Thats Mr. Cottontail To You! (VW Rabbit R32)

[YSSMAN]

Volkswagen today announced the return of its motorsports-inspired R32 at the Chicago Auto Show. First introduced in 2004, the R32 delivers the "ultimate in Volkswagen sports performance with dynamic handling and refined road manners," the company says.

The R32’s power comes from a 3.2 L naturally aspirated 15-degree narrow angle V6 engine. With 250 horsepower and 236 ft. lbs. of torque, the R32 is all muscle. The standard 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system transfers at least 75 percent of available torque to the rear wheels. Volkswagen’s acclaimed DSG transmission allows for seamless gear changes and accelerates from 0-60 in approximately 6.4 seconds.

It features fully independent multi-link rear suspension that sits wider and lower than its GTI sibling. Twin chrome exhausts, 18-inch alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon headlights, a uniquely shaped front grille and R32 badging distinguish this car from anything else on the road. A rear roof spoiler and deep front spoiler, coupled with body-colored bumpers, side bump strips, door handles and door mirrors, add to the streamlined, sporty look.

The R32 boasts a long list of safety features, including Electronic Stabilization Program that reacts to critical driving situations in milliseconds by controlling the speed of individual wheels; and a confidence-inspiring Anti-Lock Braking System that helps to prevent wheels from locking under heavy braking. Brake Assist boosts brake pressure in emergency braking situations and the state-of-the-art Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's brakes based on road and driving conditions.

Inside, the R32 takes it cues from racing with aluminum-look foot pedals and deep front sports seats. Features such as automatic climate control (Climatronic), ten-speaker premium CD stereo system, rain sensing wipers, automatic dimming interior rear-view mirror, heatable front seats and heated washer nozzles, anti-theft alarm, cruise control and trip computer are all standard.

 

[Tornado]

I'm going to say this one more time:
VAG, please stop drawing attention to your ugly single piece grill. Did BMW color the headlight surrounds of the BMW M5 a different color to draw attention to them (a sort of "mascara," if you will)? Hell no. The car wsa ugly enough. So why, pray tell, must you force feed the fact that, yes, you car has a single large grill, down our throats, but only on Volkswagens?
That being said, I quite like this car, though I wish VW would move the tailpipes entirely into the large mass of dumb black plastic they have under the rear bumper. And not centered, either.
Also, I quite realise VW's want to establish an Impreza fighter, but couldn't they make it so it wasn't so it was only marginally faster than the GTi? I know the GTi Ed. 30 (which is faster) will probably never, ever come here; but you'd think the R32 would be a little bit faster than the normal GTi at least. It's like the Mk IV GTi versus the Mk. IV VR6 all over again. I think VW might as well dump the R32 and instead transplant the 3.6L VR6 for the next car.

 

[m7ammed]

my uncle has an R32 , its been with us for 2 months now this thing sounds amazing

 

[YSSMAN]

I hear you Toronado, but we need this car. The problem is that, at least from what I hear, the 3.6L VR6 won't fit easily into the MKV chassis. Yes, the boost in power would be great, going from 250 BHP to nearly 300 BHP, but it is questionable if VW would do it mostly based on the S3 or RS3. That would likely depend on how well the 2.5T (I5 from the Jetta/Rabbit) will work out, should they do it at all.

...I want a Rabbit/Golf R36, but we may need to wait until the MKVI platform makes it's debut...

 

[Race Idiot]

Wait this is the same R32 that we've had for like a year now.

 

[Jay]

Wait this is the same R32 that we've had for like a year now.

Same, Ive seen a few getting around on the roads.

 

[Philly]

Cool. It looks pretty menacing. Sounds like it may drive decently, though.

Engine don't fit? Put it behind the driver, like the Clio V6

 

[TheCracker]

Welcome to last year!

- it generally gets rated as not as good as the GTI over here.

 

[Jim Prower]

Great. yet another Golf that I'll get confused with a Skyline.

It could use more power, though, and I'm reccommending going the Lancer Evo/Impreza STi route: 300HP 2.0L I-4

 

[Leonidae]

we got one of those in this city. it indeed sounds and looks nice.. but it needs a diet and more normally aspirated ponies. I don't remember the tuner company, but some german firm had pulled 515 horsies from that 3.2l VR6.. without FI.

 

[Race Idiot]

Great. yet another Golf that I'll get confused with a Skyline.

It could use more power, though, and I'm reccommending going the Lancer Evo/Impreza STi route: 300HP 2.0L I-4

But there was already a golf R32 before this and it sold in america. Well about 3 of them were sold in america.

 

[Race Idiot]

Great. yet another Golf that I'll get confused with a Skyline.

It could use more power, though, and I'm reccommending going the Lancer Evo/Impreza STi route: 300HP 2.0L I-4

But there was already a golf R32 before this and it sold in america. Well about 3 of them were sold in america.

Then when the R36 Passat or whatever it's called comes out you can confuse that with the next (not the one thats meant to be coming out soon) skyline!

 

[the Interceptor]

I don't remember the tuner company, but some german firm had pulled 515 horsies from that 3.2l VR6.. without FI.

Well, there is HGP, which offer up to 600 hp for this model, and Wendland, which will do a full N/A tuning up to 300 hp.

 

[YSSMAN]

But there was already a golf R32 before this and it sold in america. Well about 3 of them were sold in america.

You mean completely sold-out in America, correct? The dealers were a bit upset that we only received them for one year, as they were by-far the fastest-selling Volkswagens since the debut of the New Beetle in 1998. Resale prices on the MKIV R32s remain strong, and in some cases, you can buy one used for the same price as one brand-new.

...And if there are any worries about power, HPA will sell you a 550+ BHP R32 that will scoot from 0-60 in about 3.5 seconds and top-out in the neighborhood of 200 MPH. If that isn't a Q-Ship, I don't know what is...

 

[harrytuttle]

I hear you Toronado, but we need this car. The problem is that, at least from what I hear, the 3.6L VR6 won't fit easily into the MKV chassis. Yes, the boost in power would be great, going from 250 BHP to nearly 300 BHP, but it is questionable if VW would do it mostly based on the S3 or RS3. That would likely depend on how well the 2.5T (I5 from the Jetta/Rabbit) will work out, should they do it at all.

...I want a Rabbit/Golf R36, but we may need to wait until the MKVI platform makes it's debut...

I agree with some that it would have been better as an R36, but that might have made the S3 even more irrelevant than it is in light of this car. I can't see how the 3.6L engine won't fit; wasn't it based on the 3.2L version to begin with? As for the grille, that definitely should have been body-colored. There's no version of the Rabbit/Golf that looks good with that lump of silverized plastic up front.

 

[YSSMAN]

Hey, I have no idea why the 3.6L mill "won't fit," its just what I have heard over and over again. I hear that a lot of the problems come from getting it to squeeze in with the AWD and the DSG, as the MKV chassis just doesn't have enough room to be reasonable... According to VW. Does that mean it won't happen? Probably not. But then again, I'm sure they want the Passat R36 to be the top model, no questions asked.

 

[-Fred-]

Yay for hot hatches that weighs the same as most full sized sedans!

 

[Frizbe]

Hey, I have no idea why the 3.6L mill "won't fit," its just what I have heard over and over again. I hear that a lot of the problems come from getting it to squeeze in with the AWD and the DSG, as the MKV chassis just doesn't have enough room to be reasonable... According to VW. Does that mean it won't happen? Probably not. But then again, I'm sure they want the Passat R36 to be the top model, no questions asked.

The DSG transmission is too long to fit longitudinally in the MKV platform. And it is really hard to find a MKIV R32 for under 25k here.
Someone said something about using a 300hp I4 ala EVO/STi, using the 3.2VR is what IMO makes this car better than the Japanese offerings, this is also swayed by my current VW owner status, but I like the refinement the R32 brings to the somewhat lower price point in the market for higher performance machines. Plus taking the S3's 280(?)hp I4 would have been almost too easy.
And R20 sounds funny.

 

[Jim Prower]

But there was already a golf R32 before this and it sold in america. Well about 3 of them were sold in america.

I said, "Yet Another," which means I knew about the orignal R32. Which sounds funny, because when I say "Original R32," a 2-door hardtop coupe, usually black, comes to mind, not a 3-door hatch, usually blue.

Damn it, Volkswagen. get the R20t out.

 

[harrytuttle]

The DSG transmission is too long to fit longitudinally in the MKV platform.

That doesn't make any sense. Isn't the DSG much shorter than a conventionally-arranged gearbox with the same number of gears?

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/dual-clutch-transmission.htm

If you meant "too wide" then I can understand. Maybe it bumps into some chassis brace or something....

 

[Tornado]

The DSG transmission is too long to fit longitudinally in the MKV platform.

Then explain how it got in the Audi A3, then.

 

[YSSMAN]

Then explain how it got in the Audi A3, then.

Different engine, silly. They're having issues with the 3.6L VR6 from the Passat, not the current 3.2L mill thats in damn-near everything. I have no idea how much larger it is dimensionally, and normally I would think it wouldn't be that great of a difference, but I guess it is enough to cause problems.

Personally speaking, the idea of "just" the 250 BHP R32 is more than enough to get my juices flowing. Going above and beyond that with a 290 BHP "R36" would be awesome, but it really just isn't needed. Sure, people would love to directly compare the Vee-Dub to the likes of the Evolution and STi, but people often forget that they are completely different... The Volkswagen still better (in my opinion).

 

[Tornado]

Different engine, silly.

Different engine, same block. In fact, the 3.6 mill is only bored out. In addition, the Passat sits on the same platform as the A3 does, it is just lengthened slightly (similar to the FM platform at Nissan). I can't think of any conceivable reason for the 3.6L engine to fit, because I quite frankly don't think there is one.
Fun fact: The VR6 in the Passat actually takes up less space than the 3.2L, becuase the engines angle between the cylinder banks is considerably less. So there really is no reason to do so other than the fear that the R36 would steal Audi S3 sales. Because it will fit.

 

[YSSMAN]

And to that, I don't have a good answer. All I'm doing is restating what I've been told, and what I've read.

...I'm sure that HPA will probably be throwing Passat R36 gear under an R32 as soon as the two models are out together anyway...