The hot hatch which everyone was waiting for is finally out for the world to see. The hotly anticipated Volkswagen Golf R was spotted testing at the Nürburgring with the bare minimum camouflage. The car that was being tested was surely a prototype as the car had a roll cage which certainly won’t make it to the street going version but we can now get a pretty good idea of how the car will actually look. The car showcased some interesting bits, a new extended spoiler, large wheels, and shiny blue brake calipers.
The all-wheel-drive hatchback was probably undergoing final testing and while many would argue that this car actually isn’t a prototype as there is no camouflage on the car whatsoever but actually there is a fair bit of tape on the front and rear bumpers which hide the final bodywork. However, it is still noticeable that this car doesn’t seem to get the five-point LED daytime running lights which is seen in the GTI, GTE and the GTD on the front bumper.
However, there were some internal slideshows that had been leaked on to the internet which did suggest that this might pretty much be the case with the front and rear bumpers. Though those slideshows also had information about the power output of the unreleased models, it is highly likely that the unreleased GTI TCR and the R will not get the extra lights that the other performance-oriented models have.
The side venting is quite unique and certainly is a lot different than the GTI’s design. It has a more traditional look to it, so the ones looking for something new in the looks would certainly want to buy the GTI. The Volkswagen logo on the front has been now updated and there is the revised R model badge which for the time being has been concealed with a strip of black tape.
The badge will now sit on the front fender which again has been taped with a white one for now. There are now new blue brake calipers on the front wheel which shows “R”, so there is no identity crisis that which golf we are looking at. The wheels on this car are quite large with the tires being quite skinny along with a low ride height which certainly does suggest that this particular machine is the cream of the crop.
Quite unusually, the B-pillar of the car now has “Volkswagen” lettering on it which certainly is a first. There might be some hints of some side skirts on the car too which does certainly increase the oomph of this car by quite a lot.
No mistake this is a hugely popular hatchback and most of the changes done to this car’s appearance will probably go well as this car sells like hotcakes out there. The story at the back is interesting too. There is now a quad exhaust system and a big chunky roof spoiler which will give the R a unique sense of distinction from its other cousins.
The spoiler is of great interest, adds a sporty nature to the car and almost looks like an aftermarket one, to be honest. The spoiler though may not be a part of some special packages and it is highly unlikely that it will be offered as standard with the golf R.
This is because the first Golf R spotted did not have a spoiler but it does certainly look great and adds quite a bit of flair to the Golf. Another pleasing to the eye bit is the rear diffuser which is quite prominent which does suggest that the Golf being tested will launch as the flagship version.
On the performance side, firstly there were some reports which suggested that this car was supposed to be fitted with the RS3 Sportback’s 2.5-liter turbo engine. But in time Audi refused to share its iconic inline-five engine so the Volkswagen took a different route.
The current car is powered by a TSI 2.0 liter four-cylinder which puts out nearly 330 horsepower. This power will be put through a DSG transmission through all for wheels. A manual version is also likely to be offered.
There is another version which exists only in rumors as of now, this potent version is supposed to deliver nearly 400 horsepower. However, this has to be seen in the upcoming times and they are just rumors as of now.
There was quite a little peek in the interiors of the car. From what it looks, the car does certainly have some big bolsters in order to hold you in place and the overall look seems mighty and aggressive. The car will make its debut later this year as is confirmed by Volkswagen.
