Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years is the most powerful Golf ever

It’s not just a badge either, with a boost of power up to 330PS (242kW) – close in kW to what the original Golf R32 enjoyed in horsepower from its charismatic 3.2-litre VR6 engine. That extra power should bring a small drop in the 0-62mph time and a 168mph top speed. The ‘Emotional Start’ function raises the engine start revs to 2,500rpm for ‘heightened anticipation’, while the DSG has been tuned for sportier shifts in S and S+ modes. Similarly, the turbo on the 20 Years has been reprogrammed to maintain turbine speeds and therefore boost at part throttle, improving responsiveness.

Visually, there’s a larger rear spoiler and plenty of ‘R’ and ‘20’ badges. The wheels can also be wrapped in Michelin Cup 2 tyres and finished in Lapiz Blue. On the inside, real carbon fibre trim on the dash looks very serious indeed and is a first in any Golf.

So far, the VW Golf R 20 Years is certain only to be limited by production duration, with the run ending in the middle of 2023. Exactly how many are planned or indeed, if production will be numbers-limited, remains to be seen. As do the prices, which are expected to be north of £50,000 – a sturdy jump over the £42,000 starting price of the standard R. Volkswagen calls the R 20 Years ‘a collector's item’ and it will surely appeal to the VW-faithful.