Volkswagen has started accepting orders for the all-new Golf R in the United Kingdom, where the range-topping variant of the compact hot hatch range starts at £ 39,270 (US$ 52,511) on-the-road. The MSRP actually makes it more expensive than the premium offerings from Mercedes-AMG, Audi Sport and BMW M, such as the A35, S3 Sportback and M135i. The Merc starts at £ 38,825 (US$ 51,916), while the Audi and BMW can be had from £ 38,475 (US$ 51,448) and £ 37,685 (US$ 50,391) respectively.
The 2021 Golf R features a bespoke body
kit, roof spoiler, quad exhaust pipes and 18-inch alloy wheels. The sports
seats in black/blue cloth upholstery with ArtVelours for the outer areas,
heated steering wheel, dedicated R button and extended paddle shifters come as
standard.
Optional equipment includes a panoramic
sunroof, Akrapovic exhaust system, Harman/Kardon premium audio, head-up display
and the £ 2,000 (US$ 2,674) R-Performance Package. The bundle adds 19-inch wheels,
performance rear spoiler, two new driving modes named the Drift and Special,
with the former doing what its name says and the latter setting up the car to
tackle the Nurburgring racetrack, and increased top speed to 270
km/h.
Power is supplied by a turbocharged
2.0-liter four-cylinder, that delivers 315 HP and 420 Nm of torque. It works in conjunction with a 7-speed DSG automatic
transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive system with Torque Vectoring, allowing
it to hit 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and reach an electronically limited
155 mph (250 km/h) top speed. The 2021 Golf R returns between 35.3 and 36.2 mpg
UK (8.0-7.8 l/100 km / 29.4-30.1 mpg US) on the combined WLTP cycle and emits
177-181 g/km of CO2.
