,000 Golf IV R32s based on the Golf IV. What ended, though, was a production of 12,000 vehicles, 7,000 of them in Europe and 5,000 head-ing to the U.S. There a sporty Gulf and its popularity took root with the vehicle finished in a Deep Blue Pearl color which would eventually define the Volkswagen Racing brand with various shades of this hue presented in future models.
Without a doubt, the R models, which have their roots in motorsport, became increasingly popu-lar and, thanks to unique design, customers have flocked to the model, with more than 300,000 customers ordering the Volkswagen R to date.
It was called the Golf IV R32, the last of the VR6 engine, and it embodied the most powerful Golf ever produced, with an engine that generated an impressive maximum torque 320 Nm from 2,800 revs per minute. This served to set a brand new benchmark beginning in 2002 for com-pact cars at the start of the new millennium.
This vehicle, with its all-wheel drive R32 coupled with a 6-speed manual gearbox, hopped from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds, with the sporty hatchback’s top speed hitting 250 km/h. It was presented with more luxury and better technology, as well as increased weight.
A total of 5,000 were produced in North America with the optional Recaro “Wingback” seats were notable, part of the many reasons this model became a beloved icon.
By 2008, the Passat R36 made its debut, entering the market as a limited edition sports model with 220 kW from a 3.6-litre FSI. The most powerful Passat was impressive, with this run until 2010 marked by electronically controlled top speeds of 250 km/h and the vehicle appealing to all walks of life.
By 2009, a genuine racer, the Scirocco R was launched, with this compact sports car and its power-enhanced 2.0-litre TSI engine serving as the product line’s flagship model. The first turbocharged Golf R, it offered a more active ride and refinement, achieving victory in its class on its first appearance at the 24-hour race at Nurburgring. More racing drivers came on board, with the Scirocco serving as a springboard to higher racing series between the years 2010-2014.
Dubbed the “world’s most environmentally friendly racing car,” the GT24-CNG-based racing car emitted 80 percent less CO2 than comparable competitors.
Volkswagen continued to rack up accolades, with the Polo R WRC debuting in 2013 and amassing 2,500 road-approved units by 2016. Thanks to this model, VW earned four construc-tors’ titles in the World Rally Championships. Drivers behind the wheel of this vehicle have in-cluded the likes of Andreas Mikkelsen and Jari-Matti Latvala, as well as French driver Sebastien Ogier, who was the drivers’ World Champion four seasons in a row. Records set between 2013-2016 still exist today.
The Mk.7 Golf R debuted at this time with a quad-exit exhaust, and U.S. customers enjoying two years later the 288 hp and both the DSG and manual gearbox options. Launch control and DCC adaptive damping was present here, as was a sprint from 0-60 mph in less than five seconds. A new paint in Lapiz Blue Metallic also debuted.
A new era of motorsport took root with the ID.R beginning in 2018, serving as the brand’s first ever all-electric racing car. Created in just 250 days, it had a clear objective of competing in the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race in Colorado. In this extremely demanding race, the ID.R zoomed across the finish line after 19.99 kilometers, a climb of 1,440 metres and 156 corners in just under 8 minutes, a new overall record for the track.
Truly a technological pioneer, the ID.R set a new benchmark for electric mobility and also set motorsport history on not just one but three continents. That was achieved by setting a new rec-ord for electric prototypes on the Nurburgring and the famous Tian Men mountain in China.
Most recently, in 2021, the fifth generation of R-badged Golfs were presented, beginning with the Mk.8 Golf R. With its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, still called the TSI today, 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque were realized. A newly developed torque-vectoring 4Motion AWD system also came on board and for the first time, a drift mode was realized. Considered the most ad-vanced and powerful Golf R yet, luxury was also at its core.
In the latest model this year, Volkswagen has added a 20th Anniversary Edition with visual changes such as anniversary badging, blue “R” logos inside and out, black 19-inch wheels and various color configurations. Under hood, this model is presented with a 2.0-liter inline four cylinder that makes 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The engine pairs wonderfully with a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The standard 4Motion all-wheel-drive system features a rear differential that can actively distribute torque between the left and right rear wheels for improved handling.
An optional Performance package is found here, with this model boasting an overall quickness on the road. At the test track, it jumped to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds. The model with the dual-clutch automatic transmission earned impressive ratings of 23 mpg city and 30 mpg freeway.
With true capability and clear affordability, the Golf R has been its very own success story through the years. From a thrilling driving experience to its feather on the cap in the form of a 20th Anniversary Edition model and various visual changes to that end, there is much to celebrate and to recall when it comes to this icon. See what this Legend in the making is all about!
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