THE high performance R version of the last generation Volkswagen Golf was a very special car, writes William Scholes.
Its combination of grippy four-wheel-drive, a powerful - and easily tuned... - 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and accessible-everywhere performance, when bundled with the the versatility and quality of a Golf, meant the R was an instant hit and regarded as one of the very best hot hatches of them all.
Clearly, the R version of the new eighth generation Golf would need to be a very special car - and here it is, complete with a brawnier 316bhp engine and a 'drift' mode.
That extra power - about 20bhp up on the Mk 7 - means this is the most powerful production Golf yet. Torque is rated at 310 lb ft. A seven-speed double-clutch automatic gearbox is standard.
It means the R can zip from zero to 62mph in 4.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph, though if you tick the box beside the 'R-Performance package' this is lifted to around 168mph.
The all-wheel-drive system is a new design that includes torque vectoring, meaning torque can be shuffled not only between front and rear axles but variably between the rear wheels.
Volkswagen says makes the car more agile and, for the first time, means you can effectively have a rear-wheel-Golf; among the various drive modes is a 'drift' option that can send all of the torque to the rear axle.
As well as dropping the ride height by 20mm, the suspension system has been updated to be stiffer than before, while the driving dynamics software has also been tailored for the R.
Outside, the Golf has been given a typical subtle makeover, with an R-specific body kit, high-gloss black elements, and an illuminated blue bar above the grille.
Other tell-tales include 18-inch alloy wheels, matt chrome mirror housings, blue brake callipers and lowered ride height.
Buyers can choose to have 19-inch wheels with two different finishes and can even specify semi-slick track tyres.
Inside, there's a 10-inch infotainment system, digital instrument cluster, sports seats, leather steering wheel and carbon-look panels.
