Initially planned for unveiling at the now cancelled Goodwood Festival of Speed that was set to take place last month, the highly awaited eighth generation Volkswagen Golf R has finally showed-up undisguised in a series of social media spy images.
Already seen by a number of online publications undergoing testing at the Nürburgring with moderate to little camouflage, the Wilcoblok Instagram page has now showcased the newcomer in a sinister black paint finish standing in what appears to be a holding area within the confines of a factory.
Like the new GTI, the R’s changes from the conventional Golf are small but in this case, easy to spot in the shape of the blue R branded brake calipers, silver mirror caps, unique alloy wheels, chrome strip at the base of the doors and a thin grille housing a just visible R badge.
A second image posted by the page, this time of the rear facia of a white R, sees it being the recipient of quad exhaust outlets integrated into the rear diffuser, as well as a neat roof spoiler. A single image of the interior meanwhile reveals a leather wrapped steering wheel, the new 12.3-inch Active Info Display digital instrument cluster and a pair of large paddle shifters for the seven-sped DSG transmission.
Although speculation has mounted over recent months about the R’s engine with electrical assistance taking centre stage, since ruled out, it is expected that the GTI’s 2.0-litre turbocharged engine will be used and powered-up to 245 kW with drive, once again, set to go to all four wheels via the mentioned DSG. A manual ‘box, while fitted to the GTI in some markets, is unlikely to feature on the R.
The likely retention of the four-cylinder comes after it was revealed in March that Audi had blocked its parent company from the using the 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder engine used in the RS3, RS Q3 and TT RS due to possible overlapping and sales cannibalisation fears.
While reports have also stated that a hybrid R, dubbed R Plus, could well be in the works with a projected output of 300 kW instead of the initial 257 kW, nothing has so far been said. Don’t be surprised however if more details or images are uncovered over the coming weeks and months.
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