stripethree

As far as the Golf goes, the VR6 is dead. A moment of silence.

What ever will we have to fill such a void? Well, it probably won’t emit as fantastic an exhaust note as the narrow angle six pot motor, but there is this:

This, is the new Golf R, which was unveiled this week at the Frankfurt International Auto Show. It certainly looks promising and the details thus far are quite good. It brings more power to the street than the old 3.2 VR6 prior Golf R32s (270 vs. 250) and does so with a lighter motor, which will certainly help the ghastly 60/40 weight distribution. Hopefully the overall curb weight can be held at no more than the weight of the ’04, even better would be if the Golf R can go on a mild diet. You should see people reactions when I tell them my R32 weighs upwards of 3400 with a driver and fuel, inevitably they reply with, ‘In that little car?” “Yes, that little car.”

The all wheel drive system is also improved, it is quicker to engage and more active rather than reactive, per say. With the Haldex system in the ’04 model, the front wheels have to be slipping before power is sent to the rear. Sure it works quick, but there’s always room to improve. The new version has supposedly done exactly that. Hopefully when – well, let’s not jump the gun since I don’t think it’s been formally announced – if it comes to America, we also won’t get the short end of the stick with the sports seats and other options. While there are certainly many folks very happy with their ’08 R32s, there’s something to be said about the original with its manual gearbox and wonderful seats. In fact, the same disbelief about the car’s weight is brought forth, though in a more positive manner, when I tell those that don’t know that the seats in my car are indeed, factory. As far as the transmission, frankly, I know DSG is wonderful and I’ve driven cars with it, but I want a third pedal and to change gears my damn self thank you very much.

Sadly, I fear that when, I mean if of course ‘if’, Volkswagen brings this car to the US, they will do exactly what they did with the Mk5. You see, with the ’08 R32, the driveline had already gone though all the necessary federal emissions and nonsense to be roadworthy in America via the underpinnings of its step sister, the 2nd generation Audi TT. Therefore all Volkswagen had to do was slap the Golf body in it, rip out the gorgeous seats that wouldn’t have survived US crash regulations (or something like that) and call it a day. No four door option, no manual transmission, in fact the only option, if I recall correctly, was a $2000 navigation system. Portable Garmin systems, one of which I happen to have, can move from car to car, work just as well, and are a fraction of the cost.

What’s my the point in relation to this new Golf R and America? Well, the TT, this time the TT-S to be precise, may be the foreshadowing of more bad news for the purists who want to rev match downshifts on their own. The TT-S uses the same driveline as this new Golf R, and is already available in the US. So once again, we may get a TT in drag – though I will say it’s awfully nice drag, that front end is fantastic – and the desires and complaints of many who loved the ’04 will fall on the deaf ears of VW accountants who don’t seem to give a damn about the enthusiast.

I could go on and on about exactly what it would take for me to even consider one – $30k price tag, no sunroof, 6 speed manual for starters – but the reality is that as good as it looks and as good as it will perform I just know that Volkswagen of America will chicken out, again, as they have done on many things of late, and not provide the complete ‘enthusiast’ package.

I dare the them to prove me wrong. Until then, I’ll keep beating the snot out of my overweight, transmission destroying, five and a half year old money pit. At least it makes a fantastic noise.