2008 Volkswagen R32

Tom Collins
The Auto Answerman
KEZW Radio
Denver

Overview:
The R32 is a 2door 5 passenger front engine AWD hatchback. The long list of standard features includes a 250 horsepower V6, 6 speed auto clutch manual transmission, all-wheel-drive and leather interior. Fuel economy is listed at 18 city and 23 hwy. Prices start at $32,990.

Under the hood:
Power comes from a 3.2 liter narrow angle naturally aspirated V6. The cast iron block features a forged steel crank with 7 main bearings. The aluminum alloy cross-flow heads come with chain driven dual overhead cams and 4 valves per cylinder with variable valve timing. Premium fuel is recommended. Horsepower is rated at 250 with 236 foot pounds of torque at 2500-3000 rpm. The engine is both smooth and powerful effortlessly revving to it redline.

Driveline:
Only one transmission is offered, a six speed auto clutch manual called DSG or Direct-Shift Gearbox. There is no clutch pedal and the car is driven much like an automatic. The system does the clutching for you providing smooth and quick shifts aided by steering wheel mounted paddles for manual shifting if desired. Power is directed to all four wheels by VW’s 4motion Haldex all-wheel-drive setup.

Suspension:
Upfront you’ll find McPherson struts, coil springs and a stabilizer bar. On the rear it’s a four link setup with separate springs and shocks and a roll bar. Large 13.6 front rotors and 225/40/18 tires provide smooth short stops. ABS and stability control are standard.

Inside:
I read somewhere that the European R32 is a 4-door. Personally, I would prefer that in the U.S. version too. Although, it’s listed as a 5-passenger, the R32 is better suited to just 2 front passengers and no doubt this is how it will be driven in most cases. The rear seats fold down providing 43 cubic feet of cargo area. The front seats are very comfortable with lots of leg and shoulder room. Tilt steering means that just about every driver will find a comfortable driving position. The premium sound system comes with a six-disc changer, 10 speakers and an ipod adapter. Sirus satellite radio and navigation is optional. By the way, this is one of the best sounding audio systems I’ve encountered.

The instrument cluster glows blue at night and looks very nice. The multi-function display features trip time, trip length, average trip speed, average trip and current fuel consumption along with a tach, coolant gauge and outside temp. There is also a brake pad wear indicator. Nice! There are reading lights for the front and rear passengers along with a rear cargo light. The doors lock automatically when speed reaches 8 miles per hour. The folding key comes with remote keyless entry. Dual front airbags are augmented with side curtain airbags. There is also a climate control system with heated front seats and outside mirrors. Leather is standard. The cabin is relatively quiet with good headroom and outside visibility. The Germans are usually pretty good with cabin comfort and VW has one of the best interiors on the market. The controls and materials have a good look and feel.

Behind the wheel:
The R32 is simply a pleasure to drive. I don’t know how they do it, but Volkswagen has nailed the formula for suspension tuning, providing a supple well controlled ride while retaining sharp handling and steering feel. All-wheel-drive helps the R32 control oversteer and understeer while eliminating torque steer. Stability control contributes too, of course. Braking is outstanding. VW claims 0-62 MPH is 6.5 seconds. This is conservative in my opinion. The car feels faster than that. More like 6 seconds by my guess. The R32 is a little hesitant off the line as the clutch engages but once underway the car is a rocket.

Bottom line:
VW has a slogan; ‘Drivers Wanted’ it really applies in this case. The R32 is a driver’s car pure and simple. So drive one today at your VW dealer. If that sounds like a commercial, so be it. This car deserves serious consideration by any driving enthusiast.

Tom Collins
The Auto Answerman
KEZW Radio/Denver
www.theautoanswerman.com
tomcollinsaam@yahoo.com