The New Volkswagen Golf R

BOTANY, AUSTRALIA – Jun 11, 2010: The new Golf R is here. Designed by Volkswagen Individual. All-wheel driven. As the flagship of the model series it is equipped with standard Bi-Xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights. Shifted manually or by optional DSG. At 188kW it is the more powerful than ever before and at the same time, it is the most fuel-efficient Golf R of all times. A high-class sports car with compact-class fuel economy.

The data in detail: The Golf R sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds. The Golf R performs even better when shifted with the optional direct shift gearbox (DSG): It leaves the 100-km/h mark behind it in a sensational 5.7 seconds. The best data: While the retired Golf R32 processed 10.9 litres fuel per 100 kilometres, the new Golf R only needs 8.7 litres. This translates to a 1.2 litre better fuel efficiency than the previous model. Accordingly, CO2 emissions are reduced from 259 to 201 g/km (manual) and for the automatically shifted Golf R DSG, CO2 emissions are as low as 197 g/km.

The enormous efficiency gain of the new Golf R is not some magic trick rather it is the result of intelligent downsizing. Its legendary predecessor generated its power from a displacement of 3.2 litres and six cylinders. In the new model, however this is accomplished with four cylinders and 2.0 litres of displacement, which equals a highly advanced direct injection petrol engine with turbo-charging (TSI). Most noticeable at the fuel pump and on the winding mountain road, this high-tech alliance is superior to a classic six cylinder with multi-point injection.

Proving that even the sound of a four cylinder can leave a strong impression are the fifth and sixth generations of the Golf GTI, also powered by a four cylinder TSI. And the Golf R − and the chrome dual tailpipes of its sound-optimized exhaust system − display a significantly broader "sound spectrum".

The TSI's torque characteristic is just as impressive. By comparison, the six cylinder of the previous model developed a maximum torque of 320 Newton-metres at 2,500 rpm. That too was remarkably good however the turbo four-cylinder direct injection engine of the new Golf R, on the other hand, transfers 330 Newton-metres torque at 2,400 rpm and can maintain this peak value up to 5,200 rpm. This means that the new Golf R truly delivers a fascinatingly high level of fundamental dynamic performance.