Volkswagen Golf R

The mildest of makeovers make the revised Golf R more than ever the performance car that does it all

- Adam Towler

TEN BRAKE HORSEPOWER. Ten. Doesn’t sound a lot, does it? and, truth be told, I’m not sure I can tell the difference on the road – not without driving old and new Golf Rs back-to-back. but that 310hp headline power figure subtly but assuredly elevates the latest r above the recently revised seaT competition. It’s also now a hot hatch with a power output that begins with a ‘three’ – even in old money – which is very much à la mode.

There are no changes to the chassis setup with this ‘Mk7.5’ Golf R, but there is an all-new twin-clutch DSG gearbox, now featuring seven (not six) gears. other than that, it’s a case of the usual slight evolution of the styling front and rear, a new design of optional 19in wheel, and all the other modifications that have been implemented across the Mk7.5 models as a whole: a suite of driver assistance systems, a glossy new optional touchscreen infotainment system and a ‘virtual dial’ pack (Vw’s answer to audi’s Virtual Cockpit).