Driving the Volkswagen Golf in most of its sports versions has always been effective but in many cases lacking in emotion. At least that's how it has been for many years now. In fact, neither the Golf R32 nor R has been much fun to drive fast. Therefore, I recognize that this VW Golf R 20th Anniversary has surprised me a lot.
It is true, I had not tested the Golf 8 R, and the references of some colleagues, while we chatted about cars on a plane, train, or waiting room, were very good. "Diego, you have to try it." Nothing better than talking to the brand and trying this tribute to the entire R32/R saga of the German compact, the Golf R 20 Aniversario. And it is that in 2022 it was two decades since the Box IV R32 was born, with that 3.2-liter 6-cylinder and its delicious atmospheric sound.
I have to say that I have always liked the VW Golf. A complete car in every way and fast in its sports versions, each in its own time. But it is true that this eighth generation has left me a bit cold in terms of exterior and interior design and adjustments. I liked the previous mkVII more visually, but I stop entertaining myself and focus.
This is the Volkswagen Golf R 20th Anniversary
This 20th Anniversary edition can be distinguished from a Golf R "just" at a glance, but we have to look at the details. Outside, the 19-inch Estoril wheels, the gigantic roof spoiler or the striking Akrapovic titanium exhausts stand out, with four clearly visible outlets. It also uses blue R logos and the inscription "20" hidden in the front door pillars.
For its part, in the passenger compartment, carbon inserts are used for the first time in the door trims and on the dashboard, accentuating that sportiness. There is no shortage of specific sports seats -but not radical- with air conditioning and electrical adjustments. They have an integrated headrest and embroidery with the letter R in blue, a color that is very present throughout the interior of the car.
In the same way, the perforated and sporty-looking steering wheel bears the letter R in the lower area, touch controls for the different operations, an R button that gives direct access to the sports driving modes -which we will talk about later- and some Quite bigger cams than usual. They are plastic, but that larger size is always good.
Technique: More power and an active rear differential that changes everything
The VW Golf R 20 Aniversario includes the R-Performance package as standard, which is optional on the regular R. This means that we extend the maximum speed to 270 km/h and two extra driving modes, which are Special and Drift. Also, the specific Torque Vectoring, allows you to manage the distribution of the rear axle engine torque in such a way that it improves exit from curves, rounding out the trajectory and making it more effective, as well as increasing fun.
If we talk about the engine, under the hood we have the 2.0 TSI so well-known within the Volkswagen Group. But in this case, it does not develop 320 CVs, but 333. Yes, we have 13 CVs more than in the normal Golf R. The engine torque stands at 420 Nm. Of course, it has a 7-speed DSG transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive, the hallmark of the Volkswagen R.
In terms of performance, it can do 0 to 100 in 4.6 seconds (one-tenth less than in the "normal" R) and, as we have already said, the maximum speed limit is extended to 270 km/h in instead of staying at 250. In case you're wondering; no, we have not been able to verify it...
By the way, it has a particular boot mode. If instead of first pressing the brake and then the start button we do it in reverse -press the button for a couple of seconds and then press the brake- the Emotion Start function is activated. The engine goes up to 2,500 turns at startup and leaves a few backfiring so that your neighbors hate you every morning when you wake up the 2.0 liter.
The funniest Golf in history? Probably yes
I admit that throughout this week of testing and the hundreds of kilometers traveled with the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Aniversario, I have barely activated the audio equipment. Basically, because I have been hooked on the Special driving mode and the exhaust sound, playing on numerous occasions to “make popcorn” by hollowing out the accelerator around 3,000 rpm.
I dare say this eighth-generation Golf R is the first that's really fun to drive. The backfiring of the exhaust is no longer a mere curiosity to get our attention. This car finally makes us enjoy and get involved in going fast, counteracting the usual understeering tendencies of four-wheel drive sports cars.
And it is that you can feel that the rear rounds the exit of the curves by applying enough pressure on the accelerator. In fact, even being a bit rough, it asks you to make a slight correction with the steering wheel, putting that mischievous smile on your face. All this is due to the effective rear differential with Torque Vectoring. Since I tried the Audi RS 3 a year ago, I had not felt that effectiveness and fun in equal parts in a sports car with all-wheel drive, and it is precisely that electronic management of the rear torque distribution that has generated it.
The driving modes, as if we were changing cars
Since I have mentioned the topic of driving modes on a couple of occasions, we are going to review it. When we start we already have the Sport, quite a declaration of intent. If we are going to travel, it is better to go to Comfort, where everything is smoothed out. Then we have the Race, which makes everything more direct, stiff, and effective if the asphalt is perfect. Within the Race, the Drift and Special modes also appear.
Drift mode has been designed to send almost all of the drive torque from the rear axle to the rear wheel on the outside of the turn, making drifting much easier. The stability control is deactivated and, in case it was not clear, on the screen it warns us that we should only use it in environments close to traffic and if we have enough hands to do it safely.
The one I like the most is the Special. The brand has configured this mode to be as effective as possible at the NürburgringNordscheleife, where it rolled in at 7:47.31. This setup is extreme in terms of engine response, shifting speed, traction management, and steering hardness, but the shocks aren't as stiff as they can be, just a bit softer. This guarantees the greatest contact of the wheels with the asphalt on a circuit as bumpy and with as many slopes as the German one.
Therefore, for me, it is the ideal driving mode if we want to go fast on twisty roads since it reduces rebound and possible loss of grip when the asphalt is not a carpet. Of course, you always have to keep in mind that the open road is not a circuit. Let's use our brains and don't let ourselves be clouded...
There is also an Individual mode that allows us to configure the different parameters to our liking, highlighting that the hardness of the shock absorbers can be regulated in no less than 15 levels.
Now yes, behind the wheel
By now I think you can get an idea of how much fun I've had with the Golf R 20th Anniversary. In sports modes, the feedback from everything is immediate and direct. I mean the engine, DSG, steering, and suspension. With just caressing the accelerator it already wants to shoot, it changes support very quickly, the steering is always very direct -and it also has the ideal weight- and the gearbox responds immediately.
In fact, a very notable detail of the change is that in sequential mode it does not automatically jump to the next ratio if we reach the rev cut. It stays there, at the rev limit and only if we hit the right blade will it move on to the next one. It is something important when it comes to a car of this type because we have greater control of the regime at all times.
At a fast pace it devours the straights with an interesting sound and leaving us glued to the seat. The braking capacity is very high, although it is true that this test unit has already been very demanding since it left the production line. As we have all-wheel drive, it is important to dial in the braking well and reach the apex of the curve with homework well done, letting the enormous drive do the rest once we sink the right pedal.
As I said before, it doesn't pitch too much either and it catapults out of the curve, but it does give that little spark of joy thanks to the selective torque distribution, which allows a very slight slip at the rear that helps improve the car's dynamics. It reminded me a lot of the latest Audi RS 3, which has a very similar rear differential, although the Golf is more established.
Consumption: How much does a 333 hp compact sports car spend with all-wheel drive?
In the consumption section, as you can already imagine, it is not as effective as a 150 CV TDI. Be careful, that at legal speeds on the highway, it is not that it shoots up too much, being able to be below 8 liters. But of course, with this character, the Special mode at hand, and the sound emanating from the four Akrapovic outputs, it's hard to resist...
Our average after a week of tests, constantly "playing" with it, has been 10.5 l/100 km. Honestly, it does not seem like an exaggerated figure considering the circumstances. At a happy pace on twisty roads, looking for fun, it is not difficult to see it in the environment of 13, 14, or 15 liters. There it will depend on the rhythm and what we demand of that 2.0 TSI of 333 CV.
Volkswagen Golf R Price
And we finish with the difficult part of every aspirational car today, the price. The Volkswagen Golf R “just dry” starts at 59,200 euros according to the brand configurator. Meanwhile, this special commemorative edition for the 20th anniversary of the R saga goes to 71,600 euros. It is true that the jump is important, but also that the endowment of added equipment is very remarkable.
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