Volkswagen Golf R32

The hot hatch market has changed beyond recognition since VW thrust the original Golf GTI onto an unsuspecting public. Quick is no longer good enough. Blindingly fast is in. And so is raw. Until now the only weapons VW could deploy is this new war zone were the soggy MkIV GTi and V6 4Motion. Something had to be done to restore the company’s standing but it has taken until now – the last year of MkIV production – for Wolfsburg to make its move. Enter the R32, the fastest, most powerful Golf ever.

Volkswagen Golf R32 Design

Volkswagen Golf R32 (1)

Analyse a sample of R32 DNA and you’ll find it shares a great deal with the V6 4Motion. Externally, various styling cues distinguish the R32 from its lesser brethren, including 18-inch alloys, blue brake callipers and a discreet R32 badge at either end.
Despite these tweaks, the overall look is low-key. Inside the R32 has a pair of Konig bucket seats with the biggest side bolsters we’ve seen on a road car.
The bore and stroke of the narrow-angle V6 have been increased stretching capacity from 2.8 to 3.2 litres and increasing power from 204bhp to 237bhp at 6250rpm, and swelling torque to 236lb ft between 2800 and 3200rpm.

Volkswagen Golf R32 (2)

The familiar Haldex four wheel drive system is carried over as is the six-speed manual. The R32 sits 20mm lower than the 4Motion on retuned springs and dampers.

Volkswagen Golf R32 On The Road

Given the traction afforded by four-wheel drive the R32’s 6.5sec 0-60mph time isn’t impressive; blame it on the need for two gearchanges and a 67kg weight penalty over a Subaru Impreza WRX.
But keep your foot in and the Golf recovers, streaking to the ton in 15.6sec and on to a top speed of 153mph, leaving the Scooby and the Focus RS at least 0.5sec and 10mph behind.

Volkswagen Golf R32 (3)

When fitted to the Phaeton limo this engine is as loud as a library. But crank the starter in the R32 and you’re greeted with a delicious bark so naughty you’d swear it had been fettled by an aftermarket tuner. And a brush of the pedal is all that’s needed to send the needle whipping round the revcounter, so sharp is the throttle response over the first few centimetres of travel, something the Golf’s turbocharged adversaries can’t hope to replicate.
VW has finally produced a MkIV that’s as capable and fun to drive as almost any other comparable machine on sale. Gone is the limp body control of the GTi and in its place a chassis so taut and controlled it’s hard to believe they’re related.

Volkswagen Golf R32 (4)

Grip is borderline sensational, and although the ride never feels anything other than stiff it’s only on the rougher stuff that it becomes jarring. The steering isn’t without merit, but there’s still a paucity of feel.

Volkswagen Golf R32 Living

The cabin is the same sensational blend of expensive materials that we’ve come to expect of VW, though the design is starting to show its age.
The big bucket seats provide terrific lateral support and the special steering wheel’s girth is matched only by the BMW M3’s. You never forget you’re pedalling something more serious than a GTi. Equipment levels are high; electronic climate controls, CD and Xenons are standard.

Volkswagen Golf R32 (5)

The Golf’s tall sixth gear salvages something from the burden of a big engine and a less than sylph-like 1477kg kerbweight, but the low 21.7mpg average we managed is worse than both its rivals.
Golfs have always done well on depreciation and the R32 should retain around 52 per cent of its value after three years, helped by limiting sales to around 1700 each year.

Volkswagen Golf R32 Verdict

We’ve no qualms about labelling the R32 the best Golf in years and one of the true highlights in the model’s near 30-year history. In dynamic terms it trounces everything else VW currently produces and is a refreshing reminder of just what the company can achieve when pushed. Yet as an entertainer it falls short of the high standards set by the Focus RS. It’s also much more expensive, though that wonderful V6 engine and peerless cabin are impressive compensation. On paper the R32 makes its cousin the Audi S3 seem an expensive irrelevance, but for those wanting the mix of performance and sophistication that eludes most hot hatches it’s a very welcome addition to the ranks.