The next VW Golf R Wagon has been spotted testing with some creative disguise applied
The next VW Golf R Wagon has been spotted testing with some creative disguise applied
The Volkswagen Golf R Wagon has become something of a modern cult classic for young families looking for a do-it-all performance load-lugger without the six-figure price tag of an Audi RS6 Avant. Its classless image, impressive performance and interior space have been a winning combination, appealing to enough customers to make it a popular and profitable model in the range.
It’s no surprise then that VW is already at work on its successor, based on the all-new Golf 8. Despite the Golf R’s performance focus, the test mule pictured here has some creative disguise applied, with a combination of performance elements and rugged cladding aping the previous generation Golf Alltrack.
In those cars VW has fitted its latest evo4 iteration of the EA888 turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which produces 235kW and 420Nm. We suspect power will then be sent via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to a revised 4Motion all-wheel-drive system with a torque-vectoring rear differential.
The black plastic cladding seen on this prototype also looks suspiciously well executed for a prototype. This could perhaps mean we’re getting a preview of a new Alltrack variant in the same car, but it remains to be seen whether this combination of rugged exterior design and the R’s potent drivetrain would ever be considered for production.
The rest of the package will be typical of the standard Golf 8, so expect impressive refinement, the new tech-forward interior with its endless digital interfaces, and impressive build quality. The Golf Wagon and Golf R models will both be revealed this autumn, with the R Estate to follow some time after.
Jordan Katsianis