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Volkswagen Golf R – in hot hatches about as good as it gets

David Berthon

Driving Volkswagen’s Golf R five-door hatch – this high performance all-wheel-drive one car I had trouble returning. An enthusiast car but an understated one, as I said earlier, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The performance from a 2.0-litre turbo with 235kW of power and 400 Nm of torque enough to put a smile on your face on a fast-winding road. Drive through Volkswagens 4Motion all-wheel drive system via a seven-speed dual clutch automatic with manual shift paddles is exhilarating to say the least. Sitting 20mm lower to other Golf siblings the Golf R is extremely capable – the all-wheel drive system with a new torque vectoring rear differential a revelation – electronically managing the enormous torque front to back, distributing more torque to the wheels with the best grip, more to the outside rear wheels to reduce the likelihood of understeer. The Golf R rides noticeably harder but the chassis’s overall competence outstanding. On top of that you have three drive modes – Nurburgring, Drift and Race mode – Nurburgring retains more compliant damping despite heightening response and performance, maybe it’s my age but I found it the easiest mode to live with. If you like performance hatches the Volkswagen Golf R at around $73,000 driveaway is about as good as it gets. I’m David Berthon

 

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David Berthon
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