Volkswagen Golf R unveiled

The brand new Volkswagen Golf R has been revealed, and will be the company’s fastest-ever hatchback when it goes on sale next year.

It gets the same 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine as the VW Golf GTI, but with power boosted to 296bhp. That’s 69bhp more than the current top-of-the-range Golf GTI and 30bhp more than the old Golf R.

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The VW Golf R will get four-wheel drive as standard, as well as a choice of manual and DSG automatic gearboxes. Cars fitted with the automatic gearbox will go from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds, while those with the six-speed manual gearbox can manage the same sprint in 5.3 seconds. Both cars continue to a top speed of 155mph.

Not only is the new VW Golf R faster and more powerful, it will also be 18 per cent more efficient. That means the manual car will return 39.8mpg and emit 165g/km of CO2, while the automatic claims 40.9mpg and just 159g/km – impressive for such a performance-oriented model.

It should be plenty of fun to drive as well, thanks to the fact that it uses a lot of the same technology as the standard VW Golf GTI. The 2014 Golf R gets a clever system called XDS+, that can brake the inside wheels to improve grip when cornering, which when added to the four-wheel-drive set-up should make it easy to drive fast.

Available with three or five doors, 18-inch alloy wheels and a beefy exterior look – the new VW Golf R is easily recognisable on the road. Subtle R badging and four exhaust pipes at the rear complete the aggressive look.

Exact prices and specs are yet to be announced, but we expect the VW Golf R to include equipment like air-conditioning, parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and a touch-screen entertainment system as standard. Prices should start at around £30,000, with first deliveries in early 2014.

For the full VW range, visit the CarBuyer Volkswagen reviews page.