Frankfurt Preview: Volkswagen R20 hits the web early
by Chris Shunk on Sep 14th 2009 at 2:29PM 
Volkswagen Golf R20 - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Volkswagen Golf R32 had an small but dedicated fan base here in the U.S. It's 250 horses and road-gripping 4Motion all-wheel drive made for one sprightly Golf, but changing times calls for another approach for the R franchise. Our German friends at VW are using home field advantage at the Frankfurt Motor Show to announce the highly anticipated 2010 R20. The newest R-badged Golf will drop a couple cylinders and add turbocharging for motivation, but the AWD system will stay to keep all that power from being wasted at the front wheels.
The R20 will be reportedly be powered by a boosted 2.0L engine capable of 265 hp and 258 lb-ft, likely an exact duplicate of the engine of the Scirocco R20. World Car Fans says the new powertrain will make for a 0-62 time of 6.5 seconds with the six-speed manual, and 6.4 seconds with the dual clutch gear box. Those times sound pretty slow to us and are akin to what a standard GTI can manage, so we're guessing VW is sandbagging for now.
The R20 also has several aesthetic changes including a new front grille, LED daylight running lamps and plenty of fresh R-badging to let onlookers know this is no run-of-the-mill Golf. Also new are some gorgeous new rims that look to be of the 18 inch variety, and the interior receives some tasteful two tone treatments as well. We'll be sure to update you on all things R20 as official information from VW becomes available. Click below to enjoy the high-res gallery.
Gallery: Volkswagen Golf R20
[Source: World Car Fans]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Stumpy 2:31PM (9/14/2009)
Do want! That is "R" is awesome.
..
Reply
Mehdi Cheddadi 3:11PM (9/14/2009)
Unless Mazda does an incredible mazdaspeed6 OR Subaru announces an evo rivaling next gen sti OR the toyotabaru is revealed to be a 250hp+ LIGHTWEIGHT coupe, then I'm getting this as my next car! The practicality of a Hatchback with the winter prowess of the AWD system matched to a tuner friendly boostable 4cyl engine all dressed up in a sumptuous German leather suit is exactly what I have been looking for. *slurp*
Nuieve 3:55PM (9/14/2009)
I hope they changed the engine/turbo from that of TT-S, because TT-S engine is known for nasty turbo lag.
UoMDeacon 11:17AM (9/16/2009)
@Mehdi Cheddadi - I guess I'm confused. The '09 WRX already offers 265hp with the standard AWD in the hatchback trim.
Heimbachae 7:05PM (9/14/2009)
NOT AWESOME BECAUSE IT STILL HAS DSG!!!
if this comes to the states with dsg only again, expect a massive fail. come on VW, do you REALLY not listen to your people???
Jimbo 7:19PM (9/14/2009)
VW IS listening to the people. Face it, there isn't enough demand for the manual version to justify bringing it over.
zamafir 11:07PM (9/14/2009)
@Jimbo - normally I'm with you on the need to actually meet volume sales, but VW's never going to sell a lot of $30-$35,000 hatch backs, and they are selling it to their enthusiast crowd who's only gripe has really been the lack of a stick. If VW had played their cards differently and made the DSG the only option vs nav, i'd wager they would have sold the MkV a lot faster. I don't think it's a mistake they're going to make again.
adrian 2:32PM (9/14/2009)
This motor looks hench.
Reply
fixitfixitstop 2:33PM (9/14/2009)
I want to test drive that.
Reply
fixitfixitstop 2:34PM (9/14/2009)
Are we getting both the 3- and 5-door versions?
Reply
zamafir 2:39PM (9/14/2009)
As i've said all along, just like the MkIV and MkV this is getting the top (at the time of inception) TT bits, a TT-S in a hatchback form. 0-60 will be below 6 seconds, there's no way it's heavier than an R32.
Reply
bart 2:40PM (9/14/2009)
nothing special, not even bucket seats like they used to come with. the only thing is the s3 engine that sets it apart from the gti.
Reply
fixitfixitstop 2:45PM (9/14/2009)
AWD.
CB 2:41PM (9/14/2009)
That's an awful lot of sandbagging.
The WRX runs 0-60 in 4.7 with the same HP number, less torque and AWD.
I'm thinking this car has to be mid 5's or lower.
Any reason the WRX would really be that much quicker?
Reply
Mike 3:14PM (9/14/2009)
Nope but then again you can get a WRX MSRP for $28,000. With discounts you can be about $2000 less.
I remember when the R32's were out, a dealer tried to stiff me at $2500 markup OVER msrp. I left, bought a 350z instead. 3 months later the dealer called me and asked me if I was still interested he would sell to me for $2000 LESS than msrp.
I wish I woulda waited but dealers loss. Fast forward 2 years and dealers were charging more than $30k for a USED one!
VW's pricing will really show if this thing sells. I like it better than a WRX but not if the car is $5,000 more.
I would be willing to pay about $2500 more than a comparably equipped WRX Hatch for this VW NO MORE THAN THAT!.
ingenium 2:55PM (9/14/2009)
In the mk4 R32, the rev limiter in 2nd is ~57mph. Two shifts to get 60mph.
zamafir 3:00PM (9/14/2009)
it's all lies. The MkV as quick MkIV to sixty, while being heavier and not having a lot more power. This car's chassis isn't much different than the MkV and looses the weight of the VR6 and adds power. It'll crack 6 without issue and hover a lot closer to 5.5. poor poor focus.
montoym 3:24PM (9/14/2009)
VW always underpromises with their 0-60 times.
VW also states that the MkV GTI will do 0-60 in 7.2sec(6.9sec with DSG) while numerous tests in fact show it to be a fair bit quicker(Road&Track
says 6.3sec).
So, assuming a similar amount of padding for the R20, I'd say safely that it could do 0-60 in the mid 5sec range without a doubt. Possibly even quicker considering that the similarly-powered '09+ WRX can do 0-60 in 5.1sec(per Road&Track) without the advantage of the quicker shifting DSG and launch control.
PG 4:04PM (9/14/2009)
I was wondering the same thing. With that much power and AWD, I would expect this car to be at least under 6 seconds from 0-60. How much does it weigh?
Otherwise, it sounds awesome. I hope VW will see fit to sell it here since we're already not getting their sexy-ass Scirocco.
ugg.tryptophan 4:26PM (9/14/2009)
@montoym
well at least their modest...