When you’ve been in the game of producing hot hatches for as long as Volkswagen’s R performance division, and it’s coming on 20 years, you’re duly expected to deliver.
The latest Golf R is arguably one of the best examples of the genre yet – an expensive but nevertheless alluring combination of all-round performance and dynamic ability that’s made even better through the availability of an optional Performance Package, which extends the car’s remit with extra driving modes without detracting from its excellent everyday drivability.
Now, Volkswagen R is seeking to build on the solid foundations of its best-selling model with this - the R20. Already on sale in the UK at a price that positions it £5400 above the standard Golf R, the anniversary special aims to ratchet up the excitement of the Golf R even further with a series of subtle changes, including an added 13bhp from its engine – a move that makes it the most powerful road-going Golf yet.
Not that you’d immediately notice. Like all R models down through the years, this new one doesn’t go out of its way to signal its added potential. What you get is the same restrained exterior styling treatment brought to the standard Golf R, albeit with blue coloured R badges, an anniversary logo on the B-pillars, a '20 R' puddle light projection and a combination of three exterior colours: Lapiz Blue Metallic, Pure White and Deep Black Pearl Effect.
The 20 Years also stands out from the standard Golf R by its contrasting mirror caps, optional blue accents on the black 19in 'Estoril' wheels, and a larger rear spoiler.
Inside, the R20 is the first ever Volkswagen model to receive trim elements made from real carbonfibre. Otherwise, it offers the same understated driving environment as its marginally less powerful sibling, on sale since 2019.
The fundamentals are excellent, though a lack of physical buttons means you spend a lot of time searching through digital menus for seemingly simple commands and perceived quality is spoiled somewhat by the shiny black plastic around the displays and centre console.
Much of the interior design is shared with the Golf GTI, but with unique R accents and logos within the upholstery of the sport seats and Alcantara trim. There’s also a nicely proportioned flat-bottom multi-function steering wheel featuring an R button that allows you to instantly call up the different drive modes, a series of unique R graphics for the 10.0in instruments display, a standard 10.0in touchscreen infotainment display with Volkswagen’s Discover navigation system, and a wireless smartphone charging pad.
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Starting with the car, after all that's what the article is about, it appears to be a very small improvement on what is already rightly so, 'sat at the table' for best in class. Leaves room for the other 'special editions' before the Golf is retired (VW says no Mk9 remember). The pricing I suggest is more a product of the limited numbers being made, with VW knowing demand will easily exceed supply, that old Mercedes Benz trick, that they curiously jettisoned in the early 80's? As for the people that drive them, that's more a reflection of the society you live in, nothing to lay at the feet of the engineers in Wolfsburg?
If the Golf GTi and derivatives were that great, iconic, how come they don't feature regularly on all car sites?, and really, would or should you be paying this much for a car like this?, not much power increase, small cosmetic updates, it's like a fading Film Star or Celebrity dying there hair, getting there Teeth whitening,cosmetic surgery just to keep working, well, sorry VW, but ,no thanks.
Whilst I understand your analogys, you cannot drive a Mk7 or Mk8 Golf R and not say 'damn this is a fine, fine drive'? Subjectively you might prefer an alternative, all which cost similar money (what's 2k-6k at this price point), but the Golf R, in all it's iterations, has always been the benchmark or close.
What 3 years ago the R was a £30k car and now it's £48k? How much of that is (still) paying Putin (and increasingly, Xi)?
Was a Golf R really 30k 3 years ago or did you make that up, it's not that I don't believe you it's just I don't believe you.