The idea that serious drivers of big, high-performance cars also want a fast, daily runaround is not a new one. It started in the 60s with the Mini Cooper S and then, in 1976, along came the ultimate Q-car, the Golf GTi.
VW has maintained that tradition, with the Mk VI Golf R being the “most powerful and fastest accelerating Golf ever produced”, so where does it fit in that illustrious Golf line-up of Mk I and II GTi, Mk III VR6, Mk IV R32 and Mk V GTi and R32?
As a four-wheel-drive hatchback, its closest relation would be the V6-powered, Mk V R32. For the latest ‘R’, VW has installed an EA113-series, turbocharged 1984cc four-cylinder (from the Mk V GTi), but with an all-new alloy cylinder-head, uprated pistons and turbocharger, new con-rods and high-pressure injectors. The result is 270PS (266bhp) at 6000rpm and 236lb ft of torque at 2500rpm.
That’s another 20bhp or so, all from an engine 35kg lighter than the V6, with emissions reduced from 255g/km CO2 to 199g/km. Fuel consumption has been improved, too, with 33.2mpg on the Combined cycle (I reckon I was getting 28mpg) the official figure.
A lot of numbers. And if you factor in a kerb weight of 1446kg (compared with the previous R32’s 1510kg) and total it all, the result should equate to a real road-burner, more performance-focused than the old V6 yet still capable of a daily commute and long-distance mile covering.
It’s a Golf, after all. And on that subject there’s little need to describe the quality cabin and high standard of construction. But then you don’t need to invest £34,675 (the price of the car you see here, with extras, ‘on the road’ in the UK) to buy membership of the Golf club. Just £15,850 spent at your local VW dealer will have you driving out in a perfectly acceptable entry-level model.
But, whereas in the old days the hot version of VW’s latter-day people’s car was but a stripe here, a wider wheel there, and matt-black plastic wheel-arch extensions all round, today’s Golf R is an altogether shoutier beast. Its new bumpers, front and rear lights, sill extensions, wheels and mirrors are unique to the model. The LED running lights, and LED bulbs hidden by smoked lenses at the back, make the Golf R a strident machine to run, “aggressive” as VW phrases it.
Were it a Renault or Citroën, chacun à son gout would be the appropriate response, I suppose. Not wishing to labour the point, I would prefer less in-your-face styling.
In contrast, when you are behind the wheel, tightly clasped by the deep bucket seats (finished in a combination of grey Alcantara and cloth mesh), the overwhelming impression is of purposeful refinement, as it should be in the middle classes’ favourite the world over.
The ride is firm but acceptable (you can adjust this, and steering and throttle responses via the optional-fit Adaptive Chassis Control), thanks in no small part to the Mk VI Golf family’s four-link rear suspension.
The 4MOTION 4WD used in the last R32 has been updated for the new Golf R. The good news is that it responds more quickly, in extreme cases diverting 100 per cent rearwards.
What that translates to on dry, summer Tarmac in the UK is Audi RS-type levels of grip aided by the colossally effective 235/35 R19 tyres (a £555 option including ‘Talladega Black’ alloys and black headlamp surrounds) with a hot stickiness that almost hurts when touched.
See a corner. Turn in. Accelerate. It’s as simple as that. 270PS? You could increase that by at least 50% and the Golf R could handle it.
Which is why it doesn’t feel terribly rapid. There’s 270PS being belted out by the smooth-running, if ever-so-slightly ‘laggy’ turbo motor, but somewhere twixt crankshaft and 235-series tyres it has lost some of its punch. To add more figures to the blackboard, the 0-62mph time is 5.7 seconds (5.5 seconds with the DSG ’box) - 0.8 seconds quicker than the R32, with an identical top speed of 155mph, now electronically limited.
The marginally less powerful, and usefully better-priced, Scirocco R we drove a year ago felt as if it had the legs on the Golf R. And I’m not a rabid, anti-4WD, “it spoils the driving experience” person. The chassis is terrific and the engine strong but with all the extra cogs and shafts to turn, the performance has been dulled somewhat.
It’s a speedy old thing, don’t get me wrong; but not ‘quick’. For those looking for all-year-round-performance, swap the 19in alloys for some cheaper wheels and winter tyres come November and you’ll have a wonderful car for motorways, autoroutes and the Alpine passes. I’d be interested to sample a DSG version, as this was manual and the Scirocco R DSG-equipped, for a fairer comparison.
The DSG, twin-clutch gearbox available on the Golf R is a six-speed, by the way, not seven, as the high torque of the engine necessitates beefier internals.
In summary, I’d say to anyone thinking of a daily driver to augment the classic or modern ‘big car fleet’, do try the Golf R. But don’t expect it to take your breath away – that’s why you’ve got a Ferrari or Aston.
With special thanks to Goodwood, which will be hosting the out-of-this-world Revival from 16 - 18 September 2011.
Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Classic Driver
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