Peter Lyon
March 12, 2024
The announcement of the complete knockdown (CKD) Golf R in August of last year created a real buzz as Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) became the first nation outside of Germany to assemble the refined hatchback domestically.
However, the German manufacturer has said absolutely nothing about the car’s availability since then, and the official website continues to give an expected price of between RM330,000 and RM350,000.
At last, the company provided an update on the situation. VPCM Managing Director Denyu Bostandzhiev said recently that the CKD Golf R will start deliveries “in a couple of weeks.”
According to Bostandzhiev, the government’s technical problems throughout the homologation procedure were the cause of the delay. The problem stems from the fact that the locally built Golf R is the first hatchback variation with all-wheel drive; in the past, locally assembled Golf models were only front-wheel drive.
But now that the problem has been fixed, delivery will start shortly after the official pricing is revealed, which is expected to happen “in a few weeks” we are told.
The locally assembled Golf R will have a few enhancements over the fully imported model. The most notable of these is the R Performance Pack, which is now standard and includes the Akrapovic exhaust system, an elaborate roof spoiler, new lightweight 19-inch “Estoril” wheels, and two driving modes: “Drift,” which allows you to let your inner child loose with some tire-smoking sideways shenanigans, and “Special,” which is designed for maximum traction on uneven backroads.
Still powering the car is the 3.0-liter TSI turbocharged inline-four engine, which produces 320 hp and 400 Nm. This powertrain allows the hatch to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds when equipped with the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and the seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
The Golf R will be one of the hottest hatches to ever arrive in Malaysia and should create a significant buzz in performance car circles. The fact that the car will be locally assembled is a huge plus for Malaysia and will help to keep prices down.
