2017 Volkswagen Golf R

History

Volkswagen is generally credited with inventing the hot hatch segment back in 1976 with its Golf GTI. Today, we are enjoying the eighth generation of this venerable hatchback but back in 2002, VW cranked the wick all the way up with its new Golf R32. Part of the Mk4 series, it was the company’s first shot at creating a halo Golf of sorts, loaded with performance and luxury but sold only in Europe. The 240-horse, 3.2-liter VR6 and AWD setup was so popular that Volkswagen decided to send them to North American shores in 2004. A little more than 10 years later, VW released the Mk7 Golf R like the one up for auction today.

Sporting a 2.0-liter, turbocharged, and direct-injected four-cylinder under the hood, this 2017 Golf R made 292 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque from the factory. Though it is based off the same motor as its GTI stablemate, in R trim the cylinder head, pistons and fuel injection system are all beefed up as is the turbocharger and intercooler. 4MOTION all-wheel-drive, a specially tuned suspension and row-your-own-adventure manual transmission are all on tap to deliver as many grin-filled miles as you can handle.