Volkswagen Golf R Special Edition cranks it up

When the Volkswagen Golf R Special Edition arrives in Australia from around November 2018, priced from $61,990 (plus on-road costs), there’s a good chance you’ll hear it coming.

One of the key features in the new Volkswagen Golf R Special Edition, which will be limited to just 400 units, is a bespoke titanium alloy exhaust system built by muffler specialist Akropovic.

It shaves 7kg of weight off the Golf R and provides a deeper, more resonant thrum and significant crackles and pops between gearshifts and during rev overrun.

The new exhaust system is “…going to sound great,” said Ben Wilks, general manager of marketing and product at Volkswagen Australia.

“It’s very exciting. It’s a very emotional exhaust sound, but it’s still a cultured sound,” explained Wilks, who observed that it will be “badass”.

“Its heavy metal but it’s not death metal,” added Paul Pottinger, Volkswagen Group Australia’s general manager of corporate communications.

With a distinctive colour and four exhaust outlets, the new exhaust system is joined by bigger 340mm front disc brakes with performance pads that shed 2kg, while black Pretoria 19-inch alloy wheels drop another 4kg in total.

Four colours are available: black, white, blue and yellow.

Powered by the same high-performance 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine (213kW/380Nm) as regular Golf R hot hatches, the all-wheel drive German scorcher hooks up with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and extended electronic differential lock to transfer its power to the road.

The Volkswagen Golf R Special Edition also features black mirrors, a rear ‘R Performance Options’ badge and a Dynaudio Excite 400W premium audio system.

“It sits at the top of the Golf R range. It’s the ultimate Golf R and it takes that car to the next level in terms of performance,” stated Wilks.

Despite being lighter and fitted with a new exhaust system previously only offered in Europe, the VW exec said: “We’re not quoting any increase in power or indeed performance. That said, it is lighter and it does have a freer-flowing exhaust system.”

The emboldened Volkswagen Golf R Special Edition will be joined by the updated 2019 Volkswagen Golf R range, which consists of just two models now -- hatch and wagon -- but features pretty much every luxury option available in the Volksweagen catalogue.

Standard equipment on all Golf R model grades now includes adaptive cruise control, lane assist with adaptive lane guidance, traffic jam assist, blind spot monitor, adaptive chassis control, digital instrument panel and a big 9.2-inch touch-screen infotainment system.

The powered sports seats are upholstered with Vienna leather-appointed trim, there’s gesture and voice control, LED headlights, an automatic parking system, keyless access, entry and engine start, and many more features besides.

Australia is the third largest global market for the Volkswagen Golf R after Germany and UK. Surely that will fast-track the rumoured 300kW-plus extreme Golf R here?