At the 2009 IAA, however, Volkswagen is demonstrating - with the debut of Volkswagen Golf R - that fuel consumption values can even be corrected downward in the high-end sports car area. And indeed without even a hint of a compromise in dynamic performance. On the contrary. Traditionally each new R version of this model series bears the title "strongest Golf of all times." With a power of 199 kW / 270 PS (at 6,000 rpm), the new Volkswagen Golf R is continuing in this dynamic tradition; the previous model transferred 184 kW / 250 PS to its all-wheel drive system. The highlight here: While the now retired Volkswagen Golf R32 processed 10.7 litres of fuel through its fuel injection system every 100 kilometres, on the new Volkswagen Golf R the figure is just 8.5 litres - 2.2 litres or 21 percent less! CO2 emissions were reduced from 255 to 199 g/km. Like all R models, this one was also conceptualised by Volkswagen Individual.

In parallel, its performance data advanced as well. The new Volkswagen Golf R sprints from 0 to 100 km/h - also via all-wheel drive - in 5.7 seconds. On the previous model, the stopwatch stopped at 6.5 seconds. The new model puts the 1,000-meter mark behind it in 25.4 seconds, while the already masterful Golf R32 shot past this mark in 26.7 seconds. The Volkswagen Golf R does this even better with the optional DSG gearbox, sprinting to 100 km/h in a sensational 5.5 seconds and requiring just 8.4 litres petrol per 100 kilometres (equivalent to 195 g/km CO2) at the fuel pump.


The enormous efficiency gain of the new Golf R is not based on some magical trick, rather it is the result of highly advanced downsizing. Its legendary predecessor generated its power from a displacement of 3.2 litres ("32") and six cylinders. In the new model, this is done with four cylinders and 2.0 litres of displacement - a highly advanced direct injection petrol engine with turbocharging (TSI). At the fuel pump and on the winding mountain road, this high-tech alliance is superior to a classic six cylinder unit with multi-point injection. Proving that even the sound of a four cylinder can leave a strong impression are the fifth and sixth generations of the VW Golf GTI, which is also powered by a four cylinder TSI. And the Volkswagen Golf R exhibits an even greater "sound range."

The TSI's torque characteristic is just as impressive. By comparison: The six cylinder of the previous model developed a maximum torque of 320 Newton-meters at 2,500 rpm. And that was already remarkably good. The turbo four-cylinder direct injection engine of the new Volkswagen Golf R, on the other hand, transfers 350 Newton-meters torque to the crankshaft, which is also available starting at 2,500 rpm, but it can maintain this peak value up to 5,000 rpm. So the new car delivers a fascinatingly high level of basic dynamic performance. The Volkswagen Golf R32 and Golf R are really only equal in one discipline; they both have a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited on the Volkswagen Golf R).

TSI of the Volkswagen Golf R

The EA113 series direct-injection petrol engine is used in the new Volkswagen Golf R; its turbocharger makes it very flexible and variable right up into the highest performance ranges. The 1,984 cm3 TSI's specific power is a respectable 100.3 kW / 136.6 PS per litre displacement, and its response is just as impressive. The engine's power can be spontaneously summoned in the blink of an eye throughout its speed range. The engine also impressively underscores its potential acoustically. Visually too: Its two chrome tailpipes can be seen at the centre of the bumper under the diffuser integrated there - an "R trait" that the previous model also displayed.

The in-line four-cylinder engine develops its tremendous propulsive power via a turbocharger (up to 1.2 bar boost pressure) with intercooling. The engine, with a weight of just 152 kilograms, is controlled by a fully electronic engine management system with E-Gas. The cylinders of the four-cylinder engine have been equipped with reinforcing bolts, unlike less powerful TSI versions. Also designed to be stronger are the connecting rods, so that they can reliably transfer the engine's high torque to the crankshaft. Last but not least the cylinder block was also reinforced to handle the aggressive engine forces.

New all-wheel drive on the Volkswagen Golf R

As standard equipment, the Volkswagen Golf R transfers the TSI's power to the road via the latest generation of Volkswagen's 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Compared to the version implemented in the Golf R32, the system underwent significant advanced development. Above all, power transmission between the front and rear axles - especially the all-wheel differential that operates in an oil bath - exhibits clear advances compared to the previous generation. The most important one: Activation of the all-wheel differential no longer requires a difference in speeds between the front and rear axles.

That is because, different than on the previous generation, for the first time an electric pump is used to build pressure. The electric pump supplies oil to a hydraulic reservoir whose working pressure is 30 bar. A control module computes the ideal drive torque for the rear axle and controls, via a valve, how much oil pressure is applied to the working pistons of the multi-plate clutch. The contact pressure at the clutch plates rises in proportion to the desired torque at the rear axle. The amount of torque that is transferred can be varied continuously with the magnitude of the pressure applied to the clutch plates. Compared to the previous 4Motion generation, the system operates independent of slip, since the system's working pressure is always available. When starting up and accelerating, this prevents spinning of the wheels at the front axle more effectively, since the control module regulates the torque distribution based on dynamic axle loads. In extreme cases, nearly 100 percent of the drive torque can be directed to the rear axle. This results in further gains in active safety and dynamic performance.

Sport chassis and brakes on the VW Golf R

When it came to the chassis, development engineers were able to adopt the first-class system in the current production Golf. This means: In front the familiar McPherson strut suspension with helical springs and telescoping shock absorbers; and at the rear a multi-link suspension ensures that the standard ESP seldom needs to intervene. Nonetheless, the basic layout was transformed into a sport chassis with ride-height lowered 25 millimetres, and the springs, dampers and stabilisers were completely retuned to match.

The brake system was also modified for the higher level of driving performance on the Volkswagen Golf R. In place of a 16-inch system, a 17-inch brake system is used with internally ventilated discs all around and R-specific brake calipers painted a high-gloss black with R logo. In front the discs are 345 millimetres in diameter, and 310 millimetres at the rear. The electronic stabilisation program (ESP) was also modified. It can be switched to a new Sport mode via the ESP button. During very fast and curve-filled drives - as on a motorsport race course - the ESP system delays intervention, enabling even more responsive handling properties. The electro-mechanical power-assist steering of the Golf R was also given a sportier characteristic. If the sports car is ordered with the optional DCC dynamic chassis control option, the power-assist steering even assumes a specially tuned characteristic for each of the system's driving modes (Sport, Normal, Comfort).

The chassis maintains contact with the road through its standard newly designed 18-inch alloy wheels ("Talladega" type) with 225/40 tyres. As an option, the same wheels are available in a 19-inch version with 235/35 tyres.

Exterior features of the VW Golf R

Like the first two generations of the Super Golf (I starting in 2002, II in 2005) and the new sister model, the Volkswagen Scirocco R, the new Golf R too sports a completely modified set of exterior and interior features. Volkswagen designers, led by Klaus Bischoff, have given the Volkswagen Golf R an independent image with a bundle of well-coordinated refinements. The Volkswagen Golf R unmistakably marks the peak of the model series, and the quality of its styling follows the basic postulate of "La Semplicità" set forth by the Head of Group Design, Walter de Silva.

Outside, the customisation includes new wheels and brakes as well as new bumper designs. In front, three very large air intakes characterise the VW Golf R in the bumper area; the louvres on the intakes are painted in high-gloss black, and standard LED strips that serves as daytime running lights are integrated in the two outer air intakes. Also painted in high-gloss black are the two louvres of the radiator grille. Placed on the right side of the grille is the newly designed R logo in chrome. Bi-Xenon headlights, included without surcharge, illuminate the way through the night. On its sides, the Volkswagen Golf R is identified by its Talladega wheels, side skirt extensions in car colour and mirror housings painted in high-gloss black.

It is also possible to recognise the Volkswagen Golf R as an independent top model at the rear. Along with the bumper with diffuser and tailpipes, R logo and larger roof edge spoiler, the newly developed taillights stand out. They operate with standard, distinctive LED technology. The taillight covers are also smoked.

Interior features of the VW Golf R

The sixth generation Volkswagen Golf, with its high-end interior materials, breaks through boundaries to the next higher class. The Golf R also benefits from this quality image; it is in a league of its own based on its power reserves. Additional special upgrades developed by Volkswagen Individual underscore the car's high-class positioning.

A key equipment option here is the newly designed "Top Sport seat system" with its excellent ergonomic properties. The driver just sits down, adjusts the seat longitudinally and in height, adjusts the steering wheel, buckles up, and is ready to go. The seat fits as though tailor-made. Together with the similarly customised Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf GTD, the Golf R sets standards here among the international competition. The centre panels of the sport seats are upholstered in the honeycomb textured grey-black "Kyalami" design - named after the race course by the same name in South Africa. The front edge of the seat is upholstered in Titan Black fabric, while the inside panels of the side supports are upholstered with crystal-grey "San Remo" micro-fibres. The rest of the seat components and the roofliner are coloured black. The new R logo is embroidered in the front head restraints as well. Motorsport shell seats for driver and front passenger are also available as an option. In this case, the centre seat panels are upholstered in the "San Remo" micro-fibre fabric. On the outside, the shell seats are covered with black leather.

All seams of the interior are in "Art Grey"; this is also true of the decorative seams on the three-spoke leather steering wheel. Perforated leather is used at the top and bottom of the steering wheel, ensuring maximum hand grip. The sides of the steering wheel featuring ergonomic motorsport attributes are covered by continuous leather. Spokes in fine black piano paint add an elegant aspect to complete the sporty image. The centre steering wheel spoke bears the new R logo. The fascinating material contrast of piano paint and chrome conveys an image of the passion for finesse and precision in every detail.

Other new design features include the R gearshift knob, carpet floor mats, aluminium door tread plates with R logo and the instruments with their blue pointers. Stainless steel sport pedals and R-specific instrument and door accents in "Silver Lane" style complete the customisation. Another standard feature on the Volkswagen Golf R is an automatic climate control system ("Climatronic"), "RCD 310" radio-CD system (4 x 20 Watt) including MP3 player plus dual tuners. The Volkswagen Golf R can be ordered in Germany starting at the end of 2009.

Golf R hot hatch – first displayed at last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show – will be sold in the United States. Filling the void left by the departure of the R32, the Golf R will be known as the GTI-R in the U.S.

Like the show car, the U.S. version of the Golf GTI-R will be powered by a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder. Despite being down two-cylinders from the previous R32, the GTI-R will generate 265 horsepower, making it the most-powerful production Golf to date. Power will be sent to all four wheels.

GTI-R buyers will have the option of a conventional manual transmission or VW’s popular DSG semi-automatic unit. Swapping your own cogs will result in a 0-60 run of 5.7 seconds while the DSG gearbox drops that figure to just 5.5 seconds. Top speed will be electronically limited to 155mph. Fuel economy is still rather good for that kind of performance, netting a 27.6 mpg average.

Look for the GTI-R to hit U.S. VW dealerships sometime next year with a slight premium over the standard GTI model.

Look for the GTI-R to hit U.S. VW dealerships sometime next year with a slight premium over the standard GTI model.

It’s over: Production of the first-generation VW Golf has ended after 35 years. The last units have rolled off the production line in Uitenhage, near Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in the past weeks, but the car will be available as long as supplies last—likely until early 2010, VW South Africa announced today.



A total of 517,000 of the so-called Citi Golfs were produced in South Africa, and its immense popularity has made it a common sight up to this day on the Cape. The same car was produced locally at VW’s former Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, plant as the (excessively Americanized) Rabbit.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Mk I Golf has saved Volkswagen. Launched in Germany in 1974, the first-generation Golf quickly replaced the Beetle as the number one selling car, and it defined the brand for many years to come. It was noted for its angular and timeless design, penned by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and only slightly softened by VW’s German styling department. The Golf’s styling and architecture inspired many other cars in the category it came to define, including the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon and the sharp-edged Lancia Delta, which is perhaps closest in styling to what Giugiaro originally had in mind.

The first-generation Golf was one of the lightest cars in its segment, and from 1976 on, it offered perhaps the first diesel that was not just economical but actually somewhat fun to drive. In 1979, a convertible was added, 1982 saw the launch of the GTD, a smooth and agile turbo-diesel. But the most significant derivative was the GTI, launched in 1976 and arguably the ultimate hot hatch. It turned the automotive hierarchy in Europe upside own, becoming the ultimate classless car. In Hamburg, Paris, or London, if you were cool and successful, you simply had to have a black GTI.

The Cabriolet and a pickup version called Caddy carried on for many years after the Mk I Golf was replaced by the bloated Mk II, but ultimately South Africa became the refuge of the accomplished all-rounder. While safety advocates kept wailing about the supposedly outdated Citi, customer demand remained strong. Up until the end, the production level remained at 20,000 to 25,000 units annually.

VW South Africa has kept updating the car carefully. Over the years, the front end was slightly tilted, the C-pillar gained a crease, and the taillights were modernized. Five years ago, a modern dashboard was added. In 2006, VW launched the limited-production R version of the Citi. Rated at 122 hp, it was the most powerful Golf I ever made. Just recently, a retro-styled GTS version was added; and the last 1000 units are called Citi Mk 1. They are equipped with partial leather seats, an aluminum golf-ball shifter, gunmetal gray aluminum wheels, GTI-style bodyside stickers, and a polished dual exhaust.

We’re sorry to see the Golf I go, making room for more modern, and certainly more boring, product.

Yes, the VW GTI is our Automobile of the Year. Again. The last-generation car got the nod only three years ago and now its successor, the sixth-generation GTI, walks away with the trophy as well. How is it that, for the first time since we started naming an Automobile of the Year exactly twenty years ago, we have deemed a single make and model vehicle worthy of our top award not once, but twice? It's very simple. Because the Volkswagen GTI continues to burn the affordable-enthusiast-car flame like no other vehicle in the world. Because the new, Mark 6 GTI, although only a mild update to the Mark 5 GTI, made a good thing even better. Because, as we pointed out in our February 2007 issue, the GTI is "the right car for our times. Hell, it's the right car for any time." And because, as we also stated three years ago, "what the world really needs now is not cars that are fast, but cars that are practical, fuel-efficient, and fast." Not to mention affordable and fun. The 2010 VW GTI is all this, and more.

We've said it before, but it's worth repeating: It's one thing for an automaker to create a car for fifty, or seventy-five, or a hundred thousand dollars or more that gets our pulses racing. Cars that cost that much certainly better be exciting to drive, rewarding to own, and well-built, with quality interiors. But it's another thing entirely, a real achievement, when an automaker creates a car that starts at only $24,239 - well within the reach of most new-car buyers - that is, as our West Coast editor, Jason Cammisa, says, "just as much fun to drive and with just as much street cred as cars costing three times as much." Volkswagen alone has managed to do this, with varying degrees of success, longer than any other automaker: the first GTI reached the U.S. in 1983 and single-handedly created the whole "pocket rocket" genre. Lots of other cars, most recently two successive generations of the Mazdaspeed 3, have attempted to replicate the GTI formula, but none have quite cracked the code.

Volkswagen GTI
Freshened for 2010, the GTI is the sporty version of the Volkswagen Golf (formerly called the Rabbit). This impressive package is exhilarating to drive and easy to live with. It delivers the agile handling, spirited acceleration, and responsive steering of a true sports car, along with a decent ride, a well-finished interior, and the cargo-carrying practicality of a hatchback. Good fuel economy of 27 mpg overall is another plus, although premium fuel is required. Price: $27,504.

Six new models made our Top Picks this year: the Chevrolet Silverado and Traverse, Mazda5, Nissan Altima, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen GTI. This marks the first time in six years that two domestic models earned spots or that a European car made the list.

Two of last year's picks, the Toyota Highlander and RAV4 SUVs, were passed over this year. At the time of publication, sales of certain versions had been halted. We have suspended our recommendation until a potentially unsafe part that could cause unintended acceleration is fixed.

Our Top Picks are the best all-around models in their categories, based on their performance, reliability, and safety. They are chosen from the more than 280 vehicles we've recently tested and must meet our criteria in three areas:

Road test
Each must rank at or near the top of its category in our overall test score, which is based on more than 50 tests and evaluations.

Reliability
Each must have an average or better predicted-reliability Rating, based on the problems CR subscribers reported in our latest Annual Auto Survey.

Safety
Top Picks must perform adequately in overall safety if tested by the government or the insurance industry. (For some models, we do not have enough crash-test data to assign an overall safety Rating.) In addition, electronic stability control, a proven lifesaving safety feature, must be readily available. All of our Top Picks provide standard ESC and curtain air bags.

Each model's report card shows its Rating in each area, if available. Prices are the suggested retail amount for our tested cars

Volkswagen fans gathered at the annual Wörthersee Show in Austria – sort of a brand pow-wow for VW enthusiasts – were treated to a uniquely modified concept version of the automaker’s GTI today: the GTI Excessive.

Boasting a lowered suspension and wider wheel arch extensions, the GTI Excessive also features a number of appearance-only items.

Firmer springs and a wider track help the new BBS 19-inch alloy wheels help make the GTI Excessive a sharper handling car, VW says, while upgraded front and rear brakes bring it things to a halt. The GTI’s 2.0-liter turbocharged powertrain was mostly unchanged with the exception of a free-flowing, light weight exhaust system that bumps horsepower and torque to 211 ponies and 211 lb-ft.

In addition to the 30 mm wheel arch extensions, the GTI Excessive receives a deep front splitter with revised air dams flanking the front grille. Side still extensions match the wheel arches and a new rear diffuser rounds out the package.

Inside, the GTI Excessive gains new bucket seats with integrated headrests, as well as aluminum and gloss black trim.

The GTI Excessive is the latest VW concept car to be unveiled at the annual Wörthersee gathering in Austria. Held since 1982, the event is one of the largest VW enthusiast gatherings in the world