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VW Golf R - An Update from C&D
Volkswagen Golf R Inches Closer to U.S. Approval
Courtesy of Car & Driver
A recent trip to VW’s Wolfsburg headquarters provided us the chance to tour Volkswagen R GmbH, the brand’s in-house tuning and coachbuilding arm, where we delved into the company’s plans to bring future R products to the United States. We also got a second shot behind the wheel of the 270-hp Golf R.
A bit of background: Founded in 2003, the R group was first formed to serve the needs of VW’s R&D efforts—it was responsible for, among other things, the previous-generation R32—but was officially renamed in order to help marketing efforts. The idea is to develop R as a fully realized brand, à la BMW’s M division, which can then sell unique models, trim packages, and accessories (such as wheels) through VW dealers. At present, the U.S. market sees just one R-ified product: the CC R-Line, which is a sporty styling package with no attendant mechanical changes. Coming in the future are similar R-Line treatments for the Tiguan, and possibly the Touareg and Jetta.
What we don’t get (but want) are the hotted-up Golf R and Scirocco R models. Both are positioned at the top of each vehicle’s lineup, and boast an adjustable suspension, aggressive styling packages, sexy “Talladega” wheels, performance tires, dual exhaust tips, sport seats, unique sport steering wheels, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a neck-snapping 270 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. While the three-door-only Scirocco R sends the power exclusively to its front wheels, the Golf R—available in three- or five-door flavors—is equipped with 4Motion all-wheel drive as standard. Our autobahn blast in a Golf R at speeds approaching 150 mph confirmed what we reported in our First Drive: The thing is a hoot, and that it feels lighter and more sophisticated than its predecessor, the 250-hp, V-6–powered R32. It’s simply the best Golf ever, and if Volkswagen is serious about emotionally connecting Americans to its products (a line of thought repeated several times during our visit) it needs to come here, stat.
But will it? Almost certainly. Bringing the Golf R stateside is still under study, technically, but we were told with a wink and a nod that official confirmation of U.S. sales just might happen at the 2011 Detroit auto show next month, and that, if importation did indeed occur, the car would hit as a 2012 model. No one was willing to discuss pricing, of course, but we estimate a sticker of around $33K. Furthermore, VW R executives mentioned that the company is not averse to developing models for other markets that wouldn’t be sold in the homeland: Can you say “Jetta R?”
If VW wants to reach its goal of selling a million cars per year in the U.S. by 2018, it’s going to have to open the floodgates on both high- and low-volume products, and highly gratifying and, er, “emotional” cars like the Golf R would be key in solidifying the brand’s enthusiast base. We’re just glad that the Golf R is maybe (definitely?), perhaps (please?) coming here: We “R” certainly ready.
Courtesy of Car & Driver
A recent trip to VW’s Wolfsburg headquarters provided us the chance to tour Volkswagen R GmbH, the brand’s in-house tuning and coachbuilding arm, where we delved into the company’s plans to bring future R products to the United States. We also got a second shot behind the wheel of the 270-hp Golf R.
A bit of background: Founded in 2003, the R group was first formed to serve the needs of VW’s R&D efforts—it was responsible for, among other things, the previous-generation R32—but was officially renamed in order to help marketing efforts. The idea is to develop R as a fully realized brand, à la BMW’s M division, which can then sell unique models, trim packages, and accessories (such as wheels) through VW dealers. At present, the U.S. market sees just one R-ified product: the CC R-Line, which is a sporty styling package with no attendant mechanical changes. Coming in the future are similar R-Line treatments for the Tiguan, and possibly the Touareg and Jetta.
What we don’t get (but want) are the hotted-up Golf R and Scirocco R models. Both are positioned at the top of each vehicle’s lineup, and boast an adjustable suspension, aggressive styling packages, sexy “Talladega” wheels, performance tires, dual exhaust tips, sport seats, unique sport steering wheels, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a neck-snapping 270 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. While the three-door-only Scirocco R sends the power exclusively to its front wheels, the Golf R—available in three- or five-door flavors—is equipped with 4Motion all-wheel drive as standard. Our autobahn blast in a Golf R at speeds approaching 150 mph confirmed what we reported in our First Drive: The thing is a hoot, and that it feels lighter and more sophisticated than its predecessor, the 250-hp, V-6–powered R32. It’s simply the best Golf ever, and if Volkswagen is serious about emotionally connecting Americans to its products (a line of thought repeated several times during our visit) it needs to come here, stat.
But will it? Almost certainly. Bringing the Golf R stateside is still under study, technically, but we were told with a wink and a nod that official confirmation of U.S. sales just might happen at the 2011 Detroit auto show next month, and that, if importation did indeed occur, the car would hit as a 2012 model. No one was willing to discuss pricing, of course, but we estimate a sticker of around $33K. Furthermore, VW R executives mentioned that the company is not averse to developing models for other markets that wouldn’t be sold in the homeland: Can you say “Jetta R?”
If VW wants to reach its goal of selling a million cars per year in the U.S. by 2018, it’s going to have to open the floodgates on both high- and low-volume products, and highly gratifying and, er, “emotional” cars like the Golf R would be key in solidifying the brand’s enthusiast base. We’re just glad that the Golf R is maybe (definitely?), perhaps (please?) coming here: We “R” certainly ready.
If it's smoken it ain't broken
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