Whether it’s slammed street racers or lifted off-road trucks, specialized high-performance vehicles were once almost exclusively built by enthusiasts using custom and aftermarket parts. In more recent years, however, some of the most commonly-modified vehicles have been made available in high-performance factory-built trim levels. One of the most popular of these tuner cars has long been the Volkswagen Golf. And though VW has undeniably produced a wide range of immensely-capable Golf variants, the company has now pulled the cover off of what’s undoubtedly one of, if not the most high-performance version to date with the Volkswagen Golf R 333 Limited Edition.
Based on the already potent Golf R Performance, the Golf R 333 Limited Edition features a slew of aesthetic and performance upgrades. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine at the heart of the Golf R has been optimized, receiving a pre-spooled/pre-loaded turbocharger that massively increases the motor’s responsiveness. The most powerful Golf R engine to date, the forced induction four-banger now puts down 333PS (328HP) and 310ft-lbs of torque, figures that allow for a 4.6-second 0-60mph time and a top speed that’s been increased to 168mph — making it one of the fastest Golf models ever, as well as one of the most powerful.
The all-wheel-drive special edition also boasts VW’s R-Performance Torque Vectoring with a Vehicle Dynamics Manager, as well as Drift and Special driving profiles that were designed for use on the Nürburgring. Also of note is the car’s R Performance exhaust, which consists of an Akrapovič system complete with titanium silencers. The high-performance hot hatch also rides on a special set of blacked-out 19” five-arm Y-spoke Estoril wheels shod in semi-slick tires. On top of Q.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, the exterior of the car sports Lime Yellow Metallic paintwork contrasted via black accents and R-logoed blue calipers. Special 333 badging and logos are also found on both the interior and exterior of the vehicle.
Limited to 333 units, the 2024 Volkswagen Golf R 333 Limited Edition will be available for order at German VW dealers starting June 2, with deliveries scheduled to follow in October. Pricing for the Golf R 333 Limited Edition has been set at €76,410 (~ $84,500).
