Sorry, but we just had to give this, the latest iteration of an original hot hatch from Day One, another look. And it’s a validation of the notion that when it comes to cars, as with so many things in life, evolution can be a beautiful happening. The 2022 Volkswagen Golf R that teased about here very recently is indeed out of the bag, all of it, starting out with its zinging 310 standard, turbocharged horsepower backed up by 310 pounds of torque. In this week’s reveal, Volkswagen has proclaimed that this all-wheel-drive (also standard, as in all previous editions of the Golf R) subcompact will rip-snort its way from 0 to 62 MPH – that’s 100 km/hr, the national speed limit in Canada – with an indicated top end of 155 MPH. An all-weather megahatch. What a concept.
A major part of this news story is that the Golf R, shown above in Euro-spec trim, will boast another sort of evolution, that being an enhanced version of the 4Motion all-wheel drive system. It adds a second differential located between the rear wheels, controlled by the Golf R’s Vehicle Dynamics Manager and using active chassis damping, the system can distribute torque between both rear wheels for optimized grip, a process known as torque vectoring. It’s an advance that’s exclusive to Volkswagen. The 1.8-liter EA888 engine sets new output benchmarks for this engine design. Both the intake and exhaust camshafts employ variable valve timing. Seriously, this is real go-fast goodness with some impressively taut visuals. Pricing will come later, but you can look for this to hit the showrooms in the latter part of 2021.
Jim Donnelly On Wheels 