A pair of Recaro body-hugging seats was also included in the prototype.
America, look away. The new Volkswagen Golf R variant is not for you. The high-performance wagon will not be available in many countries as the compact, long-roof model will be a Euro-centric product. This is because the Old Continent is the last remaining bastion of wagons. Near the Nurburgring, a prototype was found with 99.99% of the camouflage gone.
The R badges appear to be hidden. However, we suspect the lower section of the rear bumper has been cleverly covered with body-colored tape. The Tiguan R is an alternative. However, the new Golf R Variant will more or less be Wolfsburg’s version the not-a SEAT Cupra Leon Sportstourer. It has slightly more power but not as much torque.
Although our spy team was unable to see inside the cabin as the prototype was moving, some angles show that it had a full rollcage with Recaro front bucket seating. These seats won’t be on the final production model, as the wagon will inherit the hatchback’s cabin.
The oily bits are the same. So underneath the hood, the turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine should have 315 horsepower (235kilowatts) as well as 310 pound-feet (402 Newton-meters). The Golf R Variant will be AWD only and feature a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. Although the hatch can reach 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds it is likely that the wagon will take a little longer due to its slightly heavier weight.
It won’t matter if the wagon has a lower performance, as it will have a larger cargo volume. We believe it will be worth the premium over the hatchback. Along with the other all-rounders like the stunning Arteon R Shoting Brake or the plug-in hybrid Touareg R, the Golf R Variant is the best VW Golf R Variant.
Official unveilings are likely to be made soon, with the camo almost gone. We can only think of one other Golf member that hasn’t been revealed yet: the Golf GTD Varant. However, it is unclear if the hot-oil-burning wagon will be returning to the Mk8 given the TDI and rest of the diesel gang are out of favor. This one will also be primarily targeted at Europe, if it is.