Volkswagen of America announced the highly anticipated Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition for the North American market. A world model, it celebrates 20 years of high-performance all-wheel-drive Golf vehicles, beginning with the release of the Golf R32 in Europe in 2002.
“Twenty years is a significant milestone for the R performance brand of models, and we’re excited to share in a global celebration of two decades of R32 and Golf R heritage,” said Hein Schafer, Senior Vice President, Product Marketing and Strategy. “Being the first official worldwide special model for the Golf R, it was important to include our North American Volkswagen performance hatch enthusiasts in this birthday party for the Golf R brand.”
The VW Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition builds upon the latest generation Golf R, which utilizes Volkswagen’s advanced MQB chassis and turbocharged 315-horsepower EA888 evo4 TSI® engine. Unique to the North American market, the 20th Anniversary Edition is offered with either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Select changes to the Golf R’s exterior make the 20th Anniversary Edition easily discernable without compromising the sophisticated appeal of the Golf R. Starting from the top, deleting the standard sunroof shaves weight from the Golf R’s highest point and streamlines the hatchback’s roofline. From the side, Golf R’s large 19-inch Estoril wheels are finished in Gloss Black and are fitted with 235/35 summer performance tires. As in every Golf R, a torque vectoring all-wheel-drive system is paired with an advanced DCC® adaptive damping system to help ensure power makes it to the wheels that need it in any driving situation.
The 20th Anniversary Edition will be offered in Lapiz Blue Metallic, Deep Black Pearl, and Pure White, with a limited allocation of vehicles for each color. Subtle trim details further differentiate the special edition: The mirror caps are finished in Lapiz Blue on Pure White and Deep Black vehicles, while on those painted in Lapiz Blue, the mirror caps are gloss black. In all cases, the puddle lights project “20 R” onto the pavement below. Finally, the “R” logos-on the front and rear bumpers and front fenders-are finished in blue, while 20th Anniversary badges tastefully adorn the B-pillars.
The subtle but deliberate nod to performance continues to the interior, where the dash panel and front door trim feature genuine carbon fiber décor inserts for the first time in a production Volkswagen vehicle. These impart a racing personality to an already sporty cabin that is appointed with an ergonomically optimized “D” shape steering wheel and supportive high-bolster sport seats. Keen eyes will note the “R” logo finished in blue on the steering wheel clasp as well. Even away from the vehicle, owners of 20th Anniversary Golf R models will be reminded of the uniqueness of the limited-edition model by the key fob, which features an “R” logo that is finished in blue.
The 20th Anniversary Edition will go on sale in fall 2022, and will have an MSRP of $44,940 for the manual transmission model and $45,740 for the 7-speed DSG.
