Volkswagen Golf R 3 Door Confirmed

By Alborz Fallah | April 04th, 2010

After numerous photos of the Volkswagen Golf R 3 Door surfaced across Australia, Volkswagen has now come out and confirmed the model for the Australian market.

Speaking to fans through its FaceBook page, Volkswagen Australia said:

“As a direct result of overwhelming customer interest and dealer enquiry, we are pleased to announce the local avaiability of the 3 door body style for the coming new Golf R. The 3 door model will compliment the 5 door model.”

The Volkswagen Golf R is powered by 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with power put to the ground using a fourth-generation Haldex all-wheel drive system. The three and five door versions of the Golf R will be available in either a six-speed manual or six-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox.

European specifications put performance figures at 199kW/350Nm and 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds for the manual. However as reported previously Australian delivered models will be slightly detuned to produce 188kW at 6000rpm.

As was the case with the Volkswagen Golf R32 which the Golf R replaces, the top of the range Golf comes with 345mm front and 310mm rear performance brakes (with black calipers) applying pressure to 18-inch alloys sport tyres (we suspect Pirelli).

A set of 19″ wheels, sporting 235/35R19 rubber will be optionally available.

It will gain sports body kit and hence sit 25mm lower than the standard Golf and come with Xenon headlights as well as LED tail lights and daylight running lights.

Although Australian specifications and pricing is yet to be officially announced, we suspect it will be similar in pricing to the R32. Coming it at around $57,000 for the 3-door and $59,000 for the 5-door.

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vti07

Bring the Scirocco to Australia as well…

PN

In AWD not FWD
robbo

OMG is there a spot on the net that DOESN’T have some idiot mentioning the Scirocco in a Golf article? C’mon, we get it already.

TUZ

60k for a hot hatch?
as much as i like golfs id rather buy a ssv commodore for that money

daan

Couldnt agree more….way more car and bang for your buck

908

agreed, way more car, much bigger, heavier, it may as well be american. oh hang on…..

Damian

“60k for a hot hatch?
as much as i like golfs id rather buy a ssv commodore for that money”

And experience bad build and materials quality at its finest, bad dealership service, bad fuel consumption, and bad resale value. I’d take a Golf GTI over a Commodore SSV.

KM

LOL

SSV Commodore???

U gota be joking right to comapre these two vehicles??

Shak

Whats wrong with him wanting something different. Not everyone likes a no fun German. Some people like a V8, and not a 2.litre box of milk with a hairdryer on the end. Im not saying the R20, isnt good, its damned good, but some people prefer room, power in bucketloads, some reasonable kit.

nick

So a 2L box of milk with a hairdryer on the end is a good car according to you. Strange compliment…

Oh and when you look at it properly the only thing the SSV beats the Golf on is room. Even though it has an extra 70kw the Golf has a relatively similar 0-100 time to the SS. And it isn’t really that short on kit either in comparison to an SSV.

Shak

But by having more kit the Commodore does beat it in that area. And yes i do believe that the hairdryer car is good, but id much rather something with a big V8 anyday

noj

Put them through some tight twisty stuff and the Golf wins. Go for a run on any road in the wet or for that matter dry and the Golf wins. Compare the quality of materials and attention to detail and the Golf wins, Do I need go on? There is alot of people that want more than seating 5 adults comfortably, I mean at the end of the day the Commodore is just a Taxi with a big donk. I mean who can`t slap a 6.2 litre in a car and get a quick 0-100kmh time, that is easy you would expect it, wouldn`t you?
Shak

And isnt a R20 just a german corolla with a big turbo strapped onto it.
noj

The thing is with with German stuff is the point at which they start at is so much higher, so when you add the goodies they are a class above anything Australian. The problem with the Australians is if you start with a poor quality car and add leather its still a poor quality car. I can jump in a Taxi and it has the same level of refinement and feel of the upper spec model Commodores and Falcons, by the way that would be none. Its like being caught in a time warp, when you look out windows of you still see dinosaurs.LOL
Ezz

How many derivatives of a Golf can VW come up with. Still, many still seem to look forward to them but I can’t help but thinking that VW is having a lend of you all.

Valet Dabess

maybe he likes to do burnouts and likes to go drifting.

if i had to buy a awd i’d get this. lambo’s too expnsive

daan

I reckon he does…its called fun! AWD and FWD owners would know little about this…
908

just like dann would know nothing about cornering or handling.

Guts

Hmm massive fuel bill and depreciation with the ssv

or

modern and smart technology with looks to kill and performance to match

it’s a no brainer for me

daan

What about repair and service costs?
Tyres for the old r32′s were $800+ each.

908

and you can take your SSV to Kmart and get cheapo tyres for them.
Mr Zoo

oh come on! I just my second set of P-Zeros on my R32. $500 pops each fitted and balanced. Why make such stupid comments about a product you have now idea about! Idiots.

fasthonda

So much for being “a little over $50,000″,from CA’s last article on the Golf R.
I’m sure it will be a very good performer.It will be interesting how it will measure up against the new WRX STI and the EVO X providing they are ALL manual.Everytime there is such a comparision the reviewers are swayed by the “nancy boy” DSGs.
I think people will most likely buy the GTI MKVI,have it re flashed,and save themselves at least $17,000.
Neo Utopia

The SS is for outer suburban families of more than 2 children. The R is for people which live in or near the city with no children or maybe 1. Driving any large V8 car in dense areas or rally roads is not the best environment for a car designed and engineered for the open road with fast corners.

The Other Brad

I don’t think the R is for people who live near or in the city either. I’ve visited most cities in Australia at some point and I can’t remember a any of them having roads where you could actually use the full capabilities of the R (legally).
t39

A VW Passat R36 or a Skoda Superb AWD – these two would be a smarter choice than an SSV for those needing the space.

ABMPSV

Excellent car. 2 liter engine and 199kW ( in Europe ) 350Nm from 2500 to 5000 rpm. Two door is quite heavy 1541 kg, top speed 250 km/h, 5.5 sec to 100 km/h fuel economy is very good 11.2L/100km city and 6.8L Hwy and if this is not enough Oettinger tune it up to 228kW 430Nm top speed 268km/h and 5.1 sec to 100km/h. I would like one!!!
Paul

Happy to see Volkswagen Australia came to their senses. Car Advice, it’s been confirmed that the Golf R will be coming to Australia without leather as standard! So I would expect this to be a good 4K cheaper then what the R32 was, which came standard with leather.

I would expect a 3 door Manual to start around the 51- 52K mark. But then you need to remember dealer delivery, stamp duty and rego.
macca

a car which will take a few sales from the STI no doubt due to an improved interior and optional DSG.

but what I don’t understand is why the Golf R has skimped on the mirrors – black plastic. back in the 90′s this was common place. then from the year 2000 car manufacturers would make the effort to body colour the mirrors. soon after, for some high-spec models, it was either carbon fibre or chromed mirrors. black plastic mirrors… absolute cheapskates!

Golfschwein

Think of it as a design statement, just like the trend to matt black paint for body panels.
Nightshifter

Looks like classy, shiny Black plastic with integrated turn indicators instead of the 90′s cheap arse matt black plastic you spoke of to me…… There are also silver mirror caps these days as well just to differentiate themselves from every other cars with body colored mirrors. I really don’t see the problem here.

On topic, I was so eagerly waiting for Aus VW to release the price and spec figures and now I have lost all interest hearing that we’ll be getting 2nd rated detuned engines because it can’t cope with the heat! Fail!

Nope

Starting at $59k, add a couple of options and you may as well get a top spec something else. Also I bet VW will be creaming it on the servicing cost.

Think I’ll stick with the XR6 turbo.
Mal

As attractive as the R20 is I’d rather spend the money on a CC V6. Or an R36 wagon. Regardless of the R20′s abilities, that kind of price tag requires a certain amount of space & grace. It’s a shame Peugeot have abandoned the hot hatch segment. I think VW needs some competition. I cannot comment on Renault because I’ve never driven one. Peugeot would never have the balls to sell a hatchback for $60,000. What makes VW think they can get away with this?

Damian

“What makes VW think they can get away with this?”

The countless sales of R32 Golfs, speaks for itself. People are willing to pay $60k for a hatchback. They are willing to pay almost $80k for a base model Audi S3, which also happens to be a hatchback. Open your eyes.