Volkswagen R32

Although it may seem counterintuitive, the worst venue to test most cars is a racing circuit. At competition speeds--given the smooth surface, carefully radiused turns and good traction--even slow cars can easily generate more energy on a track than brakes and suspension can handle. After a few laps the engine may still be pulling like a D8 Cat, but the other vital subsystems will have already retired for the day.

There are some rare exceptions, the Volkswagen Golf R32 among them. This factory hotrod became an instant cult classic when buyers quickly snapped up the first brief production run of 5,000 units in 2004. A like number of 2008-model R32s is disappearing nearly as fast.

The original hot hatch, the Golf is a terrific platform, making it a prime candidate for go-fast bits and suspension upgrades. Think of the R32 as the ultimate GTI, targeting the slightly older, more affluent enthusiast.

It's really not about the looks. Exterior changes over the GTI are subtle, consisting mainly of a deeper front air dam plus a few R32 badges. Only the knowledgeable will identify it at a glance. The major visual tip-offs are a slightly lower ride height, painted brake calipers and a pair of big, chrome-tipped exhausts.

Inside are a meaty three-spoke wheel and very supportive, heated front sport seats with pronounced bolsters to keep the driver anchored in hard cornering. Aside from some chrome accents and "R" logos embroidered into the seat covers, much of the interior is standard GTI fare.

What makes the R32 special is its unique combination of powertrain and suspension. To the GTI are added the excellent Haldex all-wheel drive system and revised suspension tuning plus a 3.2-liter V-6, backed by a 6-speed DSG transmission. These four items comprise the soul of the R32.

VW calls the AWD system 4-Motion and it's a good one, able to route up to 100 percent of the torque to the rear axle when required. The threshold of the Electronic Stability Program is set high enough that it doesn't intervene until drivers have clearly demonstrated a substantial shortage of talent.

The narrow-angle, long-stroke 250 hp V-6 is notable chiefly for its refinement and seamless power delivery, further augmented by a deep 4.80:1 final drive and shorter fifth and sixth gears. The rev-happy six is eager to please; even in top gear, a quick jab of throttle at highway speeds results in an instant surge of acceleration.

VW/Audi's DSG electronically-shifted manual 6-speed is the only transmission choice and it's much happier in this application than with the corporate 2.0-liter turbo four that's the top engine choice in lesser Golfs. There's no waiting for a turbo to spool up and the extra-short gearing makes the top two gears all you'll need for most situations.

The DSG can be manually controlled with its paddle shifters although for serious road-course work, most will opt instead to use the shift lever in sport mode. That's because the paddle shifters are affixed to the wheel, making them impossible to locate when dialing-in a handful of lock. In automatic mode the DSG does a passable imitation of an automatic, although there's some shudder and rollback when coming to rest. Otherwise it's a paragon of civilized behavior and will bang off shifts in an eyeblink.

Suspension tuning is aggressive, with body motion held sharply in check and very little body roll. Steering response is go-kart quick with excellent feel and accuracy. There's strong self-centering action and path accuracy is superb. The brakes are equally up to the task, delivering powerful deceleration with very good feel.

One hint of this car's mission in life is the recommended tire pressure, a lofty 39 psi all around. Every freeway expansion strip is greeted with a solid thwack! and each contact patch can be felt clawing for traction during hard cornering. The typical Golf buyer might object to this bit of impact harshness but R32 owners will regard the suspension as merely a promising base-level setup for a weekend of autocross competition.

The R32 fairly begs to be driven hard. Smooth control inputs allow the skilled to extract every bit of its substantial lateral grip, regardless of road conditions. This responsive, confident handling quality raises the GTI's already superior dynamics to the next level.

Despite its 250 hp the R32 isn't ear bleed-fast. The all-wheel-drive hardware adds substantial weight and also soaks up power due to its increased rotational losses. At a porky 3.547 pounds the R32 is fully 396 pounds heavier than a GTI. These factors, plus the stiff gearing (good for only 25 mph per 1000 rpm in top gear) naturally have an impact on fuel mileage, an unremarkable 18.6 mpg on 91-octane in mixed driving.

Not surprisingly, it isn't substantially quicker than its four-cylinder turbo-powered sibling, reaching 60 mph from rest in a manufacturer-claimed 6.5 seconds (GTI: 6.9 seconds.) Top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph.

I had no way to verify those numbers as the test car's transaxle assembly had begun to detach itself from the vehicle and a check-engine light was glowing brightly during my time with the car. But this VW isn't about straight-line performance; it's all about responsive, vice-free handling, and on that point it certainly delivers.

A long list of standard equipment helps justify the R32's base price of $32,990. The test car, with a single option (sat nav system, $1800) and including the $640 destination charge, had a sticker of $35,430. High perhaps for a model that began life as an economy car. But this level of balanced, all-around competence makes the Volkswagen R32 one of the performance bargains of the decade, witnessed by the fact that if you haven't already plunked down your order, it may already be too late.

Editor's Note: You're here already, so check out the secrets to driving a car like this without losing your license.