Fastest Golf eveR! 2024 VW Golf R 20 Years coming as 'most powerful, fastest Golf ever' sold in Australia

Volkswagen Australia has confirmed it will join in on celebrating 20 years since the ‘R’ badge first appeared on a Golf by offering the Volkswagen Golf R 20 Years locally.

The 2024 VW Golf R 20 Years is more than just a special styling edition, however - it’s also the fastest and most powerful Golf Volkswagen has ever offered in Australia. But 20 years ago, the 3.2-litre V6-powered Golf Mk4 R32 held that honour.

With an asking price of $77,490 before on-road costs, it’s also rather pricey, but its 245kW/420Nm outputs from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine should be a draw for those with the means.

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It’s 10kW and 20Nm up on a standard Golf R, and VW claims it’ll hit 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds - the lowest time for a production Golf sold in Australia.

It’s $10,500 more expensive than the current $66,990 asking price for a Golf R - which itself is soon to become $68,990, but Volkswagen includes with the Golf R 20 Years extras it values at $8,900, including a sunroof, Harman/Kardon sound system and a special Akrapovič titanium exhaust similar to that seen on the Mk7 Golf R Special Edition.

VW says the rest of the cost difference is down to the engine tuning undertaken for the performance boost as well as its styling changes like badging and carbon trim.

VW claims the Golf R 20 Years will hit 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds.

Not only does the titanium exhaust give the R more growl, but a long press of the start button will raise the engine’s idle speed to 2500rpm.

Only two colours will be available across the 50 units of the 20 Years edition - 32 in Lapiz Blue and 18 in Pure White. The 19-inch Estoril alloy wheels are painted in black with the former exterior colour, or in black and blue if the car is Pure White.

The 20 Years celebrates the aforementioned 2003 Mk4 Golf R32, as well as the Mk5 R32 and the following R-badged Mk6 and Mk7 Golfs, which no longer used a V6, but differing high-output versions of the brand’s turbocharged EA888 four-cylinder engine.

The Golf R 20 Years wears 19-inch Estoril alloy wheels.

The brand says a total of 19,833 Golf R32 and Rs (including wagons) have been sold in Australia across 20 years up to the first quarter of 2023, and expects that to exceed 20,000 by the end of 2023.

Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles Director Michal Szaniecki said It was fitting to celebrate two decades since the R badge - in a way - appeared on a Volkswagen Golf, with the R32 being the first production car to be offered with the brand’s DSG transmission even before the Audi TT.

“The original Volkswagen Golf R32 introduced the pioneering DSG and were renowned for their sonorous acoustics and compact agility,” Mr Szaniecki said.

The special edition Golf R wears a price tag of ,490 before on-road costs.

“As our flagship hot hatchback evolved to become the Mk6 and Mk7 Golf R they led the segment for all-wheel drive traction and performance at a time when rally-bred sedan rivals departed the segment or simply didn’t evolve.

“Now, the Mk8 Golf R moves onto another level with its torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system fused with incredible technology.”

Volkswagen will take orders online through its website from July 13.