volkswagen t-roc r

Here’s another car to add to the list of those that won’t be heading to Australia anytime soon due to our lower-grade fuel. The Volkswagen T-Roc R is effectively a Golf R hot hatch on stilts, but Australians will have to admire it from afar because it’s potent 2.0-litre turbo engine has not been calibrated to run on our premium unleaded. Australian regulations allow up to 50 parts per million of sulphur in our unleaded petrol, but in Europe the maximum sulphur content is just 10ppm.

Volkswagen has officially confirmed the T-Roc R for production, teasing the little performance crossover in a short clip on YouTube this week. We've seen plenty of development prototypes for the R-badged T-Roc over the last year or so, and the production version shouldn't stray far from those vehicles – T-Roc body with subtle aero add-ons, big wheels and brakes, and a quad-tipped exhaust.

Volkswagen says its future R-branded performance models will be more 'extreme' than the current crop, hinting at a next-generation portfolio that could include a crazy Golf R, R versions of the upcoming I.D. electric family, along with R SUVs. Speaking with media at the Beijing motor show – as reported by Auto Express – Jurgen Stackamann, Volkswagen's sales and marketing boss, said the company's R brand will move away from the understated vibe of the current line-up.