Like the MkVIII Golf on which it’s based, the upcoming Volkswagen Golf R will represent an evolutionary change over its predecessor, according to the Jost Capito, head of the German company’s performance-oriented R brand. “I can’t tell you too much, what we put in the car, but…there is a lot of small improvements,” Capito told MotorTrend. “The overall car [is] a real driving machine. “
One thing Capito did share, however, is that the latest Golf R won’t embrace a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain, as did the recently unveiled Touareg R. Blame costs. “[R] can’t develop [its] own hybrid systems,” Capito shared, “because the volumes for [the Golf R] are too small.” The Touareg R, meanwhile, benefits from the fact it shares many of its powertrain components with the likes of the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid.
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While the upcoming Golf R won’t sport any electric propulsion motors, it will once again include standard all-wheel drive and a high-horsepower, internal-combustion engine. The prior Golf R boasted a 288-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four under its hood, and we anticipate the new model will feature even more power. As in the previous model, the next Golf R will once again channel its power to the ground by way of a dual-clutch automatic transmission. Unfortunately, Capito wouldn’t share if the old Golf R’s six-speed manual gearbox lives on in the new car.
Although the MkVIII Golf R seems as though it sticks to a familiar script, the model will still have some tricks up its proverbial sleeves when it debuts later this year. “There’s technology nobody expects,” Capito said about the latest iteration of Volkswagen‘s hottest hatch. What exactly that technology is, however, remains under wraps—and we can’t wait to find out. For more on the latest hot VW hatches, check out the new 2021 GTI and its GTD and GTE siblings.
