The current range-topping version of the
new-gen Volkswagen Golf family is the GTI front-wheel drive hot hatch, but it
won’t be for long, as the Wolfsburg company is putting the final touches on the
Golf R. Set to launch in two body styles, five-door hatchback and Variant
(estate), it was recently spotted undergoing testing at the Nurburgring
racetrack in Germany, revealing a rather civilized exhaust tone.
Posing as an Alltrack, the upcoming Golf R
Variant will have a number of aerodynamic enhancements, shared with its
short-roof sibling. These will include the sporty front end, new rear bumper
with different diffuser and quad exhaust pipes, enlarged side skirts and bigger
roof-mounted spoiler.
The sporty styling will continue inside,
where it is expected to feature sports seats with R branding, perhaps with
two-tone leather upholstery, sports steering wheel and dedicated start-up
screens for the infotainment system and digital gauges. There are also rumors
surrounding a dedicated ‘R’ button that will sharpen up the driving experience.
It will not use the 2.5-liter turbo-five
from the Audi RS models, as it was initially believed, because it could
cannibalize the RS3 Sportback. Thus, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder
engine will power it, producing a rumored 328 HP and working
in conjunction with a dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The
2021 Golf R hatchback will, in all likelihood, debut soon, but the Variant is
probably still a few months away.
