Following the announcement of the Golf R, VW has released more details about the exciting new model and made it available to the press for the first time.
While there was previously some speculation that the model might be called R20, in connection with its bigger R32 sibling, it appears this name has been dropped. Although, there’s still an outside chance it could be used if (or when) the car arrives in the US.
The Golf R’s highlights include all-wheel drive, Bi-Xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights. Shifted manually or by optional DSG with a 265hp, it is the most powerful Golf ever built. At the same time, it is the most fuel-efficient Golf R of all times – 21% more fuel efficient than the previous VR6-engined model.
The Golf R sprints from 0-62mph in just 5.7 seconds with the manual transmission, or 5.5 seconds with the DSG. While the retired Golf R32 used 22mpg, the new Golf R only needs 27.7mpg. Accordingly, CO2 emissions are reduced from 255 to 199 g/km.
The TSI’s torque characteristic is just as impressive. By comparison, The six cylinder R32 developed a maximum of 236 lb-ft of torque at 2500rpm. The turbo four-cylinder direct injection engine in the new Golf R, on the other hand, transfers 260 lb-ft to the crankshaft, also available from 2500rpm, but it can maintain this peak value up to 5000rpm.
The Golf R uses the 1984cc EA113 direct-injection gasoline engine. The TSI’s specific power is 136hp per liter displacement thanks to its turbocharger (running up to 1.2-bar boost pressure) with intercooling.
The engine weighs just 152kg and the cylinders have been equipped with reinforcing bolts over less powerful TSI versions. Design engineers also designed stronger connecting rods that can reliably transfer the torque to the crankshaft. Last but not least, the cylinder block was reinforced to handle the forces.
The Golf R transfers power to the road via the latest generation Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system. It underwent significant development since the R32, including an oil bath for the center differential. Furthermore, activation of the all-wheel differential no longer requires a difference between front and rear axle speeds because an electric pump now builds 30-bar of hydraulic oil pressurel to a reservoir. A control module computes the ideal drive torque for the rear axle, and controls how much oil pressure is applied to the working pistons of the multi-plate clutch via a valve. 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 by the amount of pressure applied to the clutch plates. Unlike the previous 4Motion, this system operates independent of slip, since the system’s working pressure is always available. So when accelerating from start up, spinning front wheels is prevented more effectively, since the control module regulates torque distribution based on dynamic axle loads. In extreme cases, nearly 100% of the drive torque can be directed to the rear axle for safety and performance.