Just 50 Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years specials coming to Oz
Most powerful four-cylinder VW Golf to date will go on sale in mid-July with a bunch of cool extrasJust 50 examples of the 2023 Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years hot hatch will come to Australia later this year, each priced from $77,490 plus on-road costs.
Order books for the fastest and most powerful four-cylinder Golf (and the most expensive Golf) ever offered by Volkswagen will open on July 13, and Australia’s allocation will comprise 32 ‘Lapiz Blue Premium Metallic’ and 18 ‘Pure White’ examples.
The asking price for the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years is $10,500 higher than that of the regular Golf R hatch, but that margin will shrink to $8500 as of July 1, when range-wide VW price hikes come into effect, meaning the limited-edition will offer an extra $2000 of value when its standard panoramic roof (valued at $1900), Akrapovic exhaust ($6000), Harman/Kardon premium audio system ($1000) and upgraded powertrain are factored in.
Indeed, Volkswagen has put a price on every additional feature over the standard Golf R, including the extra 10kW/20Nm of torque resulting from the angrier ECU mapping, the turbocharger pre-loading system and the optimised transmission logic, all of which VW values at $1600.
Also included in that figure are the decorative carbon-fibre inlays around the cabin and two-tone 19-inch Estoril alloy wheels.
The results speak for themselves, however, given the Golf R 20 Years is both the quickest (with a claimed 0-100km/h figure of 4.6 seconds) Golf R ever, as well as the fastest to lap the legendary Nurburgring (7:47.31 minutes).
Volkswagen Australia passenger vehicles director Michal Szaniecki said the Golf R 20 Years was a fitting tribute to two decades and five generations of ultimate Golfs.
“The original Mark 4 and Mark 5 Volkswagen Golf R32 introduced the pioneering DSG and were renowned for their sonorous acoustics and compact agility,” he said.
“As our flagship hot hatchback evolved to become the Mark 6 and Mark 7 Golf R they led the segment for all-wheel drive traction and performance at a time when rally-bred sedan rivals departed the segment or simply didn’t evolve.
“Now, the Mark 8 Golf R moves onto another level with its torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system fused with incredible technology.
“It is fitting that this 20 Years special edition is about both enhanced styling, more power and torque, sharper responses from the transmission and an even more expressive sound.”
To the first quarter of 2023, a total of 19,833 examples of the Golf R32 and R hatchbacks and wagons (Mk7/7.5/8) have been sold in Australia across 20 years.
It’s unlikely the 50 units allocated for Australia will last long and just as unlikely that Golf fans will have another opportunity to nab a 245kW version of VW’s flagship hot hatch, given the recently-teased R 333 has already been ruled out for our market.
How much does the 2023 Volkswagen Golf R cost?
R – $68,990
R Wagon – $71,990
R 20 Years – $77,490
* Prices as of July 1, excluding on-road costs
Related: Volkswagen confirms price hikes from July 1
Related: Volkswagen Golf R 333 teased
Related: Mountune sets up shop in Tasmania
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