Volkswagen Golf R20 with 270hp Reportedly Heading Stateside

VW Golf VI GTI Concept

VW's R32 replacement

By Michael Gauthier
February 2, 2009 3:52 PM
Filed Under: German, Rumours, Volkswagen

With the Volkswagen R32 only boasting 250 horsepower, it seems the company's hot hatch is starting to cool off in light of newer offering by competitors but VW will soon rectify the situation by bringing the Golf R20 to the United States.

Unlike today's R32, the new R20 will feature Volkswagen's 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with direct injection which will be tuned to produce 270 horsepower. This should enable the R20 to post a 0-60 mph time in the low to mid five second range and reach an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

The exterior will carry over many of the new GTI's styling traits but should also include more aggressive front and rear ends and a center mounted dual exhaust. Initially the R20 will be offered only in three-door hatchback form but a five-door model could eventually be offered down the road.

Volkswagen will officially debut the new Golf R20 on May 21 at the ADAC 24-hour race at Germany's Nürburgring racing circuit and European sales will start later this year.

Source: caranddriver

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Tags: VW, Golf, Golf R20, R20, 2010 Golf R20, 2010 R20

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Comments

February 2, 2009 5:08 PM

AWD?

tumbo

February 2, 2009 5:15 PM

Of course 4motion!

ShinyG

February 2, 2009 5:17 PM

Nope, looks like AWD is too expensive... Why charge 30k for a V6 AWD Golf when you can just put reflash the ECU on a GTI...

350Zed

February 2, 2009 5:22 PM

No, according to other sources.

It will be FWD (fail!) with a new eLSD (partial unfail, but still fail).

kimbo

February 2, 2009 7:02 PM

We want AWD R32 back!

sub39h

February 2, 2009 10:49 PM

then vote out your government so that these silly economy laws don't get passed and engines like the VR6 don't have to die

(before i start a massive debate, i would like to point out that only 16% CO2 in europe is generated by cars, trucks, buses, vans etc and that targeting the motorist is a ploy to eek out more tax rather than actually do anything about emissions - hence my use of the word "silly")

Sammy_R-Gti

February 2, 2009 11:27 PM

r32 we want a Golf R36

dragon

February 4, 2009 2:13 AM

kimbo, Where did you find this information?: "16% CO2 in europe is generated by cars, trucks, buses, vans"

fusion01

February 4, 2009 2:19 AM

Buddy, you miss the point re: your 'economy laws'. Every bit counts. And everyone should be making sacrifices in some way. I just don't understand how you don't factor - if you drive - to be part of that 16% (as you quote). VW have done well in shafting the R32. Fantastic car but in these times, I'd rather see manu's and gov's doing whatever they can (and all of us too). I'd rather have a healthy planet than an R32. And because of that, you now have this: fiesty high-modified turbo's. Yes, V6, V8's have that sound etc, but it's a luxury time can ill afford.

khlbt

February 3, 2009 3:37 AM

Where's the justice...i totally agree with the revival of the AWD R32 or even a AWD R36 would be awesome...

Edited by user on February 3, 2009 at 3:38 AM

chizz

February 3, 2009 4:03 AM

Bring it to Canada too for god's sake!

benz_man

February 3, 2009 4:54 AM

I think VW made the right decision by ditching the heavy 3.2L and sticking with the lighter 2.0L. However, 4motion is most definitely a requirement on any "R" model. Particularly one replacing the cherished R32.

tootall

February 3, 2009 6:03 AM

Slowly, but surly VW... Slowly but surly. It seems to me that the people at VW are not quite there yet, when it comes to giving the people what they want. This is what the GTI should have been years ago. Obviously this is the result of the current global economy.

fusion01

February 4, 2009 2:22 AM

Why spend massloads of money creating a car leagues ahead of others whilst then making little profit. Or the car being unaffordable. You comment makes little practical sense. It has all been a logical progression in line with competition. And VW have done brilliantly. One of the motor co's making decent profit.

isaacarus

February 3, 2009 8:11 AM

last i heard was they were using this engine, making it 4motion and calling it the gti-r and they were also still keeping the "normal" gti.

maybe itll be different, as remember, this is a u.s announcement...

fusion01

February 4, 2009 2:23 AM

This is the GTI-R etc... names might change, but the engine is the same as that in the S3. And the S3 is AWD. Hence I see the R20 being the same. Front wheel drive and e-LSD? Nah. That'll be the case for the cheaper GTI.

Michael

February 3, 2009 8:49 AM

I don't see why it should not be an AWD version, as the R32. This is the same engine as in Audi S3 (265 hp) and Audi TT-S (272 hp), both of them being AWD versions, with an option to mate the engine to a 7 speed DSG. So I think sooner or later the R20 will get the same equipment.

Targa_Florio

February 3, 2009 10:54 AM

I've never liked the 1st gen Haldex transmission used by golf-based VW cars (A3/S3, TT, Golf, Octavia...), since it's basically a FWD that shifts (sometimes, and with low reactivity) some torque to the rear wheels. This gives high driving confidence but kills the fun. Most 4-motions are less fun than their lower siblings (e.g. Golf V GTI vs R32, TT 2.0 vs V6), and the additional weight shortens the performance gap close to nothing.

Thus I'm looking forward this FWD with LSD setup, especially for the Scirocco: it will reduce cost & weight and allow tail-happy spirited handling.

Edited by user on February 3, 2009 at 10:56 AM

justbored

February 3, 2009 4:05 PM

Tail-happy spirited handling ? You're really talking about a Volkswagen ? Sorry, but Volkswagen's production Golf was never tail-happy and will never be tail-happy. The Mark V has a good handling, but is anything but close to be tail-happy. Ever since the Audi TT scandal, all VWs are doomed to be boring. Even the R8 is far from being an enthusiasts car.

Targa_Florio

February 3, 2009 5:43 PM

justbored, I hope the LSD will help on that matter. Cars are really getting boring these days. I still have no interesting replacement for my little 206 S16 and Puma 1.7.

benz_man

February 3, 2009 7:52 PM

Don't get your hopes up. Its not a "real" LSD. Its just ASR shifting brake applications side to side when the wheels spin, without closing the throttle to reduce power first. It is effective, but not by much...

willy_93DUB

July 7, 2009 8:58 PM

who really cares 270 bhp from a 2.0 litre engine compared to 240 bhp from the 3.2 LITRE!!!! R32. the new r 20 is faster coz it does around the 155 mark , lighter , easier to handle and better looking !!! i rest my case:D

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