The 2012 Golf R. Image: Volkswagen
If you’ve been living on a diet of ramen and peanut butter, trying to scrape together enough cash for a 2012 Volkswagen Golf R, we can finally tell you how much it’s going to cost. The two-door Golf R will start at $33,900 (excluding destination charge), while the four-door’s price of admission begins at $36,090 (also excluding destination charge). If $2,200 seems a bit steep for two doors, realize that it’s not an apples to apples comparison; the base model only comes in a two door, while the least expensive four-door also includes the sunroof and navigation package.
All Golf R models come with a six-speed manual transmission, and no DSG or automatic transmission is offered. They also get a 256 horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter engine (the most powerful ever fitted to a Golf in the U.S.) and Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. Even the Golf R’s suspension and brakes are unique, ensuring that the Golf R is the best-handling car in the VW product lineup.
Image: Volkswagen
That said, Subaru STI and Mitsubishi Evo owners have nothing to fear. The Golf R isn’t aimed at the same market, and in stock form it won’t compete with either on a racetrack. Instead, the Golf R is aimed at a more mature (in other words, older) buyer who wants an entertaining commuter car that can still be flogged on the occasional track day. It’s not as fast as the Subie or Mitsi, but the interior is a much more refined place to spend time.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
For the Volkswagen loyalist, we suspect that’s good enough, and we’re guessing that VW will have no trouble in selling every Golf R imported into the U.S.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
