German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) Golf R car is displayed during a press conference on September 10, 2013 at the media day of the 65th edition of the IAA (Internationale Automobil Ausstellung) auto fair in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. The show
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Earlier this month, Volkswagen announced it’s making a handful of changes across its US lineup for 2020. One of the biggest changes is the Golf family will be significantly pared down to just three models when the next generation goes into production: the Golf Value Edition, e-Golf and GTI. That means the range-topping Golf R will be discontinued, at least for a few years and, according to Auto News, US dealers won’t even get the base model Mk8 Golf at all in 2020.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Speaking with Motor1.com, a VW spokesperson said, “With the Wolfsburg factory preparing for the changeover to the next generation of Golf models, the Golf R will take a brief hiatus before returning as an Mk8.” But, considering the Golf R tends to be the last model in the hatchback’s life cycle to see the light of day, you might be waiting until 2022.
If you’re still itching for a Golf R when the next-generation Mk8 rolls off of the production line next year, there are still a few options to hold you over in the interim. Firstly, although production of the current Golf R is ending, it will still be available in 2020 as a 2019 model year. After that, Audi has you covered with the S3—that is, if you don’t mind paying a small premium.
Starting at $43,395, the 2019 Golf R is a certified bargain of a sports car, but with the Audi S3’s base MSRP of $44,500, you don’t need to move up in tax brackets to spring for premium branding with the performance. The scalable MQB architecture VW uses across its brands translates to a lot of technology and parts sharing. It’s not exactly badge engineering, but the Golf R and Audi S3 are nearly identical under the sheet metal, sharing the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine good for 288 horsepower and 280 ft-lb, identical seven-speed transmissions and all-wheel-drive systems.
If performance is your only concern, the minor price difference favors the Audi. Where the S3 starts to lose its appeal is if you want Audi virtual cockpit, which only comes on the Prestige trim and starts at $49,800. The Prestige trim also comes with adaptive cruise control, a premium audio system and navigation, but all of that comes standard on the more affordable Golf R, just with different nomenclature.
Volkswagen’s shift in focus to SUVs and hybrids will drastically change the look of the German brand’s dealership floors as we know them. The demand in the global market for gargantuan family haulers is seeing to that. But it’s the quirky compacts cars and affordable hot hatches which VW arguably built its reputation on in the States are dwindling, and fast.
While we might be in the last days of one of the most iconic hot hatches in history, you still have a fleeting chance to experience one of the best versions of the Golf VW makes. At least for the time being you still have a few options, it’s just a matter of how much you want to spend.
