Dynamic new VW Golf R is not taking any prisoners

If ever there has been an eagerly anticipated Golf R, it has been the eighth generation and I was one of the privileged few that got my hands on pre-launch units to road test before they arrive here early next year.

As you should know by now, the eighth edition Golf R runs the tried and tested 2.0-litre four-cylinder EA888 engine that produces 235kW/400Nm in this latest iteration that means it’s the most powerful Golf R to date.

Running the well-known seven-speed DSG box down to a new 4Motion system with R Performance Torque Vectoring that allows the power to not only move from the front to the rear wheels when needed, but also from right to left at the rear.

This combo results in a Golf R that is way more dynamic than before and lots of fun when the road twists and turns.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Call the VW Tiguan R a ‘mommy wagon’ at your own peril

By the numbers

But the straight-line guys who buy these cars to go clean everybody up at the dragstrip, will be more interested in how quick the Golf 8 R is.

And The CItizen Motoring can tell you that the Golf R hit its claimed time of 4.8 seconds to 100 km/h, while running a 13-second quarter mile, and getting through the 1km mark at 223 km/h. So, the Golf 8 R is also the fastest iteration.

We don’t have pricing yet, but I can tell you that if you opt for a basic model, then you will have a very fast hatch that is all business suit like but devoid of some emotion. Which is okay for some.

But should you want to make more of a high-performance statement, then opt for the model that comes with the Akrapovič exhaust and Black Performance Package that adds drift mode, an increased top speed of 270 km/h, and black 19-inch Estoril alloy wheels.

It is way more fun, and what a Golf R should be in my opinion.

ALSO READ: Golf GTI or Hyundai i30 N? It’s a head over heart decision

Golf R test data