Volkswagen outdoes itself while trying to outdo its own Golf GTI with all- new Golf R
Finally, the dreams of VW fans come true
I am already a big fan of VW’s latest hot hatch. With its smooth power delivery, and well-trimmed interior the GTI easily surpassed the bar set by the previous generation. For the longest time the GTI was the top of the Golf lineup in Canada, and that wasn’t a bad thing until we flipped our way through a European publication to see writers rave about the Golf R. Packing about 50 bhp more than our beloved GTI and equipped with VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, the Golf R was the kind of thing Volkswagen enthusiasts could only dream of, until now. Since the beginning of the year, Volkswagen has finally made good on its promise to bring 500 examples of the 2012 Golf R to Canada, and another 250 of the 2013.
On the outside, the upgrades from the GTI are fairly subtle. The easiest to spot as the Golf R speeds off into the sunset is its twin-exhaust tips, placed about a foot apart in the centre of the rear diffuser. The side-skirts and bumper have been updated as well. The added division in the lower lip definitely gives the R a slightly more aggressive look up front, and the slim LED fog lights are a definite bonus over the usual halogen units. Those details aside, without rolling the two cars up sideby-side most people would be hard-pressed to spot the differences between the two siblings. The same can also be said about the passenger cabin. Aside from a few well-placed “R” emblems, and an embossed detail on the seatbacks, the interior is more or less identical to that of the GTI. Although a bit more of a unique touch wouldn’t have been so bad, the interior of the Golf R is still very tasteful and refined. Unlike the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru WRX STI with which it competes, to some degree, the Golf R doesn’t go for the all-out track monster styled interior.
The mighty question with the Golf R quickly becomes, “What am I paying an extra nearly $10K for if looks and feels like a GTI?” The answer comes in spades as soon as you hit the road. This thing is an absolute joy to drive. It’s not violent and abusive like some of the high-strung turbo cars out there. Instead, power comes on early and progressively builds as you spin your way up to its 7,000 rpm red line. Over the course of the week what I found most incredible was the R’s high-speed stability. For a car of such relatively small stature I was expecting it to start to feel a bit skittish once you really got your foot into it, but instead it seemed to claw on to the pavement with conviction. For people in a more urban setting, the Golf R is still a very user-friendly car when you’re not feeling as enthusiastic, however if your plan is to just commute to and from work the GTI would be just as enjoyable for a fraction of the cost.