The all-new Volkswagen Golf R has been spied testing in Germany in its hero colour, Lapiz Blue.
Expected to be officially revealed later this year, Australian plans for the new Golf R haven’t yet been confirmed.
The current, soon-to-be-retired Golf R packs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 213kW of power and 380Nm of torque, but it’s been suggested the new model could up those outputs to almost 250kW and 400Nm.
Whether a more powerful Golf R would come to Australia isn’t clear. The Mk8 Golf GTI will be offered with a carryover engine from the Mk7.5 model when it arrives alongside the new Golf range early in 2021.
The front end of the Golf R spied includes a faux grille cover designed to conceal the final design, which is expected to follow the lead of the Golf GTI with a large opening to attract as much cool air as possible.
More exciting is evidence of a meatier set of brakes. The test car was photographed wearing a set of cross-drilled rotors that almost filled the entire 18-inch alloy wheels.
This brake setup could signal the inclusion of a track package or similar designed to give owners a bit more breathing room at the track. Alternatively, the next Golf R will pack some serious stopping power as standard.
That’s especially useful when the power output is expected to climb to 250kW, up from the current 213kW.
Power is expected to come from a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine sending torque to all four wheels.
Rumours of a Golf R Plus model are also doing the rounds. With up to 298kW of power (400hp) from its 2.0-litre engine, the R Plus would be a natural rival for the Audi RS3 and Mercedes-AMG A45 S.
Inside the cabin, the sports seats clearly show taped-over ‘R’ badges – a little more discreet than the black sticker on the tyre that actual has ‘Golf R’ written on it.
Otherwise thew cabin follows the script laid down by the wider Golf range, with a dual screen infotainment setup, touch-based controls, and a tiny gear selector.
The all-new Volkswagen Golf GTI has already been revealed. Check out the pictures below for an idea of roughly what the front-end of the R will look like once the faux bits are removed.
