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R equals really awesome

You’ll have fun behind the wheel.

_IF YOU'RE _sitting there thinking it seems as if Volkswagen is revealing a new Golf every few months, it's because it is.

The German giant has unveiled the petrol and diesel variants of its seventh-generation Golf, plus the Golf GTI and Golf Wagon all in the past year.

And now here come another two additions to the family: the Golf GTI Performance and the flagship Golf R.

You might think the Golf stable is starting to get a bit crowded but VW Australia public relations manager Kurt McGuiness explained it a couple of weeks ago.

"The Golf GTI is the everyday hero car, a lot of fun," he said.

"The GTI Performance is an extension of that, for someone who is even more keen on the performance side of things.

"And the R is just on a whole other level."

He's right about that. The last generation Golf R won a lot of admirers but the newbie is even better.

Unlike the rest of the Golf range, the R is all-wheel-drive but it's all about the engine. Although it has the same engine capacity and number of cylinders as the GTI and GTI Performance, a bigger turbocharger and injectors help it pump out a far superior 206kW and 380Nm - up 18kW and 50Nm on the last Golf R.

It also gets to 100km/h 0.7 seconds faster - 5.0 in the six-speed DSG, 5.2 in the six-speed manual which was unfortunately unavailable to drive at the Melbourne launch. Yet is also more frugal fuel-wise, capable of using just 7.1L/100km even though no one who buys this car will be driving it in a manner in which they will get near that figure.

But it's not a stripped-down race car, though: it has all of the tech and safety features of the GTI and drive modes include comfort and individual settings should owners want to cruise in comfort. It will happily roll down a small town's main street without disturbing anyone.

And even the "race" drive mode doesn't make the ride so firm as to be uncomfortable as in some other performance models (though the odd, huge pothole was still enough to rattle fillings).

Which is handy, as this is the setting most who buy this car will opt for. And when you do finally get a chance to plant your foot, or use the launch start feature, it's like when Bruce Banner gets peeved.

The R roars into life and pins you to your seat while the exhaust lets rip with a series of bursts as it gets through the gears. Turbo lag is virtually non-existent.

Those 380Nm kick in at 1800rpm, meaning you're never frustrated wishing the car would drop down a gear to better push through.

Even though you don't need to go down through the gears manually, it's too much fun not to - approaching corners, dropping a gear and hearing the engine roar as you take it on is exhilarating.

In "race" driving mode, you get great feedback, so you know just what the wheels are doing on the road - add in VW's progressive steering, which requires less turning of the steering wheel to corner, and it's a great experience.

That's the thing about the R, and the GTI and GTI Performance for that matter: you don't need to be a pro driver to enjoy them immensely. They make you better than you actually are - which to be fair, could be a tad dangerous - but even when driving well within yourself and without breaking any speed limits you'll have an absolute blast being behind the wheel.

And isn't that what these cars are all about?

  • VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R *


  • Price *$51,990 (man); $54,490 (auto)


  • Engine *2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol


  • Outputs *206kW/380Nm


  • Transmission *Six-speed manual or automatic


  • Thirst *7.1L/100km (auto); 7.3L/100km (man)


  • 0-100km/h *5.0 seconds (auto); 5.2 seconds (man)