2024 Volkswagen Golf R revealed – carsales.com.au

The official 0-100km/h acceleration claim now falls from (a conservative) 4.8 to just 4.6 seconds, and the flagship all-wheel drive Golf’s top speed can be stretched to 270km/h with an optional Performance pack.

But the Volkswagen Golf R 8.5 brings more than just extra performance. There’s also latest-generation interior tech as part of the full software overhaul seen on the lesser Mk8.5 Golf variants, plus longer-range LED headlights and LED tail-lights.

So the big question is pricing, which along with Australian specifications won’t be revealed until closer to the new Golf R’s local release alongside the rest of the Mk8.5 Golf range in the first quarter of next year.

In the meantime, Australian sales of the existing Golf R are expected to soar to about 1100 this year – up from just 151 in 2022 and 346 in 2023 – after Volkswagen Australia was forced to pause orders early last year due to component shortages, which led to delivery wait times of 12 months.

The Mk8 Golf R was launched at $69,990 plus on-road costs in 2022 ($10,000 more than the Mk7.5 it replaced) and is now listed at $70,590 plus ORCs.

However, Volkswagen says it will reduce prices in Germany, where pre-sales of the facelifted Golf R – including the Golf R Black Edition launch special – start this month.

Volkswagen claims the Golf R’s EA888 LK3 evo4 engine reaches its torque peak over 2100-5500rpm and its power peak over 5600-6500rpm, giving it a very flat, solid performance envelope.

But while outputs are up by 10kW/20Nm and the former comes at an unchanged rpm, the 420Nm torque peak arrives 100rpm later than before and tapers off 100rpm earlier.

The performance gains are largely due to software tweaks, given there are no hardware upgrades, but the Golf R’s enhanced 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder remains an innovative engine, with direct fuel-injection, water-cooled exhaust-gas routing to the turbocharger and variable valve timing and exhaust valve lift.

Drive continues to be sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and Volkswagen’s 4MOTION AWD system, which adds torque vectoring to help with lateral power distribution and, therefore, cornering.

The torque-vectoring system is strong enough to direct all the engine’s torque to just one rear wheel, when needed to eliminate understeer mid-corner, though it’s typically a 50:50 front-to-rear split.

Externally, the biggest change to the 2024 Volkswagen Golf R hatch and wagon twins is the technology in the headlights.

Redesigned LED lights are standard and there is a matrix LED option that Volkswagen claims stretches out the Golf R’s high-beam range by 15 per cent.

A change to European advertising rules (yes, seriously) means Volkswagen can illuminate its logo on the grille for the first time, and there are now air curtains built into the front bumper to direct airflow around the front tyres.

While the standard Golf R runs 18-inch Jerez alloys with the option of 19-inch Warmenau rims, the Golf R Black Edition uses forged 19-inch alloy Estoril wheels to save 20 per cent in unsprung mass. The stock 18-inch rims wear 225/40 tyres, while the larger rims use 235/35 rubber.

LED technology also lies at the core of the new tail-light clusters, which sit above four-link independent rear suspension and the whole car rides 20mm lower than the standard Golf.

There is a new infotainment system for the 2024 Volkswagen Golf R, comprising a larger, free-standing 12.9-inch touch-screen that brings a fresh menu structure.

The adaptive cruise control can now be nudged up or down in either 10km/h or 1km/h increments, depending on which steering wheel button the driver uses.

There’s also a new voice assistant to control normal functions like the climate control, telephone or navigation systems, and it uses ChatGPT to help do it.

There are integrated head restraints in the front sports seats, 30 colours for the ambient lighting system and, for the first time, a 1900kg towing capacity for the Golf R’s new optional tow ball.

It’s official. The new Volkswagen Golf R not only gets a Drift mode that sends all drive to the rear axle, but an optional Special setting that was also conceived for track use.

The Special model was engineered for the Nurburgring Nordschleife and is accompanied by a larger roof spoiler, a GPS lap timer and a G meter, but the biggest difference is that it whips the powertrain into a go-fast frenzy while softening the suspension to better handle bumpy roads.

Also optional as part of the Performance package is a Race profile accessed by a blue R button on the steering wheel, which keeps the turbocharger spooled up at all times – even under light throttle loads – to make throttle response even faster.

The skid-control system can also be toggled through to a slightly slipperier Sport mode and deactivated altogether via the menu. However, the Front Assist autonomous emergency braking and ‘serve support’ systems remain active in emergencies.

There are also Comfort, Sport and Individual modes, along with an Eco driving profile.

And the 2024 Volkswagen Golf R also has a mode to increase engine speed when it’s started, lifting the idle to 2500rpm simply to make more noise out of the Akrapovic exhaust.