Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet 2.0-litre TSI 6spd DSG
What is it?
Start with the suave Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. Scroll up to the section marked GTI. Now go one further and you have this R Cabriolet, the new top of the range performance icon.
It’s all about speed, spec and exclusivity
Volkswagen admits that the VW Golf R Cabrio is unlikely to sell in big numbers.
It was originally pitched at a stratospheric £38,770, but an official £5600 price cut has since brought it down to £33,170, or £3415 more than the base GTI.This is the first time that VW has offered a Golf Cabrio with the racy R spec.
With power of 265PS and 19-inch Talladega alloys, coupled with quick 0-62mph time of 6.4 secs and 155mph top end, it’s a cut above the GTI in the ranking and the most expensive Golf you can buy.
For the business user, it comes to market with a P11D of £32,640 and 30% company car tax rate. And with CO2 emissions of 190g/km, it is far from being the greenest/best value Golf about.
But that’s not really the point. The VW Golf R Cabriolet, with unique sportified looks and interior, and with lowered sports suspension, is all about speed, spec and exclusivity.
On the road this is a car that’s not short on driver appeal.
What’s hot?
- Performance. The tweaked 2.0-litre turbo endows the Golf R Cabrio with real, grin inducing pace. VW quotes a 0-62mph time of just 6.2 secs.
- The 265PS Golf R engine is a masterful mix of power, torque, smoothness and instant high-rev response. Superb refinement comes as standard too.
- The 6-speed DSG auto links to a precise steering paddleshift, making for lightning fast gearchanges, if you are in the mood.
- Strong grip from the 19-inch tyres and powerful all-disc brakes.
Lavish spec includes heated Vienna leather front seats and all the infotainment gizmos you could wish for - Handling on unique, lowered ‘R’ sports suspension is flat and fast, making the Golf a lot of fun on windy back roads.
- Upscale interior spec includes heated front sports seats, in Vienna leather, with embroidered ‘R’ logo on the head restraints.
- Bi-xenon headlights with automatic range adjustment part of extensive standard spec which also includes cruise control, 2Zone electric climate control, Bluetooth and 6-speaker DAB radio/MP3 compatible CD player.
- ‘R’ styling pack brings unique front and rear bumpers, boot spoiler and side skirts, rear diffuser, gloss black with chrome exhaust tailpipes.
- Gloss black radiator grille louvres with ‘R’ logo.
- Fully automatic electric powered hood, which can be lowered in 9 secs including on the move at speeds up to 18mph, and stows away out of sight.
- Golf-style 4-seat practicality with 250-litre boot capacity, even with the hood down.
- Top notch overall presentation and quality.
What’s not?
- While the Golf R Cabrio handles sweetly, watch out for some torque steer (weaving from the front wheels) when you accelerate hard away from rest.
- Low speed ride quality can be lumpy over less than perfect surfaces.
- The Golf R Cabrio is based off the last generation Golf VI (which in turn was a reskinned Golf V) so it’s not built to the same tech level as the latest, much acclaimed Golf VII hatchback.
- High price and stiff in-house competition from the Golf GTI Cabriolet.
- 190g/km for CO2 emissions
