Speedier Rabbit: VW Launches 250-hp R32 in Chicago

At this year’s Chicago Auto Show, Volkswagen unveiled its most potent Rabbityet for North America. For those that believe that the GTI just isn’t fast enough, get ready for the new generation of R32.

Externally, the R32 is distinguished from the regular Rabbit and GTI by a different nose treatment. For instance, it features the grille surround like the GTI, but it’s finished in chrome as per the Passat and the Jetta rather than black. The car also receives a ground effects bodykit, and a rear valance that sports central-mounted twin exhaust pipes. VW will offer the R32 in four colors, including blue, gray, white and red. The R32 will only be offered in a three-door hatchback design, partly because

The R32 is the ultimate Rabbit. It's also one of the most desirable. (Photo: Volkswagen)

Audi offers a five-door A3 Sportback with five doors and wouldn’t want sales to be cannibalized, and partly because the three-door design suits the performance image of the little hatch.

The interior of the car is finished in typical German fashion; simple andstraight forward with its focus on the driver. Sport seats pinched from the GTI are supportive, although unlike the GTI there’s no funky tartan plaid trim. The GTI’s flat-bottomed steering wheel is also featured on the R32, the bottom-most

The V6 gives the R32 250 horsepower, separating it from the 200-hp GTI. (Photo: Volkswagen)

spoke featuring the car’s production number. VW will be marketing the R32 as an upscale performance sports car, and will include such standard features as a power sunroof, heated seats, rain sensing wipers, automatic climate control and the option of a navigation system.

Under the hood is the brand’s 3.2-liter V6 engine that makes 250 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. Mated to the excellent six-speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox, it’ll hit 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, which is a quicker than the GTI. But the revolutionary thing about the R32 isn’t the power, it’s the handling. According to the Europeans who’ve had the R32 on sale for quite some time, this is one of the best handling

Straightforward interior isn't as funky as the GTI. Pictured is the European model, with different seats. (Photo: Volkswagen)

hot hatchbacks on the market. VW tuned the 4Motion all-wheel drive system to be rear biased, shifting up to 75-percent of the power to the rear wheels as needed. This dramatically reduces understeer, and gets around the nose-heavy feeling that the previous R32 had.

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