{"id":43195,"date":"2011-10-05T16:51:16","date_gmt":"2011-10-05T20:51:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=43195"},"modified":"2011-10-05T16:51:16","modified_gmt":"2011-10-05T20:51:16","slug":"first-drive-volkswagen-golf-r","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2011\/10\/first-drive-volkswagen-golf-r\/","title":{"rendered":"First Drive: Volkswagen Golf R"},"content":{"rendered":"
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At 256 hp the new 2012 VW Golf R makes 6 more horsepower than the 2008 Golf R32 VR6.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Few makers have been doing better in the U.S. market, in recent months than Volkswagen, which posted a solid 36% jump last month as new models like the 2012 Passat and third-generation Beetle rolled into showrooms.\u00a0 Anyone who wonders whether VW can keep the momentum going might just consider what else is in the product pipeline \u2013 starting with the 2012 Golf R.<\/p>\n

The German maker is just making things formal, releasing pricing and specs on the mean little hatch \u2013 which we had a chance to spend a brief bit of time scooting around the Virginia countryside in a few weeks back.<\/p>\n

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News Now!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With its well-equipped interior \u2013 and a 256-horsepower turbocharged inline-four \u2013 the Volkswagen Golf R is destined to change the perceptions of anyone out there who might think the German 5-door is just a gussied-up econobox.<\/p>\n

First, the numbers: the 2012 Golf R will set you back $33,990 plus destination charges.\u00a0 That\u2019s very definitely not econobox territory.\u00a0 This is a sporty compact for those who believe that very good things can come in small packages \u2013 if you\u2019re willing to pay the price.<\/p>\n

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The 2012 VW Golf R will be offered in both 3- and 5-door packages.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That little engine has plenty of tire-spinning torque, at 243 lb-ft and to put things into perspective, it will be delivering six horsepower more than the formidable Golf R32 VR6 that was one of the cult favorites of the 2008 model-year.<\/p>\n

Yet the 2012 Golf R will do it while getting markedly better fuel economy \u2013 19 City, 27 Highway, according to the EPA, compared with 18\/23 in the old Golf R32 VR6.<\/p>\n

Available in a three, as well as 5-door hatch configuration, the Golf R will feature a Haldex all-wheel-drive system mated to its 6-speed stick, the better to ensure all that power gets to the ground.<\/p>\n

We discovered what that meant the moment we hammered the throttle leaving the base camp Volkswagen had set up in the farm country along the Virginia\/West Virginia border.\u00a0 The Golf R quite literally leapt into action, racing along a tight and twisty course the maker had laid out.<\/p>\n

To its credit, this wasn\u2019t the sort of flat-and-level route some manufacturers try to pre-package hoping to disguise any potential flaws, especially in suspension and handling.\u00a0 There were plenty of hills, a fair share of tight turns and many an off-camber corner.<\/p>\n

To handle them all, VW engineers have given the new Golf R a damper strut front with lower control arms and an oversized tubular anti-rollbar.\u00a0 The rear suspension features a four-link design with triple control arms, telescopic dampers and an anti-rollbar.<\/p>\n

Steering is handled by the maker\u2019s latest electro-mechanical system.\u00a0 For those who fret when they hear a maker like VW has shifted away from hydraulics don\u2019t worry, as the old song went, be happy.\u00a0 It\u2019s done perhaps the best job among all mainstream makers \u2013 rivaling even some luxury performance marques \u2013 in terms of squeezing the best performance out of an electric power steering system.\u00a0 And here, the new package is not just responsive but able to adapt its feel to the speed and driving situation.<\/p>\n

The Golf R actually boasts a steering ratio quicker than that of the GTI.<\/p>\n

That said we didn\u2019t find it quite as well planted as the more familiar VW performance machine.\u00a0 It was clearly comfortable whatever we threw at it, but the GTI we drove down the same route was just a little more enthusiastic, better able to maintain its poise whatever it encountered.<\/p>\n

If muscle memory serves us well, it also appears that the new Golf R is just a little less aggressive than the old G32 despite the added power.<\/p>\n

The Golf R has plenty of stopping power, with 13.6-inch front brake rotors and 12.2-inch rear discs.\u00a0 By comparison, the GTI\u2019s measure 12.3-inch up front, 10.7 in the back.<\/p>\n

On the safety front, there\u2019s a solid mix of passive and active systems, including Electronic Stability Program, Anti-Slip Regulation and an Electronic Differential.\u00a0 There\u2019s also a hill holder function.\u00a0 The car features six airbags.<\/p>\n

Visually, look for a new front bumper with integrated LED Daytime Running Lights and three large black air intakes, as well as a gloss black grille with framed \u201cR\u201d logo.\u00a0 Adaptive front lighting that can aim around corners is standards, as are new 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels.\u00a0 A new rear bumper wraps around the twin central exhaust pipes.<\/p>\n

Open the door and you\u2019ll quickly spot the special \u201cR\u201d sillplates, that emblem also adorning the special bucket seats.\u00a0 A flat-bottomed racing wheel rounds out the package.<\/p>\n

For the money you\u2019d be right to anticipate such standard gear as Bluetooth, dual climate control and a premium audio system.<\/p>\n

Is the new Golf R a performance car or an entry-luxury model?\u00a0 It appears to be a bit of both.\u00a0 That should help it appeal to an unusually wide swath of buyers \u2013 at least those who can afford something that pushes up to $35,000 and above by the time you cover your taxes, fees and options.\u00a0 That may push it beyond the reach of traditional Golf buyers so it will be interesting to see if the new Volkswagen offering can nudge its way into the entry luxury market.\u00a0 It certainly deserves to get a closer look.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is no ordinary econobox. Anything but. The 2012 Volkswagen Golf R is a serious performance machine likely to appeal to even those normally drawn to more upscale import brand names. TheDetroitBureau.com has pricing information, specs — and a review on the newest entry to VW’s growing line-up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"make":[],"post-state":[],"category_old":[151],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43195"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43195\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43195"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=43195"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=43195"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=43195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}