Volkswagen has, quite literally, taken the lid off their new Golf R Cabriolet before its Geneva International Motor Show unveiling in March. What you’re looking at here is the first-ever open-top R model and the fastest-ever, open-top production Golf. It’s perhaps a little loopy that Volkswagen are making such a ‘h0o-ha’ about a Golf R Cabriolet just days after we had our first drive in the sublime new Mk VII iteration, nevertheless, it’s still a Golf R Cabriolet, making this one seriously cool car.
Under the bonnet of the new range-topping Golf Cabriolet is the Volkswagen Group’s 4-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, which produces 195 kW and 350 Nm of torque. The boosted power is connected to a standard 6-speed DSG gearbox, which transmits the power to the front wheels. Yes, that’s right, the Golf R Cabriolet is front-wheel drive and does not share VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system with its hot hatch sibling. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h and 0 – 100 km/h comes up in 6.4 seconds.
Many of the design cues for the R Cabriolet have been carried over from the Golf R hatch and include: a new front bumper with gloss-black grille and ‘R’ logo; LED daytime running lights; bi-xenon headlights with black housings; gloss-black door mirror casings and black-painted brake callipers with R logo. There are also extended side skirts, a gloss black rear diffuser that is framed by two chrome-tipped exhausts, as well as smoked LED tail lights to round off the R’s styling.
Volkswagen has given the R Cabriolet a sportier ‘R’ suspension, which is lower by 25 mm compared to the standard Golf Cabriolet. The wheels are our favourite 18 or 19-inch ‘Talladega’ alloy wheels in either ‘Sterling Silver’ or optional ‘High-gloss Black’. The interior features four leather sports seats, ‘R’ logos in the head restraints, contrasting grey stitching against the leather, brushed aluminium pedals and the doors and dashboard feature a unique aluminium decorative inlay.
As on all soft-top Golf Cabriolet models, the fully electric roof can be lowered in 9.5 seconds and raised in 11 seconds at speeds of up to 28 km/h. In the U.K., where pricing has been announced, the Golf R Cabriolet will cost £38 770, or around R540 000.
What do we make of the Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet? Well, it’s a pity about the timing after having sampled the very talented Golf VII, but we’re aware that performance Golf VIIs are still some way off, and we’re not going to complain about 195 kW only going to the front-wheels. After all, it makes for great fun in the Scirocco R. Is it a bit silly? Maybe, but Volkswagen needs to make a few silly cars every now and then.
