In spite of it being positioned at the very top of Volkswagen Golf hierarchy, the all-wheel drive R has routinely played second fiddle to its more popular front-drive counterpart. And after roughly 4 years since the first Performance Pack was introduced for the GTI, the rightful top dog can now share in some of the fun.
It doesn’t get to ride all the rides, though, as the new Performance Pack shoehorns less into the R than in the GTI. But given its higher baseline capability, Volkswagen is counting on the smaller improvements to make it a more precise, analogue experience behind the wheel, most evident on the track.
The curious imbalance that divided the Golf GTI and Golf R came to be mostly due to the former’s apparent favour among enthusiasts as well as - and consequently - Volkswagen themselves. The front-driven hot hatch, descendent from the 1975 original, was given more frequent updates, spec revisions, and has so far culminated in GTI 40 Years (called the GTI Clubsport in most markets), itself based on the Golf GTI Performance Pack.
That Performance Pack lifted engine output and flanked it with better suspension components, brakes, onboard tech, and a limited slip differential, leading to a car that was more convincing while being driven hard as well as being a more rounded machine at slower speeds.
On the R, meanwhile, power from the turbocharged 2.0-litre EA888 petrol four-pot is unchanged at 213kW. However, the Performance Pack (available for the three-door, five-door, and Estate body styles) does add beefier brakes that also are also lighter, reducing some 2kg of unsprung mass while its silver callipers add visual drama.
It also gains semi-slick tyres that will most definitely yield a difference on a circuit over the standard Pirelli P Zeros. They are optional, though, and Volkswagen has yet to attach a brand or further specifications to the new rubber, ostensibly fitted around the same 19-inch Cadiz alloys at 35 profile or a set of 19-inch Spielbergs.
Elsewhere, the standard exhaust system has been swapped out for some special titanium ventilators built by specialists Akrapovič, improving throttle response and reducing weight by 7kg while also giving the R some throatier vocals.
While the tune of the engine hasn’t changed, the improved airflow and stickier tyres hasn’t yielded any difference to acceleration figures either. The DSG dual-clutch transmission will get the mighty AWD hatch to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds while the manual should take 5.1 seconds.
Australia is due to welcome the newly announced Golf R with Performance Pack alongside a fresher Golf GTI Performance in mid August.
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