Houston Cars

VW says that not everyone will “get” the R32.  I believe you can count me in that group.  With a base price of $33,630, I don’t believe the “Super Golf” offers a reasonable level of performance for the price.  Since when do I have to spend nearly $34 large to get 250 HP?  250 HP dragging around 3547 lbs doesn’t exactly scream blistering performance. 

Did I mention that the R32 costs almost $34 thousand American dollars?  I can’t help but think there are about 50 cars ( at least ) that I’d rather buy for the price.  This car offers neither exceptional performance, an exceptional price, exceptional reliability, or exceptional styling.  I cannot fathom what the R32 has to offer, but that’s probably because I don’t “get” it.  Do you?

2008 Volkswagen R32 Specs

• 250 HP 3.2 liter V6
• 6 speed manual transmission
• AWD
• 18″ wheels
• Curb weight: 3547 lbs
• EPA Says : 18 MPG city / 23 MPG highway

2008 Volkswagen R32 Reviews

Motor Trend reviews the 2008 Volkswagen R32 and writes - ‘Whether it’s firing off shifts in 0.2 second, savoring the raspy exhaust snarling through the center pipes, or relishing the extreme grip provided by 4Motion, the R32 feels like a rally car with a hearty appetite for tarmac. Rather than using a traditional, mechanical torque-split system, the R32 sports the more intelligent Haldex 4, which utilizes an electronic torque map for each condition based on temperature, speed, surface, and traction, providing the optimal split for specific situations. In such extreme conditions as accelerating on a slippery surface, where the balance of the vehicle shifts drastically, the system will transfer up to 100 percent of torque to either the front or rear wheels.’

Automobile Mag reviews the 2008 Volkswagen R32 and writes - ‘Oversteer is something that the video game engineers - errrr chassis engineers - forgot to program in. Lift in the middle of a corner? Understeer. Stab the brakes in during turn-in? Understeer. Apply way too much throttle way too early in a corner? Understeer. Trail brake? Understeer. Scandinavian-flick into an off-camber corner while simultaneously lifting? You guessed it. Understeer.’

Autoweek reviews the 2008 Volkswagen R32 and writes - ‘We drove through searing heat and intermittent rain showers and never had to adjust our driving style. The new electromechanical steering was nicely weighted, with good road feel. Understeer was never a big issue. The R32 responds best when driven hard. It urges you to do so with a glorious-sounding exhaust whose grumbling bark rises along with engine revs to a high-pitched yowl. Judging by the flashing headlamps and jubilant thumbs up we got from passing truckers, the exhaust note was as entertaining to others as it was to us as we played the gears through the endless low-speed tunnels that lead away from Lake Como. ‘