The Volkswagen Golf R – Ultimate Golf

Hidden in the dark underneath a conglomerate building in Bangsar, a small sound that sounded like a whine materialized, followed by a loud growl, as if some animal that didn’t want to be awakened was nudged unceremoniously and it’s pissed. The growl settled down to a begrudging low gurgle and for the first time after been given so many different cars, I wonder what have I gotten myself into. Not even the Passat CC R-line, the fastest vehicle in Volkswagen Malaysia’s product line up inspires as much fear as this car … and it’s not even moving yet. Just listening to the sound of its engine idling already sends goosebumps across my skin …. it is certainly not what I expected considering its engine capacity is only 2litres … but  more on this later.

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Those into cars will almost certainly have a dream car. I remember one of my  fantasy cars was a Ferrari F355 back when it was first launched. Petrol heads like us can’t help it …. we’d imagine cruising down the highway with our sense of worth (and ego) going sky high with us behind the steering wheel. We’d fantasize every girl in bikini along the socialites areas like Dutamas flocking to our cars with us sitting on the drivers seat …. probably with a retarded smile on our faces (and don’t ask me why girls wearing bikinis are hanging out at Dutamas; it’s just a fantasy, after all). We’d conceive how heavenly it would be like to have our backs hugged by those leather/fabric seats, how the engine sounds at each prod of our appendages (the foot, mind you. Not the other appendage), the pull it makes and the thrust as it pushes us back to be more intimate with the seats, the feel of the steering as we hold, twist and turn it …. I should stop now least I wet my pants.

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What if you dream car isn’t an Italian exotic or a German technology wonder?  Something that has a timeless look about it that doesn’t scream for attention wherever it goes, the practicality of 4 doors, a large boot opening, relatively easy to park, have adequate power that does not disappoint and a chassis that entertains when the mood strikes you? What if a Volkswagen Golf is all you’ve ever wanted for Christmas?

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If so, then the Golf’s ultimate form is surely worthy of being a dream car. The Golf R, the quickest and most expensive Golf in Volkswagen’s range is nondescript enough to pass off as a mildly dressed up regular Golf yet woe to those who mistaken it to be such. The R is a truly special car and for this special shooting, kensomuse is honored to be able to invite Mr K hairulzaman Abdul Razak, a professional photographer who took the breathtaking shots of the Kia Sportage in an earlier article (found HERE). As a sign of tribute to his skill, the pictures featured in this article shall of a higher size and resolution compared to other articles.

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On to the Golf then ….

 

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Design

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Nondescript … except for 19″ Talladega rims plus the R’s signature Rising Blue paint that reveals it for what it truly is. Granted there are a bucket load of after-market installers who can mimic an R, I’ve yet to encounter a fake Golf R with this color paint so if you do see such a blue Golf gating you from behind, best move aside.

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What’s different compared to the 1.4TSi and the 2.0GTi is that the R’s DRLs aren’t found in the main headlight housing. Instead, it’s a strip below the headlight washers. Also unique to the R is that the headlight housing is smoked. It is ironic to note that front fog lights has been omitted from the R. Last but not least, the R badge denotes its specialty among other Golfs.

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In its typical R fashion like its predecessor, the Mk V R32, twin tailpipes adorn the center of its lower bumper. If you’ve seen one too many Golfs with this LED rear tail lamp cluster, know that it is originally meant for the R, as rightfully fitted here. Another diminutive R badge can be seen at the back.

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“Boss, one of your reverse light is faulty” – how often have I heard that after driving a continental. Dude, this isn’t the only car with one side reverse light and one side rear fog light.

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The Talladegas never bores me no matter how many times I look at it.

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Probably one of the smallest spoilers you can find in a super hot hatch …. not that you need a super sized one to go faster since in general, the larger they are, the more drag they create.

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Performance

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As I slowly inch the growling R out of its parking bay in Menara Volkswagen, the sense of excitement builds as the rev counter turns higher. With 255PS @ 6,000rpm under its hood, the car is just begging to be let loose. Unlike the Mk V R32 which uses a 3.2litre V6 NA engine, the Mk VI’s R has a turbocharged, direct injection engine that offers  330Nm worth of torque at a relatively low 2,400 – 5,200rpm range ….

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…. and it …. is ….. FAST! Paired to a 6-speed DSG gearbox, triple digit speed is achieved in 5.7 seconds. Though both the GTi and R engine has the same 1,985cc capacity, it is not the same engine. The R’s unit is sourced from the Audi S3 … as a matter of fact, underneath the Golf R’s skin, it is literally an Audi S3, platform and power output.

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As fast as it is, the Golf R is not the fastest VW made available officially by VGM … the honor goes to the Passat CC R-Line which beats the R by 0.1 seconds to the century sprint. Honestly, you’d probably have to be an F1 driver to be able to feel the difference of one tenths of a second (that, or you’re just delusional and experiencing a placebo effect). Having driven the Passat CC R-line before (article HERE), the Golf R’s acceleration is far more brutal. The Passat CCR’s pull is linear, a kind of gradual urgency …. the Golf R’s stop-go acceleration on the other hand is as though someone strapped you onto the launch catapult of an aircraft carrier and hit the Go switch. In that few seconds, your entire body gets pushed back towards the bucket seat while your eye balls are now where your brains used to be …. the brains meanwhile is nothing more than a mesh of gray matter like burger meat patties on the headrest. The permanent all-wheel drive 4-Motion drive ensures there’s ample grip while the car continue to pulverize every single internal organ you have … if you had a need to use the toilet for a “big one”, you can now go home and change your pants instead.

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Savage, brutish, bestial …. and to quote the British, ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!

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Ride and Handling

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As mentioned earlier, the Golf R, like its forefather, the R32 uses a 4-Motion all-wheel-drive-system that splits the torque between the front and back …. and in extreme situations, can even temporarily turn the car into a rear wheel drive as 100% of torque can be diverted to the rear. I had the chance of testing it in the rain from Ipoh to KL and at no time did I ever feel the loss of control, even when the road was thoroughly soaked and had puddles of water everywhere.

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Unlike the R32, the current R does not have a heavy V6 engine up front and this reduces weight at the same time shifting the balance of the car rear wards. The final result is a spectacularly balanced car that scoffs at any corners. Those who’re familiar with Subang Jaya would know of a super U-turn that’s 3 lanes wide with a small gradient towards the center … I took that turn with …. erm, “three digit” speeds and the tires hardly made any protest. The way the Golf R attacks corners is as clinical as Germans are in building their cars. If you want some sideway fun, you’d be better off getting a Toyota 86.

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Despite its extreme road characteristics, the Golf R is quite easy to live with, if you don’t mind the added discomfort of getting in and out of the bucket seats. This tolerance owners (or wives of owners) is largely due to the adaptive chassis control DCC which softens or stiffens the damping of the suspension. Note that at Comfort setting, the car still felt harsher than a standard 1.4TSi Golf but to me, it’s still fine. Sport mode is what you want to be in when that dial in your brain is turned to “Racing”. Body roll is virtually eliminated while at the same time, your entire spine gets a good workout. Take note that if you do push it a little too hard, you’d enter a zone of understeer …. the good thing is that with the Golf R, it sets in much later and having 4 wheel drive that constantly adapts torque forward and rearward, it’s easier to recover from it too.

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Peekaboo …. R sized sliding calipers with 345mm discs up front, coupled with 310mm discs at the rear ensures you stop in time … so long as you’re sober enough to step on the brakes, that is

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Cabin Convenience

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Your typical Golf cabin …. with a not so typical set of front seats.

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Meaty and grippy, holding the steering is as exciting as squeezing a pair of sexy _____

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Blue needles are a little harder to mimic …. and they do a little dance at start up too by sweeping forward and back.

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You’ll get an RNS 510 touch sceen head unit which can be easily found online (as was the one installed in my Golf back home). You’ll be able to play CD, DVD, radio, iPod/iPhone/iPad (with the appropriate Media-in cable, of course), GPS navigation (as long as the local maps are installed) and Bluetooth phone streaming (as long as the Bluetooth module is installed – and this is one you have to retrofit yourself as the Golf R does not come with BT).

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What is not so easily found is the DYNAUDIO ‘Excite’ 300W, 8-speaker premium sound system which packs quite a punch. I feel the system is more oriented towards sound pressure level instead of sound quality and the best sounding music played through here are pop and mainstream music. Audiophile enthusiasts must find the system lacking in imaging and staging though.

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See that rotary button between the red ambient lighting? That controls this piece of equipment below:-

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The sunroof: Which doesn’t see much use considering the amount of rain we’ve been getting of late.

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As inconvenient as they can be, these motorsport bucket seats wrapped in leather are a beauty to behold … just as beautiful when they hold you as you travel down twisty roads at double the speed you usually do with your own car. Ladies with mini skirts may hate you though since the low seating position plus the protruding edge of the seats may present some “free show” to some lucky passerby as they board or alight from your car.

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Volkswagen wastes no space in reminding you that you’re sitting in a very special car.

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Big brother is looking at you! The reverse camera pops out from behind the VW badge when you slot into reverse gear. It’s a pity that its definition is somewhat poor; the only let down in the whole car.

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Who says a sports hot hatch can’t be practical? Without folding the seats, rear boot space offers 275litres … not much admittedly compared to sedans but once rear seats fold, you get a massive 1,230litres of space. You know, it might be a cozy enough habitat to live in instead of buying that house your parents keep bugging you about.

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Safety

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As fast as the Golf R is, the safety aspect remains paramount and the ultimate Golf is equipped with the following to safeguard hurting yourself after doing something you probably wouldn’t do in another car:-

 

• 3-point front seat belts with height adjustment and belt tensioners
• Anti-lock braking system ABS
• Curtain airbag system for front and rear passenger
• Driver and front passenger airbag with front passenger airbag deactivation, knee airbag on driver side
• EBD
• ESP
• Euro NCAP 5-star rating for adult occupant protection
• Hill-hold control
• Hydraulic brake assist HBA
• ISOFIX child seat anchorage system
• Seat belt reminder
• Three 3-point rear seat belts
• Traction control system (TCS)
• Warning triangle breakdown sign

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Specifications

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Those looking to purchase the Golf R can look forward to the following:-

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Interior

• Aluminium front scuff plates, with ‘R’ logo
• Auto dimming interior mirror
• ‘Climatronic’ air-conditioning system with 2-zone temperature control
• Cruise control
• DYNAUDIO ‘Excite’ 300W, 8-speaker premium sound system
• Hand brake lever handle in leather
• ‘Keyless Access’ keyless locking and starting system with remote control
• Motorsport bucket seats in ‘Vienna’ leather
• Multi-function leather-covered 3-spoke steering wheel in high gloss black finish with control for DSG
• Navigation system ‘RNS 510’ with TFT touch screen, 30GB hard disk, SD card reader, and DVD drive
• Park distance control PDC with ‘Rear Assist’ reverse camera
• ‘Silver Lane’ aluminum decorative inserts for dashboard and door trim panels
• Stainless steel sport pedals

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Exterior

• Bi-xenon headlights with headlight washer system
• Centrally mounted twin chrome exhaust tailpipes
• Darkened red tail lamps in LED technology
• Door mirrors in high gloss black with integrated turn signals
• Dynamic headlight-range adjustment, with dynamic bending light
• Electric tilt/slide glass sunroof
• Exterior mirrors, electrically foldable, with environment lighting and curb view
• Heat-insulating green tinted glass
• Motorsports inspired bumper with integrated LED daytime running lights
• ‘Talladega’ alloy wheels 8J x 19′, tires 235/35 R19

 

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Ownership and Maintenance

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The Golf R can be yours for a measly price of RM270,060 excluding insurance and comes with VW’s standard 5 years unlimited mileage warranty …. which is not an average Malaysian can afford to pay (heck, an average Malaysian will probably still find the cheapest Golf a tad too expensive). But consider that its other incarnation is the Audi S3 … you can be sure it won’t be selling anywhere below RM300k so in that sense, it’s a steal.

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On paper, VW claims the Golf R has a fuel consumption of 8.4litres per 100km for combined urban and extra urban cycle, which means if you’re like the rest of us and pump at 50litres when the warning light comes on, you should technically be able to travel 600km …. not very likely if you’re driving it like a bat out of hell …. which is the reason why you bought one in the first place. But honestly, if you wanted a car that offers frugal fuel consumption, you won’t be looking at the Golf R.

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For a balance of blistering performance and acceptable comfort, the Golf R gets my vote.

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Just you, the car and the open road …. picture perfect

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