SPY PICS: New Volkswagen Golf R wagon hits the road

More power, more luxury… more room?

The Volkswagen Golf R wagon has always been a popular vehicle in Australia and fans will be stoked to know the next-gen version is nearing completion, spied testing here in Germany wearing a unique disguise.

Fitted with Alltrack body work and wearing stickers around the front bumper and rear lights to throw passersby off the scent, this all-new Volkswagen Golf R wagon prototype also wears large 19-inch alloy wheels hiding big brake discs and blue callipers.

The beefed-up braking system is required to rein in the Golf R’s significant turn of speed, generated by a boosted 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine pumping out around 245kW according to a leaked document, which is a big increase from the current model's 221kW (213kW in Australia).

The expected 245kW/420Nm outputs could drop to around 230kW due to the high-sulfur unleaded fuel sold in Australia.

The stove-hot Golf R will be revealed in full later this year and Volkswagen Australia has now confirmed the high-end hero model will be trundling into Aussie showrooms by September 2021.

That puts its local arrival around six months after the new Mk8 Golf GTI and regular hatch and wagon models arrive, by March next year.

Expect torque vectoring and a twin-clutch automatic transmission (DSG) with launch control to feature in the Golf R wagon, along with adaptive dampers, lowered sports suspension, roof rails and all the semi-autonomous driving aids in the VW Group’s tech arsenal, not to mention a luxurious new interior fit-out.

The high-performance, upmarket Golf R flagship is a key model in the range and currently outsells the Golf GTI.

In fact, Australians buy more of Volkswagen’s high-performance R models than customers in any other country except Germany and the UK.

As these latest spy pics confirm the new Golf R wagon is being readied for battle against vehicles like the striking new Subaru Levorg wagon, which made its global premiere last week and has been confirmed to arrive in Australia next year.

Volkswagen Australia’s PR and brand experience manager, Kurt McGuiness, said the range-topping AWD Golf R will be coming to Oz in “late in quarter three” but cautioned the go-fast wagon has not been green-lit for Australia yet.

However, given the strong customer demand for the R models here, it's probably a case of when, rather than if.

“We do find our customers have a soft spot for a wagon and so do we, so we absolutely want to offer it as a Golf R,” said McGuiness.

“We definitely want to keep it as a variant, as one in six Golf Rs we sell are wagons.”

The new-generation Mk8 Volkswagen Golf was originally due to launch in Australia late this year, but has been delayed until early 2021.

“Golf wagon will arrive at same time as Golf hatch in Q1, 2021,” said McGuiness.

“We’re hoping to bring Golf GTI around Q1 as well,” he added.

The new Golf will trade on its elevated equipment levels, German design and new technology, which includes an elaborate infotainment system with advanced voice control. It does away with traditional buttons and includes over-the-air wifi updates – although issues with the latter are partly responsible for its delayed introduction.

“Golf is always the flag-bearer for the democratisation of technology. The new-gen brings the latest and greatest in terms of tech and the car is hugely important for us,” said McGuiness.

Regular versions of the Volkswagen Golf will get carryover engines in Australia, again due to poor-quality fuel.

The new Golf wagon will appeal to family buyers and those who need the extra room and load functionality of an SUV, but without the dynamic (and visual) sacrifices.

The new model will face some tough internal competition from the likes of the 235kW Tiguan R, which is also due to arrive in Australia next year.

Stay tuned for the official reveal of the 2021 Volkswagen Golf R.