Volkswagen has priced its Golf R Cabriolet. The fastest soft-top Golf yet, it wears a suitably high-end price tag. At £38,770, it costs nearly £1200 more than an entry-level Porsche Boxster with an identical power output.
The Golf’s turbocharged 2-litre four-cylinder engine possesses 261bhp and 258lb ft, which marks it a little short of the mk6 Golf R hatchback. But while the hard-top uses four-wheel drive, the cabrio’s power is all sent through the front wheels, via a standard six-speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox. Its top speed is electronically limited to 155mph while 0-62mph takes 6.4sec.
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The exterior makeover is virtually identical to the hatchback’s, with more aggressive bumpers and a plethora of gloss black details and R badges. The rear lights use darker lenses and LED technology. The roof is where this car differs, of course; the fabric roof is fully electric and lowers in 9.5sec at speeds of up to 18mph.
The R rides 25mm lower than standard Golf cabrios and there’s a choice of 18 or 19in Talledega alloy wheels, with silver or black finishes available. A DAB radio, leather seats and Bluetooth connectivity are standard inside.
At just shy of 39 grand, the Golf R Cabriolet is around £7000 more than the Golf R hatchback, which now that mk7 Golf production is at full strength, is no longer sold. As well as outpricing a Boxster, it’s also just over £1000 shy of a 268bhp BMW 330i Convertible, a larger four-seater rival.
