Auto Car Sport News: 2010 Volkswagen Golf R Prices and Details with Pictures

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

2010 Volkswagen Golf R Prices and Details with Pictures

Volkswagen will unveil the 2010 VW Golf R at this week's Frankfurt Motor Show. The Golf R will share basic underpinnings with the recently-unveiled Scirocco R plus it'll add VW's 4Motion AWD. Only other difference? We'll probably get this one.
Replacing the heavy naturally-aspirated 3.2-liter V6 found in the Golf V R32 will be a 2.0-liter gas turbo engine with 265 HP. That'll help give the Golf R a 0-to-62 time of about 6.5 seconds for the 6-speed manual and 6.4 seconds for the DSG model.

No longer packing the 3.2-litres and six-cylinders of its R32 predecessor, the Golf R is powered by the same-sized 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine as found in the GTI, yet puts out an extra 33kW and 50Nm.

Maximum torque of the R is 330Nm available from 2400rpm (compared with 320Nm @ 2500rpm for the R32) while power is also up marginally from 184kW to 188kW.

The power gains have led to sharper sprint times, with the six-speed manual reaching 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and the six-speed DSG shaving off a further two-tenths, stopping the clock at 5.7secs. The Mk5 R32 took 6.5secs and 6.2secs respectively.

The smaller engine has also led to efficiency gains, with combined fuel consumption dropping from 10.9 litres/100km to 8.7 litres/100km for both the manual and the DSG. CO2 emissions average out to 201g/km and 197g/km respectively.

From the outside, the new Golf R looks considerably meaner and more aggressive than past models and even the current GTI/GTD. Bulked up plastic intakes housing strips of LED daytime running lights, as well as bi-Xenon headlamps and L-shaped LED rear lights behind smokey lenses give the whole car a darker feel.

Underneath, the latest generation of Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system is at work and has undergone significant redevelopment compared with the old model. Ride-height is down 25mm thanks to completely retuned springs, dampers and stabilisers.

At €36,400 (the equivalent of $50,790) in Germany, the Golf R is nearly $14,000 more expensive than the GTI. If it came to the U.S., the premium would likely be about ten grand above the GTI’s $24,215 base price. But will it make the transatlantic voyage? It was basically a done deal last year, but VW remains undecided at this point. Although we crave the Golf R’s presence on U.S. shores, and we have to say that the car is damn good, its superiority may come at a price that few will be willing to pay.