Volkswagen Golf R

As you probably know, we’re fans of the Volkswagen Golf—ill-advisedly called the Rabbit in its most recent generation here in the U.S.—for its fun-to-drive character, practical packaging, and high level of refinement. As you also probably know, we’re huge fans of the extreme Golf, the GTI, which takes the fun factor and cranks it to 10Best Cars–winning levels.

Well, meet the über-Golf, the new Golf R, unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show. It picks up where the old R32 left off. But instead of a 250-hp VR6, as in the R32, the Golf R packs an upgraded version of the popular 2.0-liter, turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder that powers the GTI and a number of other VW Group cars. It is tuned to 270 hp in the Golf R, just a few ponies more than it makes in the Audi TTS, which is sold in the U.S., and in the Audi S3 and the front-wheel-drive Scirocco R, which aren’t available here.

The Golf R will again be all-wheel-drive, like both R32 models. The turbo four is lighter than the VR6—hopefully meaning this one will feel less nose-heavy—and the extra 20 hp likely will go a long way toward helping this Golf R justify its higher price point. Zero to 62 mph takes a claimed 5.7 seconds with the standard six-speed manual and just 5.5 seconds with the optional six-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. (Don’t expect U.S.-bound cars to be available with the manual; the last R32 left its stick behind in Europe and was automatic-only, as is also the case with the TTS.) But we saw the R32 run to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, so we’d expect this more powerful Golf R to probably top that time. Top speed is a governed 155 mph. Average fuel consumption is rated at 27.6 mpg in the European cycle, which, while an optimistic figure by U.S. EPA standards, likely means a significant jump over the 19 mpg we observed when testing the previous-gen R32. The Golf R makes 258 lb-ft of torque from 2500 to 5000 rpm.

Stylistically, the Golf R doesn’t really go for modesty. Huge air intakes in the front exhibit a somewhat Audi-inspired style and set the car apart visibly from lesser Golf models, including the GTI. The rear is dominated by two large exhaust pipes placed close to the vehicle center, like on the R32. The taillights are styled with LED elements similar to those found on the new Polo and some of VW's recent concept cars. Clearly, VW is aiming to have its cars be as recognizable at night as they are in daylight. The interior is distinguished by sporty accents specific to the R as well.

The Golf R is available with two or four doors; in Europe, it costs around €10,000 more than the GTI, which seems about right considering it offers all-wheel drive and a considerable performance advantage. The best news is that we’ll get it, too. Expect a similar price gap in dollars when it comes to America, with the car likely falling in the $32,000 to $35,000 range. We can’t wait.