Wednesday 16th September 2009

VW Golf R: 266bhp Hot Hatch Hits Frankfurt

Most powerful VW Golf ever gets Frankfurt show debut

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Forget VW's Yorkshire-accented E Up! electric concept car, the focus of PH's interest on VW's Frankfurt motor show stand lay firmly at the foot of the VW Golf R - the most powerful Golf variant ever.

VW's new range-topping Golf gets 266bhp from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 258lb ft, which is available from 2500-5000rpm.

Coupled with all-wheel drive, VW claims a DSG-equipped Golf R can hit 62mph in 5.5secs (the manual version takes 5.7secs), while top speed is limited to 155mph.

There's no escaping the dreaded 'e' word, though - VW says that the new Golf R is an impressive 21 per cent more fuel efficient than the old R32. As VW's wonderfully translated press release so germanically puts it: "Volkswagen is demonstrating that fuel consumption values can be corrected downward even in the high-end sports car area."

Still, as long as we continue to get ever-faster hot hatches a saving in fuel can't hurt, can it?

[gary71]

It hurts because it's not a VR6.

I used to have a MK5 R32 and now have an S3. One has character, soul and a made you smile every time you started it, the other can do over 30mpg...