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Volkswagen Golf R facelift spotted

Changes should extend to the rest of the Golf lineup.

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Let's get this out of the way first, the Golf R Sportwagen is awesome and we wish it came to US. But the reason we're taking a look at this particular example is because it gives us our first look at an updated Golf R.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot we can see in this first look because Volkswagen did an impressive job of covering their changes. What we can tell is that Volkswagen will be giving the front bumper and grille a thorough revamp, since that's the only hidden part of the car. Because the front of the Golf R is the same across the lineup, any changes to this example would be carried over to American market models. The rest of the wagon appears unchanged from the current production Sportwagens.

It is possible there are changes under the skin we can't see. A previous rumor referenced new infotainment features and more direct steering for normal Golf models. There's also every possibility that there could be an updated powertrain. While the Golf R 400 is an unlikely proposition at this point, there's nothing that would prevent VW from launching a Golf R with a mild power boost. Maybe just enough to put it within striking range of the Focus RS. All of this is just speculation, of course, and wishful thinking. We'll likely see the results of this facelift soon though, especially because this generation of Golf has been on the road in Europe since 2012 and is due for a refresh.

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