2024 Volkswagen Golf R set for June 26 reveal

A June 26 reveal date has been locked in for the upgraded 2024 Volkswagen Golf R Mk8.5, which has now also been confirmed to pack 245kW in standard form, sparking intrigue around what’s to come from the eventual Clubsport version of the German car-maker’s flagship hot hatch.

The 245kW peak power figure is identical to that of the VW Golf R 20 Years that debuted last year as a limited-run special also packing a healthy 420Nm of torque.

Outputs of 245kW/420Nm would mark a 10kW/20Nm jump over the current Golf R in standard form and – in tandem with retuned transmission mapping and myriad other software and chassis enhancements – should shave at least a 0.1sec off the facelifted model’s claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.8sec.

Odds are the new model will essentially be a reskinned Golf R 20 Years featuring the latest-generation interior tech as seen on the lesser Mk8.5 Golf variants, with Volkswagen having teased the exterior on multiple occasions.

The first preview was released way back in January, but our spy photographers spotted undisguised prototypes pumping round the Nürburgring in November, revealing a typically subtle but still imposing exterior design comprising chunkier bumper elements and bolder intakes.

Volkswagen doubled down this week by posting a hype sizzle reel to its LinkedIn page, allowing us to get up close and personal with the new hatch and wagon by showing nearly every inch of the respective bodies.

The German car-maker’s R sub-brand then took things a step further by posting a shadowy close-up of the undisguised new model to its Facebook page overnight, showing a new matte-blue hero paint colour.

Golf R sales are expected to skyrocket this year now that production bottlenecks and backlogs have been cleared, but it will be interesting to see how many prospective customers choose to hold off their orders and wait for the updated model.

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