Submitted 10/11/09

The GTI-R wasn’t yet confirmed for U.S. consumption when it was revealed last month at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Thankfully, Volkswagen has just given the green light to the top of the line sport-tuned Golf which will take the place of the discontinued R32.

Unlike the R32, the GTI-R won’t be a six cylinder, but don’t worry, VW won’t disappoint. The GTI-R features a turbocharged 2.0 liter four pot which will generate 265 horsepower, more than the outgoing R32, making it the most powerful Golf yet to leave the factory. The GTI-R will also feature Volkswagen’s all-wheel drive setup.

The hot Golf can be purchased with VW’s lauded semi-automatic DSG (dual clutch) gearbox or with a traditional six-speed manual transmission. Shifting with a manual, expect the GTI-R to reach 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. Acceleration to 60 drops slightly with the extremely fast shifting DSG tranny, and drivers can expect a 0-60 mph run in about 5.5 seconds.

Like we said, although the new range topping Golf loses two cylinders, it doesn’t disappoint. Top speed will reach an electronically limited 155 mph, while fuel economy will average 27.6 mpg, a feat few cars of this caliber can achieve. The GTI-R leaves the R32 far behind in power and fuel economy, and a lighter engine is expected to improve handling as well.

GTI-Rs will reach U.S. shores in 2010 with a starting price slightly higher than the Golf GTI model. This is pretty obvious to us, so we’ll follow up when more details become available from VW. Now if Volkswagen could only send us the diesel version of the up-tuned GTI.

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