The last time I drove the R32 was the first time in a long time that I spoke with a police officer. This time I managed to
avoid that conversation, mostly by virtue of the new transmission and exhaust system. Like its predecessor, this second-generation
Volkswagen R32 is ridiculously easy to drive at extremely imprudent speeds. But the earlier model tends to attract unwanted
attention because its two-stage exhaust system urges the driver to leave the stick-shift transmission in a lower gear to keep
the revs up and the second exhaust passage open; all just to hear that distinctive VR6 howl. The new car howls too, but leaving
its new DSG transmission in 'Drive' makes it easier to manage temptation.
Gauge packages and dual exhaust are just two possibilities for upgrading the R32.
The new R32 is built on Volkswagen's fifth-generation (Mk V) Golf chassis, introduced in North America in 2006 as the Volkswagen
Rabbit. Like the previous model, the new R32 shares several major components with the Audi TT, including the full-time four-wheel-drive
system. Although VW calls it 4Motion instead of quattro, both systems use a computer-controlled clutch pack made by Haldex
as a center differential, allowing almost infinitely variable front/rear torque split over a wide variety of conditions. It's
programmed to send torque to the wheels with the most traction, which avoids uselessly spinning the front wheels during hard
acceleration. Combined with the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), 4Motion also greatly enhances the car's handling capabilities.
It does however contribute almost 300 pounds to the car's 3547-pound curb weight, and it probably has a lot to do with reducing
the gas mileage to 18/23 mpg, putting it in the lower 20th percentile for compact cars. But no one buys the R32 for economy.
A major part of the car's appeal is the smooth six-cylinder engine. The VR6 (which stands for V-Reihen, or V-inline) is the
latest iteration of Volkswagen's first six-cylinder engine, introduced in the 1992 Corrado with a displacement of 2.8 liters
and sequential port-fuel injection. Even though it's a narrow-V engine with only 15 degrees between cylinder banks, it still
needs two camshafts. The earlier engine uses one camshaft per cylinder bank to operate one intake valve and one exhaust valve
per cylinder. For the 3.2, the cylinder head was redesigned with longer camshafts and a different rocker arm arrangement.
Each camshaft still has only two cam lobes per cylinder, but now it's long enough for twelve lobes, so one camshaft operates
all of the intake valves and one camshaft operates all of the exhaust valves, making this a true dual-cam four-valves-per-cylinder
engine. More importantly, it also allows variable camshaft timing, which improves an engine's breathing over a wide rpm range.
The 3.2-liter engine generates 250 horsepower and 236 ft-lbs of torque, and 90 percent of that torque is available between
2500 and 4500 rpm, making this a terrifically flexible engine.
The software controlling the Direct Sequential Gearbox (DSG) transmission takes full advantage of that flexibility. When placed
in 'Drive,' it shifts early to conserve fuel, and although it tends to hunt for the right gear in some situations, the engine
never feels bogged down. Upon releasing the brake pedal, the clutch engages just enough to make the car creep as though it
has a real automatic transmission, and the uninitiated won't notice anything different. Those accustomed to operating the
clutch themselves will have no complaints with this computer-controlled clutch; the launch is perfect under all throttle demands.
Manual shifts, using either the steering-wheel mounted paddles or the console-mounted stick, are lightning quick and the revs
are always perfectly matched whether shifting up or down. Many people in this car's target market prefer a standard stick
shift, which is not available here in the 'States, but the R32's DSG is intuitive and truly a joy to use.
Jacques Gordon is also technical editor of Motor Age, our 100-year-old sister publication that is written for professional technicians. Jacques, with almost 30 years of automotive experience, has worked for both dealerships and independent shops.
Articles by Jacques Gordon
