Volkswagen showed off the redesigned Golf R, which has a lot of improvements. The 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine now makes 328 horsepower, 13 more than before. The manual transmission is no longer available, so only a dual-clutch automatic gearbox can be used. For the 2025 model year, both the Golf R and its hot car brother, the Golf GTI, will get a new look. The changes include; giving the four-cylinder turbocharged engine more power, improving the outside and inside and adding appearance to a new entertainment system. Also, a Black Edition option level with the much-anticipated all-black exterior has been added. The new front end of the 2025 Golf R has redesigned bumpers, new headlights, and a light-up VW logo. The taillights have been changed, and the 19-inch wheels have been given the name “Warmenau” after the town where VW’s R division is based. The goal is to reduce the amount of unsprung weight. Volkswagen has announced that the Black Edition option will be available in the US. This option has darker logos, black brake calipers, black exhaust tips, and black wheels. VW says the new model will be a little faster than the old one because the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine will have 13 more horsepower. The automatic-transmission Golf R reached 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, so we expect to cut a few tenths off of that time. All-wheel drive is still standard, but the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox is now the only choice. It’s too bad that the six-speed manual gearbox is no longer available, just like the GTI. Volkswagen says that the new 12.9-inch infotainment screen has better word recognition and is powered by new software. The drive-mode buttons on the steering wheel have been moved so that the touch-sensitive settings don’t get turned on by accident. This may seem like a small thing, but we really had a problem with it when we tested the old Golf R on the Lightning Lap track, so we’re glad the change was made. Volkswagen will show more information about the Golf R, which is only available in the US, later this year. We should be able to get the new model by the beginning of 2025. The base price for the 2024 model with the DSG automatic gearbox was $47,690. Prices will go up a bit.
