Wolfsburg, Germany - If good things come in threes, as they say, then the new Volkswagen Golf R 333 Limited Edition is surely playing an enticing numbers game.
With a power output of 333 PS (metric horsepower), which translates to 245kW, the newcomer joins the Golf R 20 Years as the most powerful Golf production model ever.
Fittingly, just 333 examples of the new Golf R edition will be made, but unfortunately VWSA has confirmed that there are currently no plans to bring any into South Africa.
Not only is 10kW more potent than the regular Golf R, with torque from the EA 288 2-litre turbopetrol engine remaining identical at 420Nm, but the 333 edition also makes all the right noises thanks to an Akrapovič R Performance exhaust system with titanium rear silencers.
The Volkswagen Golf R 333 Limited Edition will get you from 0-100km/h swiftly in 4.6 seconds, according to claims, making it 0.2 seconds quicker than the standard model, while the top speed limiter has been raised to 270km/h.
The edition rides on black 19-inch Estoril wheels with semi slick tyres, and comes exclusively with Lime Yellow Metallic paintwork, while a black roof and “333” design logos on the sides of the car add the necessary contrast.
This is also the first R model to have a sequential numbering badge in the cabin, as in 1 of 333.
Standard features include a 480W Harman Kardon sound system, Nappa leather premium sport seats, LED matrix headlights, Adaptive Cruise Control with stop & go function and Lane Assist.
“The Golf R 333 is the first R model with a specification predefined by us that leaves no customer wishes regarding performance unfulfilled - thanks to its extensive equipment,” said Volkswagen R marketing head Hakim Halimi.
Dynamic features, as per the regular Golf R, include 4Motion all-wheel drive and R-Performance Torque Vectoring with Vehicle Dynamics Manager. This doesn’t just sound all important, but actually does some cool dynamic stuff like distributing power between the back wheels.
Clients can also look forward to Drift and Special driving profiles, specially designed for the Nürburgring racetrack.
The Volkswagen Golf R 333 Limited Edition is set to enter production in September, with German deliveries scheduled to commence in October. Its home market price tag - although not applicable to SA - is 76 410 euros (R1.6 million), which is a 13 700 euro (R288 000) premium over the base Golf R.