Golf R32 Sound Clip Explains Why It's a Modern Classic

Back when it was new, this car was criticized for not delivering that much more punch than the GTI. The V6 engine was also very thirsty, and with a recession on the horizon, few customers were willing to pay extra.

But if you flip that logic on its head, the Golf R32 becomes a rare car with a more honest, lag-free engine. And just listen to the sound it makes!

We wouldn't go as far as to say V6 hot hatchbacks were a rare thing. Even ignoring the legendary mid-engined Clio, there are plenty of sister cars to the R32. For example, the 3.2-liter V6 was also available in the Audi TT and the second-generation A3 hatchback, both being equipped with the same twin-clutch gearbox and AWD systems. We'd argue that there's another 6-cylinder classic that should be on your radar, the early 130i from BMW.

But the R32 has that distinctive round shape of a Golf, twin exhausts and a much more masculine front end than the Golf GTI.

The car in this video is 100% original, boasting 250 hp and 320 Nm of torque, both of which are impressive numbers even by today's standards. But if you want a custom setup, have a listen to the Milltek model in the second video. It boasts the more famous metallic blue paint as well.

So much does the growl of this old R32 cost nowadays? Well, a relatively low mileage model will set you back as much as €15,000, which is about half of what it cost new. But there are examples with 250,000km on the clock available for under 10k. It just goes to show that the V6 was built to last.