It’s snowing outside. It’s good, then, that tomorrow I have the chance to drive the all-wheel drive version of Volkswagen’s Golf V, the R32. The Mark V platform (also known as the A5 or PQ35 Platform) has already proven its useful in the current model Audi A3 and the superb Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk V. What could make that platform better, then? By adding Haldex Traction all-wheel drive and the ingeniously-designed VR6 engine, Volkswagen has created something absolutely amazing. There really is so much to say about this car, so let’s begin, shall we?
Seamless Integration
Literally everything in this car plays a part of the whole so well: nothing seems uselessly placed; nothing seems like a pointless extra. Maybe that’s what I love the most about it. Although it’s controversial among enthusiasts, the twin-clutch Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG for short) has me quite impressed. I knew from what I’ve read about it that it’s not at all your standard automatic transmission, but I’m truly surprised by how good it actually is. Leave it in automatic mode, and it does what it’s supposed to do: shift itself at low revs, be (partially) economical, and not do anything unexpected. However, the real fun starts when you push the leather-wrapped gearshift rightward while in Drive. You then have the option of using either the steering wheel-mounted paddles or the gearshift to change gears. Do nothing, and the transmission will allow the revolutions to reach just above redline before it decides to shift up. Click the paddle or push the gearshift forward, and the swapping of the clutches takes a mere eight milliseconds. The all-wheel drive, 4Motion, a Haldex system that normally defaults to 90% front drive torque and 10% rear drive torque, can send up to 100% of the torque rearward depending on the road conditions or the aggressiveness of the handling, giving this little hatchback the feel of a traditional rear-wheel drive sports car. What torque, you ask?
Power On Demand
Volkswagen began using the VR6 six-cylinder engine in 1991 in the Passat and the Corrado, as the 15˚ cylinder offset enabled this V6 engine to fit in place of a traditional inline engine. In 2001, the current 3.2L VR6 was born, and used in vehicles such the old R32 (Mark IV) and the first generation Audi TT. For the European-spec R32 Mk V, this same VR6 3.2 was given a power boost to get it to 247 brake horsepower and 236 foot-pounds of torque. Despite having what some consider to be an immense curb weight of around 3550 lbs, the R32 is not sluggish by any means: the VR6′s immense torque, which peaks at 2800 RPM, and its horsepower, peaking at 6300 RPM, help the car get from 0-60 in around six seconds, and onto an electronically-limited speed of 130 MPH for the United States-spec model. Passing on the highway is wondrous: a lightning-fast downshift makes a legendary sound and then the excellent power kicks in. It’s truly addicting.
A Nice Place To Be
Taking this car on moderate to long highway trips is nothing short of enjoyable. I don’t think I’ve ever been more comfortable in a driver’s seat. The R-Line bucket seats are supportive but not intruding, and the MFD2 navigation, radio, and media head-unit works wonderfully and is perfectly integrated to the steering wheel controls and the Multifunction Display (MFD) located between the gauges. In fact, the only thing I don’t like about the R32 is part of this system: the iPod adapter pretends to be a six-CD changer, which, in turn, was sacrificed to include this mediocre adapter. No song data appears on either display, although you can play/pause and change tracks using the steering wheel controls. Otherwise, the interior electronics work wonders. I couldn’t be more pleased. In the snowy winter weather we have now, the heated seats and the dual zone climate control are much needed and play their parts very well. In short, the R32 makes itself out to be a very strong grand tourer.
Strong Silence
No, I don’t mean the exhaust note, because it isn’t. I love the low bellow from the twin pipes that are centrally located in the rear bumper, which becomes a metallic roar at high RPM. I’m talking about the styling. It’s unique for such an interesting reason, one of the same reasons I love the R32: those who don’t have any idea what it is will ignore it and most likely not give it a second look, but those who understand what the .:R badge means will know exactly what the point is. What Volkswagen’s designers have done is given the R32 a somewhat unorthodox sleeper approach. Sure, it has an aggressive body kit and that set of tuned bassoons protruding from the center rear, but this packed performance package comes in a form factor that appears, to the untrained eye, like a regular hatchback.
Flexibility Unmatched
It works in the snow. It’s great on the highway. It tears up back roads with civilized, balanced handling. I love nearly every single last aspect of this car, and then there’s one more detail about this car (specifically the one in these pictures) that makes me adore it even more: this car, Volkswagen R32 Mark V, number 976 out of 5000 made for the United States, is mine. Expect to see a good deal more about this car in posts on here in the future. All in all, this car is amazing. People like to slam the DSG for not being a manual, but I don’t mind it; in fact, I quite like it. I always have said I don’t like the hype surrounding Volkswagen’s hot hatches, but sitting in that driver’s seat, holding on to that wheel, and clicking those paddles, I can’t help but get lost in that hype myself.