At Volkswagen’s Wörthersee uber-fest in 2011, the automaker wowed gathered fans by showing off a topless Golf R concept. Reception was so positive that VW made the decision to put the car into production, and it’s due to make its world premier at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
Those of us on this side of the Atlantic shouldn’t get too excited, as it’s highly unlikely the car will land on these shores. Blame VW’s strategy of emphasizing the new Beetle as its primary convertible, coupled with the relatively low demand for hard-top Golf R models. Still, we’d bet this topless Golf R would be serious fun on the right roads, in the right weather. Like Volkswagen says, adrenaline now comes in open top form.
VW isn’t releasing details on the Golf R Cabriolet just yet, but we’d expect it to come with the same turbocharged 2.0-liter engine used in the standard Golf R. That’s good for 256 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque, and it comes bolted only to a six-speed manual transmission. The stock Golf R can reel off 0-60 runs in just over six seconds (before you have it tuned, that is), and we’d guess that the cabriolet will add a few pounds and a few tenths to this time.
Expect more details as we get closer to the Geneva show, scheduled for March 7-17, 2013.
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.
