It was hardly a secret that there was an estate version of the Volkswagen Golf R in the works. Spy shots and video footage showed the hatchback’s boxier twin testing at the Nordschleife so it seemed like a simple question of ‘how long’ rather than ‘if’ we’d see it in production.
Now it’s official. Volkswagen are using the LA Auto Show to give the R estate its first public outing and, as you might have guessed, it looks just like the hatchback … but with a bigger boot!
Volkswagen Golf R Estate
In case you’ve forgotten, or just didn’t know, the Golf R is powered by a 300PS version of Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre TSI. An all-wheel drive 4MOTION system means it can hit 62mph in just 5.1 seconds and the electronic systems will rein it in at 155mph. That means the estate is actually 0.2 seconds slower to 62mph, a penalty of the extra weight of that larger rear end. There’s also a slight penalty on CO2 emissions and economy, with the estate rated at 161g/km and 40.4 (down from 159g/km and 40.9).
One significant change over the hatchback is in the choice of transmission. The R estate comes with DSG as standard but, unlike the hatchback, there is no manual option.
All-wheel drive Golfs may have been criticised in the past for dull handling but the R is much more than a point-and-squirt device. The chassis has some real talents (as I discovered when I drove it earlier this year) and there’s every reason to expect the R estate will share the same lively handling as the hatchback.
For those who need the extra space, the Golf R estate has a luggage capacity of 605 litres up to the back seat backrest. Drop the rear seats and load it up to the front seats and you have 1,620 litres of space to play with.
No word on UK prices just yet but the order books open in spring 2015 with deliveries starting in the summer.
Volkswagen Golf R Estate DSG Specs
| Performance & Economy | Volkswagen Golf R DSG |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol |
| Transmission | 6-speed dual-clutch automatic, front-engined, all-wheel drive |
| Power (PS / bhp) | 300 / 296 |
| Torque (Nm / lb.ft) | 380 / 280 |
| 0 – 62 mph (seconds) | 5.1 |
| Top Speed (mph) | 155 (limited) |
| CO2 Emissions (g/km) | 163 |
| VED Band | H |
| Combined Economy (mpg) | 40.4 |
