RANDALL'S PICS OF THE GOLF R HERE

On a typical partly cloudy Cape Town afternoon, I made my first connection with the new Golf R. If one could give it a human name, one could call it, William. Why William some might ask?

Well, William was that young man who would always try his best at everything he did. He enjoyed a light jog every morning but always struggled a little while Daniel, his paternal twin brother came flying past, taunting and laughing loudly. William would never give up though and would quietly huff and puff, always trying to impress his family without making much of a sound. But one day, he was given a new pair of running shoes and running apparel and an even better heart and from that day forward he found himself running more efficiently, cruising along as if running on air. He found himself passing Daniel, making William the fastest member of the family. One could think of William as the new Golf R. It looks a little sharper than the normal Golf GTi, is a little quicker than the older R32 and is a lot more efficient than the latter, but despite all of this, it doesn’t shout for your attention. Those of you who personally know a VW Golf R32 owner will always remember that faint smile they always have, as if they know they have something the GTi owners don’t-the fact that they owned the quickest golf ever produced- this is the emotion which the Golf R evokes. After reading the performance stats, one would think this golf would challenge the likes of the Focus RS but sadly not and the fact that it has 11kw less compared to the European model was bit of a letdown, but with good reason.

Compared to the GTi the changes include, a centre exit twin exhaust, visual changes to the bodywork including slightly more aggressive front end styling with LED daytime running lights as well as smoked rear LED clusters and a 188kw/350nm 2.0 TFSI mill, mated to the optional DSG gearbox and 4motion all-wheel-drive, a lower ride height, 19” Talledega alloy wheels. Despite the subtle changes, this is the still fastest VW Golf ever produced and a looker of note. The quality of the interior is something we’ve come to expect from the VAG products, high quality materials and high levels of comfort, with a few “R” logos placed here and there as a reminder. Electrically operated heated front seats, a touch screen radio with GPS, auto headlights with automatic height adjustment and cruise control brought a modern touch to the classy interior. A neat touch is the suspension setup selection button next to the gear selector, with 3 modes offered, normal, comfort and sport, one can select between two modes which feel the same and the 3rd which noticeably stiffens up the suspension. One standard feature that many locals will love is the new HVAC automatic Climatronic system, which makes life as comfortable as ever. Along with this, seven airbags, rain sensing wipers, parking sensors and self dimming mirrors are the comforts and safety any creature would love. Another great idea was the option of a manual gearbox for those who love to work their left legs, but those who remember the old Citi Golfs would probably opt for the DSG gearbox.