Volkswagen Golf R generations: a history of the stealthy hot hatch
September 27, 2024 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
The Volkswagen Golf R has been around for over 20 years now, so let’s take a look at how far this performance hatchback has come.
The Mk4 Volkswagen Golf GTI wasn’t very well-received when it launched back in 1998. It wasn’t particularly interesting to look at, had put on quite a bit of weight compared to the GTIs which came before it and it wasn’t as engaging to drive either.
However, in 2003 VW took the Golf and injected it with some much-needed joie de vivre, and the first R32 was born. More than 20 years later, we’ve had five models wearing the R badge, and today we’re going to take a closer look at each one.
Jump to:
- Volkswagen Golf R32 Mk4
- Volkswagen Golf R32 Mk5
- Volkswagen Golf R Mk6
- Volkswagen Golf R Mk7
- Volkswagen Golf R Mk8
Volkswagen Golf R32 Mk4
Cast your mind back to 2003. Finding Nemo had just hit our screens, 50 Cent’s In Da Club was at the top of the charts, and Volkswagen unveiled the new Golf R32 – and it was a radical departure from the rather flabby GTI of the period.
VW had crammed a 3.2-litre V6 engine under the bonnet with 241hp and 320Nm of torque, making the 180hp GTI seem a bit weak. Unlike the front-wheel drive GTI, the R32 sent power to all four wheels, and it was the first ever production VW to be offered with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
The upshot of this was 0-60mph in 6.4 seconds, which made it one and a half seconds quicker than the GTI of the day and almost as quick as the current Golf GTI. Early R32s are very desirable these days, and their rarity has pushed prices for good ones north of £20,000.
Volkswagen Golf R32 Mk5
Roll on 2005 and we have the Mk5 Volkswagen Golf R32. It follows a very similar recipe to the Mk4, with a 3.2-litre V6 engine up front powering all four wheels. It now puts out 250hp, nine more than the previous car and 50 more than the mk5 GTI, and 0-60mph is dealt with in 6.2 seconds.
It got similar styling cues on the outside to the old car as well in that it looked suitably sporty, but didn’t shout about the fact it was the most powerful Golf you could buy. You got deeper bumpers and a bit of chrome trim, as well as flared wheel arches and unique alloy wheel designs.
Inside you got sports seats as standard, or for an additional £945 you could upgrade to a set of wing-backed Recaro bucket seats with carbon fibre shells. Prices for a Mk5 R32 start from around £6,000 for a ropey one these days, rising to over £15,000 for a minter.
Volkswagen Golf R Mk6
In 2010 VW’s performance flagship changed in a few ways. Not only did it lose the R32 name, now just called the R, it also lost a couple of cylinders from the engine. Gone was the 3.2-litre naturally-aspirated V6, and in its place we find a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder.
The engine may have been smaller, but it was also more mighty. The Mk6 R had 270hp and 350Nm of torque going to all four wheels, and you could still choose between a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
This added shove meant it was half a second quicker to 60mph than the Mk5, completing the sprint in 5.7 seconds. The Mk6 Golf R is something of a forgotten hero these days, often living in the shadow of the more popular Mk7, and as such prices are decent for the level of performance you get. A clean example can be yours for less than £10,000.
Volkswagen Golf R Mk7
We now head into 2014, when the Mk7 Volkswagen Golf R first hit the streets. This is often considered by enthusiasts to be the best example of the breed, offering supercar-scaring performance in a discreet, practical shell.
Like the Mk6, it had a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine mated to an all-wheel drive system, with power going through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox. At launch, the R had 300hp and 380Nm of torque. A facelift in 2017 saw this upped to 310hp.
The result was 0-60mph in a blistering 4.6 seconds in the 310hp variant, and it would go on to a top speed of 155mph. You can grab an early, pre-facelift Mk7 for around £12,000, however if you want a later car with more power then they start from £17,000.
Volkswagen Golf R Mk8
Finally, let’s talk about today’s Volkswagen Golf R. It launched in 2021 with 320hp and 420Nm of torque from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and this was the first R to lose the option of a manual gearbox. Power goes to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
A facelifted version of the Mk8 Golf R was revealed earlier this year, and it’s been given a small boost in power. You now get 333hp, and it’ll do 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds – 0.2 of a second quicker than the pre-facelift car.
This was also the first R to introduce a drift mode, something which sends more power to the rear wheels for some tail-out shenanigans. If you fancy a piece of the action, you can get a used, pre-facelift Mk8 Golf R for around £30,000, or the updated one is on sale now for £43,500.
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