The Volkswagen Golf R hot hatch just got hotter than it has ever been
Despite still being wrapped in camouflage, the soon-to-be-revealed Volkswagen Golf R proved too popular and has had some info revealed. According to Volkswagen, the EA888-engined Mk8.5 Golf R will deliver an impressive 245kW of power and a staggering 420Nm of torque which is an increase from the previous versions 235kW and 400Nm.
This means the century sprint time is now 4.6 seconds which is an impressive 0.2 seconds quicker than the outgoing Mk8 Golf R. Top speed however remains at a supercar level of 270km/h with the optional Performance Package.
Moreover, this Mk8.5 Golf R will also feature a revised suspension setup and sits an inch lower than its predecessor while also boasting Dynamic Chassis Control adaptive suspension as standard. Retaining the drift mode, it can now channel up to 100 percent of power to the rear wheels, while torque vectoring is also included as standard.
Volkswagen has also confirmed that the manual gearbox for this latest ‘R’ (the same as in the Volkswagen Golf GTI) will officially be retired, meaning that the hot hatch will only be available with a 7-speed DSG transmission. This latest model also features refreshed front and rear bumpers along with upgraded LED headlights and taillights.
On the inside, this latest Volkswagen Golf ‘R’ features a spacious cabin adorned with a 12.9-inch infotainment screen and a 10.2-inch digital driver display. Owners can even opt for a head-up display as an optional feature.
On top of that, much like with the Mk8.5 Golf GTI, Volkswagen Malaysia will not comment right now on whether the 8.5 R will make its way to our showrooms. So, for now, you can still own the recently announced locally assembled 235kW Mk8 Volkswagen Golf R for RM332,990 which includes the Volkswagen Assurance Package (VAP).
The VAP package comes with 5 years of free maintenance, 5 years of roadside assistance and a 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage. This severely undercuts the pricing of its key rivals which are the RM355,000 Toyota GR Corolla and RM399,900 Honda Civic Type R.
This locally assembled Golf R is powered by a 2.0L TSI 4-cylinder turbocharged engine mated to a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. Power is sent to all four wheels via the 4MOTION system with performance torque vectoring. So is this the hot hatch you will choose?
