2008 Volkswagen R32 by Edmunds' Inside Line

[ajluv600]

Ohhhh if they would just listen to the tuner community and turbo charge this engine to the tune of 330 hp (290 @ the wheels), give the AWD system a 35/65 rear bias, and ditch those paddles for a true 6spd manual I'd be in heaven!!!

[V8toytruck]

Sounds great, interior is awesome, but they need to make it look more aggressive outside. Definitely does not look like a 35k vehicle

[TheAhaa10]

im a r32 owner (y)

[mentalm12]

ive never been a hatch fan but geeez how can u not love this car?

[luminaeus]

No mention of the beautiful sound it makes... that sound is reason enough to buy the car alone.

[PantstofryPWNZ]

@luminaeus Totally agree.

[AwesomeTrevorDooood]

My question is this: If the car can still shift automatically while in 'sport', do you really have control over the shifts? Say, for instance, I'm in 2nd gear and I want to get to 6K revs...is the car going to 'decide' to shift up to 3rd or is it going to wait for me to shift it myself? It just sounds like you have very little control whilst trying to drive (more) manually....

[jayMbodybuilding]

@AwesomeTrevorDooood if it has a dsg transmission and you have it in sport mode, the car will shift smoothly at a higher rpm range if you have the pedal to the metal!

[DemonOfRazgriz89]

1:40 that sound.. i came

[szelbi007]

I rather buy 2007 Subaru WRX STI

[hydroruf]

My R32 is a piece of shit, fcknnnnn lemon. Thanks VW

[teunder992]

yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy­yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyuuuuufi­utfditf

[teunder992]

el vw r32 es el automovil que vale la pena manejar y pagarlo

[krammer66]

Mazdaspeed3 for the power and money is worth it, even if the R32 can beat the sp3 for a second or two do you think it is worth the money?

[dh39zj]

@krammer66 check out this vid & type in the search box: Shoot Out - VW R32 vs. Mazdaspeed3

[dividad1]

weight weight weight please vw for once make your car light like the goddamn mk2 gti holy shit. if youre going to making limited edition car such as the r32 please just make it worth the thirty five grand and make it stand out from all the rest!

and my god i hate american auto shows and im born and raised in NY. top gear is where its at. for ex. the dsg gearbox. what auto show does a review of a car like this with an auto gearbox? get a manual for gods sake

[civoreb]

wow this guy is goin by vw stats with the 0-60 and 1/4 mile.....its 5.3 0-60 not 6 secs.

[lollerrr89]

I am jealous of the American prices, here in Holland we pay around 25K for a good one :S

[jtorres1486]

@lollerrr89 You jealous of us?? Thats why you get prostitutes, weed legal and free higher learning. NO NO NO I think I AMMMMM JEALOUS!.

[jahnemann]

my friend has one. fun little whip

[mc001tony]

i own a R32 and i have sent it to mtm in germany and it has 395 hp and does 0 - 100 km/h in under 5 sec !!! It sounds AMAZING and i have reached almost 300 km/h in a freeway!! it is perfect !!!

[TheSaltySea]

lose 1000 pounds and i'll buy it in a second.

[CandyWhiteR32]

I own on of these R32's. I got rid of my 6 speed jetts GLI for it, thinking that I would just have to deal with the DSG. Now I catch myself using those paddle shifters all the time. EVERY time that I drive I have a blast. No music, just listen to the exhaust everywhere I go. Shift time on that DSG is 80 milliseconds by the way. Great car. Look up a video on how a DSG works, it will blow your mind.

[puerroputo]

I have a R32 and yes, figures looks slow, but in open roads, this car kicks butt...is amazingly fast (so much torque, so much grip, all wheel drive...). It feels like on rails...where ever u point the car it follows with out remorse. Of course Subaru, Mitsubishi or Audi S3 are faster cars, but this one can really put on some fight...with much more refinement...I love it...the best car I ever had...

[xxKilLSnIPexx]

You don't have to get DSG if you don't want to. jeez yu guys r acting like every model comes with it.

[daizmiester]

@xxKilLSnIPexx If you knew about the R32 american spec, you'd know that the DSG is the only transmission available for that vehicle (unfortunately)

[superfast30]

US spec has ONE choice...DSG!

[bastardsen]

Folks Wagen

[URELL17]

as soon as i heard auto dual clutch gear box.. i lost my boner...

[Ge0vone]

@URELL17 Same here man, same here

[enice482]

@URELL17  It may perform well but it takes from he driving experience.

[dajebus]

@URELL17 try it., shifts faster than a human can.

[poncherello69]

@URELL17 it shifts faster than humanly possible broooo, but fucking with the clutch is always fun to do.

[enice482]

@URELL17 went from midnight to 6.

[AudiophileTubes]

The 24V VR6 GTI's had a very 'high end', luxurious feel and interior as well. The latest VR6 GTI's and R32's are GREAT overall cars, and fun to drive!

[xpeerecent]

The car is built for one reason to make a real classy hatch. From the firm but polished ride to the exotic sound, they nailed it! It's Audi without the badge.

[AlexSaloyedoff]

@xpeerecent its VW, dont compare to audi you noooooob

[xpeerecent]

@AlexSaloyedoff

VW and Audi are the same company, R32 is mechanically identical to a A3 quattro 3.2, but the VW has the better chassis, sound and handling... so who's the "noooobee"!

[valtradriver1]

What i am trying to say is that the R32 goes round bends like fuck and that yank is saying it has body roll when he is used to driving shit usa cars that fall over just looking at a sharp bend

[sspope]

True, true. The body roll on R32 is MINIMAl.

Look at Subaru Impreza. It has 3 times as much body roll as the R32. It's even visible in their commercial

watch?v=_cKNR3yLM0A

"Japanese car the Germans wish they'd made"

LoL, Germans are quite a bit ahead in chassis tech.

[Towelman20]

you now what just stay the hell of here if your gonna make bias coments like that cause america is up to world standards in makeing cars handle well.

[valtradriver1]

Look at british built cars 10-14 years ago we had made the mclaren f1 the tvr 12 speed, aston martin, bentley,jaguar the usa new cars nowadays cant touch these cars in a drag race or track races. the usa is one of the most advance places in the world but at car making it has alot to learn.cars need alot more than just horse power to make them good. keep to euro cars or jap cars if i where you.

[Towelman20]

yes i do love british cars they do make some insanelley good cars and i also love alot of euro cars and i do now that america is abit behind euroupe in makeing cars they all ways have been but these days some american cars are just as good as any euro cars or brit cars in evry catogorey and thats a fact.

[valtradriver1]

Fair comment. I do agree with you on usa new cars they have come along way. Just wanted to make a point that the uk can make something good unlike nowadays and least the usa still has its own cars making firms.

[Towelman20]

Its good that you agree with the fact that america makes cars that are just as good as europes best but i do disagree with the last part uk still doess make cars that are just as good if not better than they have been in the past i mean come on look how good cars like the new lotus evora is the evora combines nearly evrything you would want and look at all the amzingly good track cars that i love that come from the uk the most unbeatble ones like radical ultimta and caparo.

[valtradriver1]

Yeah forgot about lotus they have made some brilliant cars. Can you buy them in usa? We both seem to have a passion about cars. What car have you got?

[Towelman20]

yes you can get lotus in the us and you can get caterhams and areil atoms in the us as well when it comes to makeing cars that are designed to go round the track fast you will find that some british companys who make cars that are suposed to weigh nothing are experts at makeing cars go round race tracks fast.

[bassguitar987]

Valtradriver1, every car you just mentioned comes with an enormous pricetag. If you think american's can't make a fast car, perhaps you should look into the z06 or zr1 Corvettes.... They are not only faster than your list of overpriced penis extension pretentious a-hole-mobiles, they are also much cheaper.

[valtradriver1]

The reason they are cheaper its because they lack class and luxury. Put a corvette on a drag strip with a mclaren f1 and see whats faster. Why cant american car companys get alot of horse power from a small engine. Alot of usa cars a massive engine with a little amount of horse power. UK built car the escort cosworth 600hp from a 2.0 litre engine

[lotatoys]

@bassguitar987 You get what you pay for. Did VW take bailout money? Hmmm, wonder why.

[valtradriver1]

I own a R32 in britain how can this guy say there is alot of body roll when he is used to wobbly usa cars??

[SpatulaTheMixer]

umm because they still sell lots of IMPORTS in the US.

[1392778]

,because he tests cars and not you?

[GrenadeGoonie67]

i have one.... so clearly they are ahaha

[wiisaluteyou]

the R32 SO cool!

i wish they were sold in the USA

[XavierJr16]

they are lol

[DirtyYogurt]

you fail on so many levels its not even funny

[gocanesandrew]

they are

[lz3390]

They were sold in the USA. It was a limited-run model.

[DJTEVAdotCOM]

v6=gas guzzler

[gp8383]

its prob not gonna be as bad with vw as other v6

[yellowmusicfreak]

Ya VW needs to cut the lead out of this car get it under 3000 or better 2800 they're engine tho, killer.

[dd8721]

Front brakes are twin piston not four.

Most luxurious appointed GOLF you mean.

[ScLeCo]

That car would be SO much better with 400 pounds gone and the suspension tuned for the weight loss. Why oh Why do cars have to be SO heavy? Power to Weight Power to Weight this concept needs to be hammered into automakers brains.

[Midan]

I share your feelings, wish there were more lightweight RWD coupes/hatches.

Automakers are just building what most people want. Most people would rather have more space and more amenities, even on the lower end of the market. Add to that all the safety regulations, and you get a lot of weight. Even Miatas aren't as light these days.

The only cars that really are able to shed a lot of weight are on the high end where companies can use expensive composites and aluminum alloys.

[SorthNarolina]

saftey takes presidence over performance, which is the biggest contributor to adding weight

[IrishChris1979]

The Audi TT 3.2 Coupe is 315 Lbs lighter than the R32 with the same engine. It definitely peforms better. Weight absolutely makes a difference.

[loopba]

they should drop the new 2.0T from the A4 in the R32 to cut down on the weight...tweek it a bit and it would be a better package

[TorchTexas]

they do that in the gti

[CanOfMinus]

That's called the S3.

[maxou5757]

they will do that with the upcoming R20 ... 2.0T 4Motion with 270HP

[roflcoptered]

source?

[maxou5757]

Type '' Volkswagen R20 '' in Google.

[maxou5757]

''The Golf R32 is dead, long live the Golf R20.

The new Golf R20 is making some quick laps at the Nürburgring racetrack disguised as a 2.0 TDI. But they can't fool us, not with those two big central mounted exhaust pipes. While the R32 had a six cylinder engine with 250 horsepower, the new R20 will have a version of the 2.0 liter turbocharged engine with direct injection which will be tuned to produce 270 horsepower. ''

[maxou5757]

...''That should be enough to let the R20 accelerate up to 100 km/h in the low five seconds range.

To stop the car is as important as power, and this prototype has the same brakes as the Audi S3 which will be enough for this power rabbit. Both 3- and 5-door versions will be available but we expect the 3-door version to come first. ''

[roflcoptered]

aww but i will miss that exhaust note :(

[maxou5757]

Yep me too but it's faster so ... :P

[sspope]

I don't think it's gonna have much harder suspension :(

[themitch28]

why didn't they use launch control in the 0-60 time?

[BaldaMotard90]

The name song??I love the Golf R32

[previron]

um why are these people always off in their performance numbers other car magazines get 5.4 seconds to 60 and the quarter in 14.4 seconds

[kpnutswales]

they're not off they're right spot on in fact and tested in perfect conditions, are you reading mad magazine?

[darkhorse000]

As an '08 R32 owner, I can tell all you guys that it is a simply amazing vehicle. Whether I'm stuck in traffic going to work, or jetting down a canyon road, it never fails to please. And let's remember, when you get off a spec sheet, and out there in the real world, it doesn't matter that an EVOX, etc. is a bit faster. The R32 is the top range Golf, and FAR nicer to be in than any of its competitors.

[sspope]

I'd be much better if it had pemanent awd tho.

[mtooshort20]

very true. but if u just want a fast car with a lot of power, then the Cobalt SS beats this in every aspect of performance besides launching. its faster flat out, handles better, lighter, more powerful bulletproof turbocharged engine, and just all around a better performance car. But yeah ur right though, the R32 and GTi are much better cars from the inside.

[ZeerXX]

great quality but poor performance for the price. A 03 350z can beat this thing no prob, as well as MS3, SRT4, Cobalt SS ..etc. I'd still take it over the old r32.. looks really nice.. especially in white.

[Pajapajin]

is the r32 is the fastest car from VW?

[overflo03]

depends on what you mean by 'fastest'. There's a passat r36 with more power, but it's also much heavier. The Phaeton W12 is faster in terms of top speed and I think the beetle rsi is better through corners.

[82zul]

VW GTI W12 650 reaches 325km/h

[BIHVR6GTI]

ummmm no there is the jetta rgt the phaeton the w12 concept car(no not the gti v12) ohh and lets not forget the veyron, so nno vw got the fastest car ion the world

[Andrioskarsson]

no the fastest one is the passat r36

[mhetz11]

the MKIV is better, my 97 vr6 is faster 0-60 than one of these, and all i have is an exhaust and intake and push 200 hp

[TOOLSANDCORPSES]

97 would imply MKIII. one of those with an exhaust and intake will push around 170hp to the wheels

[mhetz11]

stock pushes 174+a very expensive exhaust+a very expensive intake= somewhere around 190-200hp

[my1rule]

Who made the ambient music in the beginning.

[tofastforyou22]

mk4 r32 is sooooo much better

[tigercrap]

I like the wheels...looks like my Mazdaspeed3! I like this car, but about 10K more than my MS3...a pretty big difference even though you get a few more goodies. I'd like to test drive one...I think these are way more fun and economical than those American cars. If they continue making big crappy cars like the Challenger and Camaro, etc, it's no wonder they are going out of business...oh, I forgot the shitty quality of the "Big 3".

[aclockworkgnome]

A turbocharged, 4 cylinder, front wheel drive car behaves very differently from a naturally aspirated, 6 cylinder, all wheel drive car.

And that's before you factor in a manual vs. dsg transmission.

[darkhorse000]

If placed in Sport Mode, and especially if used with Launch Control, it is quicker to 60 than 6 seconds. I know mine is. It's just an excellent all around car. Build quality is fantastic.  And once you get it on the freeway/highway and discover it's midrange/passing power, you'll be set for a while!

[dflet03]

this is coming from a honda head... this is a nice car but way to overpriced i would rather get the 3series for that price

[kingskyline]

Very nice car. Would love to own it.

PS what is the name of the song.

[chiptonic]

i love mine!!!

[iamberlin]

All I have to say is the R32 is $9000 more than a GTI and its is only .7sec quicker in the quarter? I'm not saying that the R32 isnt a sweet ride, but just way over priced.

[xnwa95]

I agree! I guess you pay $9000 for the exhaust sound, which even as a GTI MKV owner I have to admit it sounds better than GTI. BUT I saved $9000 :)

[CanOfMinus]

Go to VW's sight and fully option out a GTI so it has all the same features as an R32 (sound, leather, etc) and the difference is around a $4K price difference also factor in most AWD models cost $2K more than the base model, along with another $2K bump for a bigger engine that again most companies charge then you'll see you are actually getting your moneys worth.

[antopoman]

5 door sucks!

although here in colombia R32 are not so common! :(

i want one but im only 15!

[FoundingNemo]

americans are stupid they dont know how the review a car, so fuck edmunds they suck ass ! lets see american make a hatch car tht can take a corner ! loooooooooooooooool BURN

[Polymec]

somebody knows the song in this test ?thanks

[FoundingNemo]

y dont u shut up lozer?

[TheProphecyGaming]

He says that its a slow take off but did he ever try the fucking launch controle on it its fucking amazing did it with my dads gti and it was fucking amazing no burn with the tires. Imagine with the R32...

[mrdauntless]

ITs not like the engine ways nothing. How could they make it that light

[vipertruck05]

sooo sexy

[misterandrewboy]

i love this car i own the golf in blue for about 35k and it is only the BEST CAR EVER!

[genYprogressive]

If it lost 500 pounds it would be perfect.

[kevr83]

Just hearing that engine should be enough for people to want one!

[evanlevine]

0-60 is off because they didnt use launch control

[AkinaGod]

What could you do to lighten the car without rendering the R32 look destroyed?

Why did they make it so heavy? I mean seriously, what were they thinking?

[thefentoozler77]

gah...an automatic...

no matter what anyone says there is NO clutch pedal...its an automatic...done and done.

[jonnyfx]

Ya faggot but this automatic is faster than the manual. Just as Tiptronic 911 Turbo is faster with Tiptronic than with manual. So what the fuck is your faggot argument? That automatic sucks no matter what or that manual is faster? Which is your faggot inbred argument huh fagshit? Clearly, R32 with DSG is faster than the manual. 911 Turbo with Tiptronic is faster than the manual.

[FoundingNemo]

Well its true , BENNYCHAN ur just being a FAG !

[cmcskylark]

i own this car, i got carbon fiber doors, and hatch and hood, and its pretty quick, the evoms intake helps too, i love the exhaust note so much so i dont think im gonna get a new exhaust

[hydroruf]

I have a r32 v5 & gti v5. Im sure the gti is slightly faster.

[thefentoozler77]

its alot lighter so i wouldnt be surprised...

[GTIRabbit06]

I think its weird that they got such low numbers in these tests, 14.6 1/4??? I ran 14.5 in my stock GTI. With a couple hundred dollars my GTI will leave the R32 in the dust

[ShAwNeXsHeN]

I actually heard that the GTI are actually faster. The AWD weight in the R32 really weighs it down.

[Nozferat]

That's because it's an overweight POS....ya think?

[jonnyfx]

And DSG is much faster than the manual. Try a 911 Turbo with Tiptronic and you'll see how much faster this brand of auto trans truly is. DSG is much much faster than the manual.

[GTIRabbit06]

The R32 only comes DSG so where is the argument? My DSG GTI > R32

[BenjipNZ]

The Golf R32 comes in manual in all markets except for the USA.

[GTIRabbit06]

I know that, but I live in the USA so thats all that matters to me

[bennychan723]

i rather have stick shift,,,

[Monthagny]

Over here in Europe the car comes with the option of having a stick and a 5 door version. You guys are missing out man!!

[bennychan723]

i know man....i hate to drive autoo...and 5 door will be nice too...

[musicking564]

my dad just got this car and the noise the engine makes is amazing, the engine in general is amazing

[TheWooR6]

r32 are sweet ass cars, vw is awesome

[akrongoblin13]

yeeeeah thats my man!!!

[cobrasegundo]

35k! that better come with some sucky, sucky.

[mrccronic]

compare price to any 3.2l audi and uve got a good deal plus its not just another cheaply made snap together jap car

[MK4bora28l]

Even though i'm volks fanatic, GOD i wish they had a strip down version

[bluefalcon78]

Hey men, are you so stupid that you cannot see anything else than performance ? Ooops, I had forgotten you're american guys...lol

This car is not a performance challenger, it offers the best compromise between performance, on board equipment and comfort. It has not to be compared to any Sub or Evo which offer a pityfull interior and cost the same price or more (especially the STI, over 40 000).

[mozaks80]

guess it depends on if you need to get to the corner store 1.4secs faster... give me this over any tinny jap car any day..

[tontonpacute]

35,000 for that sort of performance? Id take an STI or an EVO MR anyday over the R32.

[vk45de]

Amen. This thing's slow for 35k

[Auditurbo]

Some people prefer the R32 because they can use it as an daily driver car because it offers performance and luxury. Think about how uncomfortable an Evo MR or STI would be for a daily driving car.

[johnjohn0701]

is gti 4 or 2 door

[xxunidentifydude]

2 door in USA

[usernamenottakenyet]

you can buy a GTI with 4 doors however. the R32 only comes in a 2 door config

[Dominguero36]

Weird, we get the R32 4 door as well.

[ezmantheman]

i like this car its fast and its cool