The power has arrived

For some the GTI isn’t enough – that’s why there’s a Golf R. reports.

For four generations now Volkswagen has offered a high performance Golf that is over and above the legendary GTI and so it is with this, the Golf R.

Based on the current seventhgeneration Golf, the R sticks to a now-established recipe to distance it from its sibling; four-wheel-drive, turbocharged power and a subtle, powerful look.

This latest Golf R has big alloy wheels, a discreet bodykit and ‘R’ badges on the outside, while inside there are special sports seats, a fat three-spoke steering wheel and some extra equipment. As before there is four-wheel-drive and the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine dishes 296bhp, making this comfortably the most powerful production Golf to date. The standard Golf is sensitive to colour and can look weedy on small wheels, but the R has those problems licked. Finished in the popular deep blue and

Joy

Matt

on the optional 19-inch wheels (18-inchers are standard) it looks superb; smart and sporty but without being garish. Despite the added performance the Golf R manages to be virtually as practical as the standard car and you can have three or five door versions. Because of the four-wheel-drive, boot room is reduced, but only by 37 litres so there is still a useful 343 litres on offer. Like many modern performance cars the Golf R offers modes to tailor the car to your current driving style. In Comfort mode the sensitivity of the accelerator and steering is backed off and the exhaust

is quiet, so other than a slightly firmer ride than the standard it drivers much like a regular Golf, albeit with much more power. However, switched into the most aggressive Race mode and the Golf R is a beast transformed. Fully extended it will rocket to 62mph in under 5 seconds when fitted with the DSG gearbox. Few cars can cover ground with such ease and pace. Apply the reasoning that this is ‘just another Golf’ and the list price of a fraction under £30,000 (over it if you have DSG or five doors) and it might seem like an expensive piece of kit. But this isn’t just a Golf; it’s a five-seater family-sized car that can crack 150mph and outaccelerate far more expensive cars. If you have children and want something that can still do the dull stuff but be fun, then the Golf R fits the bill.

ONE WORD This car summed up in just a single word: Price: £31,315 Engine: 2.0-litre petrol unit producing 296bhp and 280lb/ft of torque Transmission: Sevenspeed dual clutch gearbox driving all four wheels Performance: Top speed 155mph, 0-62mph in 4.9...