Photo: Volkswagen | Edited
Volkswagen is replacing the Golf R "20 Years Edition" in Germany with an equally hot but more exclusive Golf R 333 Limited Edition. As the name suggests, the new model celebrates the 333 metric horsepower of the European Golf R while also being built in exactly 333 examples.
Volkswagen loves heating the soup with special editions of its most iconic models, and the Golf R wasn't spared. Launched in 2019, the German hot-hatch has grown a little long in the tooth, but thankfully it celebrated 20 years of happy drivers in 2022. That was a good marketing opportunity, and Volkswagen seized it with the Golf R 20 Years Edition.
The special edition was not just a nicely decorated Golf R. It was fitted with worthy mechanical updates, including the R-Performance Pack as standard for 245 kW/333 PS/298 HP. The Golf R 20 Years Edition was sent on the Nürburgring Nordschleife to prove its worth, and it didn't disappoint, with a record lap of 7:47.31 minutes. That's four seconds less than the mundane Golf R.
After serving its purpose for a year, Volkswagen noticed it became harder to sell the 20 Years Edition Golf R in the 21st year of its career. That's how the Golf R 333 Limited Edition idea came up, although it's just a Golf R 20 Years Edition in Lime Yellow Metallic. The name comes from its metric power (333 PS), so it doesn't make much sense in the UK and the US. This is probably why Volkswagen only announced it in Germany for now. Fret not, the Golf R 20 Years Edition landed at US dealerships three months after it was launched in Europe, so we'll undoubtedly see a new special edition crossing the Atlantic soon.
Like its predecessor, the Golf R 333 Special Edition comes with the R-Performance package, including Torque Vectoring and Vehicle Dynamics Manager. This distributes the torque not just between the front and rear axles but also between the two rear wheels. The Drift and Special driving profiles, designed for the Nürburgring racetrack, are also onboard. The R Performance exhaust system from Akrapovi? with titanium rear silencers and black 19-inch Estoril wheel rims with semi-slick tires round up the package.
Performance-wise, nothing's changed, with the same 270 kph (168 mph) top speed and the 0-100 kph (62 mph) acceleration taking 4.6 seconds. What changed is that the 333 Limited Edition is the first Golf R variant with a production limited to 333 units and a sequentially numbered badge in the cabin. This should boost exclusivity, which Volkswagen hopes will be enough to make people forget about the eye-watering price.
At 76,410 euros ($81,500), the Volkswagen Golf R 333 Special Edition is significantly more expensive than the 20 Years Edition, which started at 59,995 euros in Europe ($64,137 when it launched in 2022). The US-bound model retailed at a more palatable $44,940 price, or $45,740 with a DSG automatic. Production is scheduled for September, with the first deliveries expected in October.
The special edition was not just a nicely decorated Golf R. It was fitted with worthy mechanical updates, including the R-Performance Pack as standard for 245 kW/333 PS/298 HP. The Golf R 20 Years Edition was sent on the Nürburgring Nordschleife to prove its worth, and it didn't disappoint, with a record lap of 7:47.31 minutes. That's four seconds less than the mundane Golf R.
After serving its purpose for a year, Volkswagen noticed it became harder to sell the 20 Years Edition Golf R in the 21st year of its career. That's how the Golf R 333 Limited Edition idea came up, although it's just a Golf R 20 Years Edition in Lime Yellow Metallic. The name comes from its metric power (333 PS), so it doesn't make much sense in the UK and the US. This is probably why Volkswagen only announced it in Germany for now. Fret not, the Golf R 20 Years Edition landed at US dealerships three months after it was launched in Europe, so we'll undoubtedly see a new special edition crossing the Atlantic soon.
Like its predecessor, the Golf R 333 Special Edition comes with the R-Performance package, including Torque Vectoring and Vehicle Dynamics Manager. This distributes the torque not just between the front and rear axles but also between the two rear wheels. The Drift and Special driving profiles, designed for the Nürburgring racetrack, are also onboard. The R Performance exhaust system from Akrapovi? with titanium rear silencers and black 19-inch Estoril wheel rims with semi-slick tires round up the package.
Performance-wise, nothing's changed, with the same 270 kph (168 mph) top speed and the 0-100 kph (62 mph) acceleration taking 4.6 seconds. What changed is that the 333 Limited Edition is the first Golf R variant with a production limited to 333 units and a sequentially numbered badge in the cabin. This should boost exclusivity, which Volkswagen hopes will be enough to make people forget about the eye-watering price.
At 76,410 euros ($81,500), the Volkswagen Golf R 333 Special Edition is significantly more expensive than the 20 Years Edition, which started at 59,995 euros in Europe ($64,137 when it launched in 2022). The US-bound model retailed at a more palatable $44,940 price, or $45,740 with a DSG automatic. Production is scheduled for September, with the first deliveries expected in October.
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