Volkswagen / Golf / R32 3-dr hatch
Overview
VOLKSWAGEN’s Golf continues to delight us with its broad-based range of options for the driver – whether it’s the city commuter who wants the easy driving convenience of a safe, quality-built hatchback able to challenge the Japanese in value-for-money, or the enthusiastic driver craving a little behind-the-wheel excitement.
After the delightfully-quick Golf GTI and the surprisingly appealing Polo equivalent comes the latest Golf R32.
It takes VW into hyper-hatch territory where a rousing 184kW and 320Nm of V6 is wielded via the 4motion all-wheel drive system to dismiss any questions concerning torque-steer or wet-weather traction.
Most importantly, this fastest of Golfs comes to market with a huge price advantage over the also-delightful Audi A3 3.2 quattro that can cost as much as $10,000 more.
That’s before we even start thinking about BMW’s beautifully refined 130i, or Alfa Romeo’s highly desirable 147 GTA, which are also priced well above the VW.
Model release dates: July 2006 - June 2010
Previous model
THE new Gen V Golf was just around the corner when the Gen IV-based R32 arrived in Australia. As the world’s fastest and most powerful Golf, there’s was little question that it was going to be a fitting swang-song for one of Europe’s top-selling models. A limited-edition supply of 200 examples ensured the three-door hot-hatch's exclusivity and all were snapped up quickly. At $63,000 for the manual-only 177kW/320Nm V6 all-wheel drive, it was a performance bargain for those tired of the boy-racer Japanese equivalents.
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