Volkswagen unveiled a 315-horsepower Golf R Tuesday, the most powerful version of its Golf compact car ever offered for sale.
Volkswagen said it won’t be selling the base version of its newly redesigned Golf compact car in the United States, but it will sell this new, more powerful Golf R, which has a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 27 more horsepower than the previous Golf R model. It also sells the 228-horsepower Golf GTI here.
That’s because, while most Americans prefer crossover SUVs — and VW has several of those to offer — there’s still a market here for small cars with outsized performance.
The new Golf R will be available in the US during the second half of 2021. VW hasn’t announced pricing yet, but prices for the 2019 Golf R started at over $40,000.
The Golf R will compete against models like the Subaru WRX STI, a version of the Subaru Impreza, and the Honda Civic Type R, both extreme performance versions of other efficient small cars.
The Golf R has an improved torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system that can automatically send more power to one or the other rear wheel depending on the traction needs from moment to moment. It also shifts power automatically from the front wheels to the rear as needed. The car’s top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.
The driver can select from different driving modes that change settings for the car’s steering, suspension, four-wheel-drive system and gas pedal response. Besides Comfort, Sport and Track modes, there is also a Special mode with settings designed for Germany’s famous Nürburgring Nordschleife track. Among other things, the suspension is softer than in Track mode to better handle the Nordschleife’s undulating pavement.
There is also a Drift mode — which is not intended for use on public roads — to allow drivers to more easily slide the car sideways and do smokey, tire-burning donuts.
The Golf R will be available with either a seven-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual. The manual transmission was an important feature for the US market, which has been the number one market for the Golf R worldwide. In the past, 40% of Golf R buyers in the US have chosen the manual transmission, according to a VW spokesman. The automatic transmission will be manually shiftable, with steering wheel paddles.
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.