VW makes fastest-ever Golf

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

If Volkswagen's Golf GTI is just too slow, the new four-wheel drive R32 version could be your answer.

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If Volkswagen's Golf GTI is just too slow, the new four-wheel-drive R32 version could be your answer.

VW's fastest-ever Golf ever uses a 247bhp version of the 3.2-litre V6 from the previous-generation car, and will cost from around £23,000 when it goes on sale at the end of the year.

The new R32 is 10bhp more powerful than its predecessor. With its standard six-speed manual gearbox it beats the old model in the sprint to 62mph by just 0.1sec at 6.5sec. Top speed also rises by 2mph to 155mph.

However, opt for the impressive automatic Direct Shift Gearbox, likely to cost around another £1300, and the hot hatch's 0-62mph sprint time drops to 6.2sec.

That is enough to beat the Golf GTI by a full second – and makes it as quick as the £18,995 237bhp front-wheel-drive Vauxhall Astra VXR.

However, BMW's recently announced £24,745 265bhp 130i will be the fastest hot hatch of all when it goes on sale in September. The real-wheel-drive hatchback powers to 62mph in just 6.1sec.

As well as scorching performance, the R32's likely price tag of around £23,000 will buy you a leather-upholstered cabin with sports seats and climate control. An aluminium grille, three large air intakes, side skirts and a remodelled rear bumper with twin exhausts set it apart from the GTI.

Other hot hatches on the way include the 218bhp Ford Focus ST, which arrives at the end of this year, and the Mazda 3 MPS. The latter uses the same 2.3-litre engine found in the Mazda 6 MPS, and is likely to muster around 250bhp.