Volkswagen is wishing the Golf R a cheerful belated birthday.

When the Golf R 20 Years was revealed for Europe final yr it had been 20 years because the first Golf R32 was launched to sit down above the GTI; by now the concept of a warmer Golf is sufficiently old to legally have a beer within the USA.

Why the delay for Australia? Volkswagen has been struggling to construct sufficient Golf Rs for our market, and determined to carry the 20 Years again because it labored by way of a major backlog of orders.

Simply 50 are sure for our market, they usually go on sale at this time. First in, finest dressed.

So, what differentiates the 20 Years from the common Golf R?

The headline act is an Akrapovic exhaust – the one strategy to get one from the manufacturing facility in Australia – however there are many particular bits and items readily available to justify the steep sticker worth. In spite of everything, that is the costliest Golf ever bought in Australia.

We put it by way of its paces at Sydney Motorsport Park to see the way it stacks up with the common automobile.

How a lot does the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years value?

The Golf R 20 Years is the costliest Golf ever bought in Australia, with simply 50 items coming to our shores.

Priced from $77,490 earlier than on-road prices, it’ll be bought by way of the Volkswagen Australia web site.

The primary 50 clients to get on-line will probably be given the possibility to snap up one of many 32 blue or 18 white vehicles; those that miss out will probably be put right into a ready room in case one of many first 50 patrons isn’t in a position to full their transaction.

That sticker worth represents a $8500 impost over the common Golf R Hatch, though the 20 Years packs some extra tools (and the attract of shortage) to justify it.

What’s the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years like on the within?

There are a number of adjustments relative to an everyday Golf R, however the fundamentals are the identical – for higher and worse.

What’s new? The carbon-fibre trim on the dashboard is actual, not plastic with a racy print on it, and all of the choices from the common R have been fitted as commonplace. Which means you get a Harman/Kardon sound system and a sunroof.

It has blue wheels and a racy exhaust, however this isn’t a stripped-back particular version within the vein of the Renault Megane RS Trophy line.

The basics are good, as we realized throughout our time with the Golf R on the highway. The seats with their one-piece backrests are snug on lengthy drives, and it’s simple to get snug as a tall driver. Even with a helmet on, there’s loads of house.

However there are a number of gripes on observe that simply weren’t obvious on the highway. The seats might use extra higher physique assist, as a result of in some higher-speed corners it feels such as you’re spilling out the highest of them, and the plastic paddles fall simply at hand… however don’t really feel significantly particular when you think about the worth.

A set of metallic items, or on the very least some little rubber add-ons like those you get on BMW M vehicles, could be a welcome improve.

Whereas we’re having a bitch, the contact capacitive buttons on the steering wheel are each bit as foolish on the observe as they’re on the highway. I’m already pushing arduous and gripping the wheel tightly, turning on the steering wheel heater by chance isn’t going to assist.

No less than the R button is inside simple attain. Quite than having to dive deep into the touchscreen to flick into Race mode, it’s inside simple attain. If solely the broader know-how suite was so easy.

There’s no questioning the showroom enchantment, and with familiarity you discover ways to navigate by way of the layers, upon layers, upon layers of menus. The graphics look trendy, and it responds sharply to inputs.

Easy duties are too advanced to execute, although. It used to take one button press to show in your heated seat, for instance, now it takes two – and on a bumpy highway at 100km/h, the place you’d naturally relaxation your wrist to stabilise it’s on the contact slider that controls the temperature.

It’s much less of a difficulty on observe, the place your palms are firmly on the wheel, however a core a part of the Golf R’s enchantment is the actual fact it’s not only a observe automobile.

On the practicality entrance, storage areas abound within the first row – from the coated wi-fi cost pad to the cupholders, huge underarm storage bin, and felt-lined door pockets. The cubby to the right-hand facet of the steering wheel, which was excellent for storage keys or cash, is notably absent although.

The rear seats are very usable for teenagers or average-height adults, however the chunky one-piece backrests on the bucket seats within the R do loom massive in your imaginative and prescient again there.

The Tiguan R is a extra pure household hauler, however you already knew that.

Boot house is a claimed 374 litres with the rear seats in place, increasing to 1230L with the 60/40 rear seats folded flat.

Together with the three top-tether mounts, there are ISOFIX factors on the outboard rear seats.

What’s underneath the bonnet?

The Golf R 20 Years has a extra highly effective model of the common R’s 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 245kW (+10kW) and 420Nm (+20Nm) due to a fettled turbocharger.

Volkswagen says the turbocharger now encompasses a preload system, and has a throttle valve that stays open in the course of the over run – which means the turbochargers spool earlier than you demand full efficiency, and stays on the boil while you raise off the accelerator.

It additionally begins up with extra aptitude than the common automobile, due to a revised ignition sequence and the brand new exhaust.

It’s despatched to all 4 wheels by way of a 4Motion all-wheel drive system packing the power to shuffle torque between the entrance and rear axles, and this newest model is ready to break up the torque despatched rearward between the person wheels.

Not solely does that assist reduce down on understeer, it permits for a Drift Mode just like the system supplied on the Audi RS3 and Mercedes-AMG A45 S.

How does the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years drive?

There’s a brand new exhaust, some new blue highlights, and a splash of additional energy, however the Golf R 20 Years nonetheless appears like a Golf R.

It’s a planted, punchy little beast that feels pleasant at full tilt – and one which’s packing some intelligent know-how underneath the pores and skin to up the involvement in comparison with its predecessor.

Pushed back-to-back with the broader vary, from the Polo GTI by way of to the Tiguan R, it clearly appears like probably the most targeted. It nonetheless has some softer, extra polished edges in a nod to the actual fact it’s meant to be an all-rounder although, which additionally shines by way of at full noise.

The automobile has all the time been outlined by its all-wheel drive system, and the additional tips on supply from the newest R make it very succesful.

By way of the high-speed flip one at SMP it’s rock strong, erring extra on the facet of stability than edgy rear bias, however by way of the slower second-third advanced you’re in a position to get on the facility as quickly because the automobile is turned and the 4Motion system simply drags you out and slingshots you down the following straight.

Quite than making an attempt to push huge on the first trace of throttle, it’s intelligent sufficient to shuffle torque to the surface rear wheel while you begin feeding the throttle in with a little bit of steering lock utilized. It’s nonetheless a Golf R, however the newest mannequin has a number of new tips.

Though it’s lightning fast when it does shift, the dual-clutch transmission could possibly be a bit extra aggressive on downshifts.

Stamp on the brakes and the R stands on its nostril, however the DSG doesn’t rip down by way of the ratios in the best way the transmission in an AMG A45 S or RS3 does, which implies you might be caught a gear too excessive when it comes time to speed up out of the lower-speed stuff.

Taking cost with the paddles solves that drawback, and the transmission is each bit as snappy as you’d count on.

Whereas we’re speaking brakes, the R stood as much as a observe session by the hands of journalists properly.

It’s very secure from excessive pace, however you possibly can path brake to get the automobile turning and it responds. It’s not the final phrase in adjustability, an allegation that’s perpetually been levelled at quick Golf merchandise, however it’s not a one-dimensional destroyer of moist roads both.

As for the adjustments? It’s arduous to really feel the additional energy and torque on the observe, and the brand new exhaust is most noticeable from the surface – inside, with a helmet on, it’s arduous to distinguish it from the common Golf R.

It seems implausible although, and is a fairly fascinating possibility.

What do you get?

Golf R highlights:

• 4Motion all-wheel-drive
• Torque vectoring 
• 19-inch Estoril alloy wheels
• Efficiency entrance brakes (358mm discs)
• Six drive modes (incl. Drift and Particular)
• Prolonged rear roof spoiler (hatch)
• Adaptive dampers
• Sports activities exhaust
• 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Professional with R modes
• IQ.Mild Matrix LED headlights
• Nappa leather-based upholstery
• Heated, ventilated entrance sports activities seats
• Electrical driver’s seat with reminiscence
• Ambient inside lighting
• Tri-zone local weather management

Golf R 20 Years provides:

• Akrapovič titanium exhaust system
• Carbon inlays throughout the dashboard and doorways
• ’20 Years’ B-pillar badging
• Blue wheels/mirrors on white vehicles

Is the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years secure?

The Volkswagen Golf wears a five-star ANCAP security score based mostly on checks carried out by Euro NCAP in 2019.

It scored 95 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 89 per cent for baby occupant safety, 76 per cent for weak highway consumer safety, and 80 per cent for security help.

Customary security tools contains:

• 8 airbags
• AEB incl. Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
• Multi-collision brake
• Lane-keep help
• Journey Help
  • Adaptive cruise management
  • Energetic lane centring
• Entrance cross-traffic help
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Entrance, rear parking sensors
• Reversing digicam

How a lot does the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years value to run?

The Golf R is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

Upkeep is required each 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first – and Volkswagen presents three- and five-year pay as you go service packages.

A 3-year service plan prices $1700, and a five-year plan will set you again $3000.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years

The Golf R 20 Years doesn’t rip up the R rulebook and begin once more. As an alternative, it builds on it with a number of alternative upgrades.

The titanium Akrapovic exhaust particularly has some severe cool issue, and anybody who opts for the white exterior is getting a fairly cool-looking automobile due to the blue add-ons. They’re love or hate, however I’m firmly within the first camp.

Asking for it to go a bit additional might be a waste of power, given the 50 vehicles coming to Australia will probably be snapped up in a heartbeat… however I want Volkswagen had pushed issues barely extra, with at the least a set of correctly racy seats on board.

Nonetheless, for those who’re eager on a Golf R that may stand out from the fast-growing crowd of blue Volkswagen efficiency vehicles on Australian roads, the 20 Years is a singular tackle the method.

You’d finest get in fast.

Click on the pictures for the total gallery

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