Golf R

Make
Volkswagen
Segment
Hatchback

Volkswagen R has teased a new Golf R 333 Limited Edition in a flashy golden hue ahead of the car's official reveal on May 31. Considering that the Golf will likely give way to an electric successor in the not-too-distant future, the Golf R 333 Limited Edition will doubtless be one of the last special edition ICE Golfs that VW makes.

This new hatch follows the introduction of the 20 Years Edition model launched almost a year ago, which became the most powerful production Golf ever. In the United States, we received our own version of this model. Finished in Lapiz Blue, it looks great but misses out on a few crucial upgrades found on the Euro one, most notably the uprated 328-horsepower turbo-four mill.

Based on the '333' in its name, the new 333 Limited Edition will make 333 PS or 328 hp, the same as Europe's 20 Years Edition model.

If VW does bring the 333 Limited Edition to the USA, it would surely have to increase its output to justify the '333' badge. Bear in mind that the standard EA888 engine in the Golf R produces 315 hp, already enough for a 0-60 mph time of close to four seconds thanks to the grippy all-wheel-drive system.

The teaser shows various flashes of the 333 Limited Edition, including a black strip on the lower doors with the '333' proudly incorporated into it. There are also black mirror caps and wheels, which contrast nicely with the golden paintwork that looks much more exciting than the Pure White, Deep Black Pearl, and Lapiz Blue options of the regular R. Adding another visual pop to its appearance are blue brake calipers.

We can also see that the 333 Limited Edition comes with the upgraded Akrapovic exhaust system present on Europe's 20 Years Edition but disappointingly absent from America's Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition.

Not much else is known about the 333 Limited Edition based on this teaser, but we assume it will also make 310 lb-ft like Europe's 20 Year's Edition, and it may come with the Emotional Start mode as well. This feature sees the revs rise to 2,500 rpm when the hatch is started, while with the dual-clutch automatic transmission there are more intense upshifts in S and S+ modes. The 0-62 mph time - assuming 328 hp and 310 lb-ft - will probably be around 4.6 seconds for the 333 Limited Edition.

We also anticipate that this new special Golf will be available with a six-speed manual gearbox. In the USA, the take rate for Golf GTI and R manual models was one of the highest in the industry for a specific model. VW would surely want to capitalize on this.

While there is no guarantee that the Golf R 333 Limited Edition will be sold here, we hope it'll be kitted out with all the goodies that the last Golf R special edition sold here missed out on.