Volkswagen‘s hottest of hatchbacks will make its way to U.S. soil, confirms the German automaker. A spiritual successor to the R32, the Golf R is part of VW’s new ‘R’ performance brand, and gets its motivation from VW’s always-impressive 2.0T turbocharged 4-cylinder rather than the old V6 in the R32.
While VW hasn’t released specs on the engine, in Europe it receives the same state of tune as in the Audi TT-S, making 265-hp and 258 ft-lbs of torque. So far, VW USA will only say it’s a,”significant hp increase over GTI.”
Mated to VW’s 4MOTION
AWD system and offered exclusively with a six-speed manual, the car should be able to hit 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds.
The upgrades don’t stop with the engine, however, with the full R model getting 18-inch wheels, a center-exit dual exhaust, upgraded brakes, a lowered suspension and a more aggressive stability control program. VW also plans to offer the car in both 2-door and 4-door hatch versions.
A special R interior will also be included with a special shift knob and steering wheel, although it’s not likely to be exactly like the Euro-spec model and we’d be surprised to see the same sports seats here in the U.S.
VW is likely to debut the U.S.-spec Golf R at the upcoming
Detroit Auto Show as it moves ahead with a plan to uphold its brand with special high-performance models while it simultaneously pursues a plan to offer lower-priced volume models like the new Jetta and upcoming Passat replacement.
