Yipee! Volkswagen Golf R set to be launched in the Middle East 

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time to get ready to welcome the most powerful Golf ever to the Middle East. That’s right, the Volkswagen Golf R is set to land in the Middle East with its striking looks and sport car like performance.

The Golf R packs a frugal turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that thumps out 315 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. 0-62mph takes only 4.7 seconds while it has a very German top speed of 155mph (250 km/h). Buyers can choose between a six speed manual transmission and a DSG.

We’ll talk a bit more about performance as VW says the Golf R has torque vectoring and, ahem, Drift Mode! The German carmaker says that as a result the Golf R will provide “maximum driving pleasure.” Well, who are we to argue?

The Golf R’s exterior is certainly not devoid of action as it has matt chrome mirrors, R logo floor projection when the car door is opened and closed and LED headlamps and tail lights. The interior also looks superb with a 10.0-inch touchscreen, VW's Digital Cockpit with a virtual instrument cluster, touchpad controls on the steering wheel and a special "R" button on the steering wheel which provides easy access to the Race drive mode.

Victor Dalmau, Managing Director of Volkswagen Middle East, said: “The Golf R is Volkswagen’s top performance model and the elite member of the R-Brand. This latest edition unites speed, precision, and power achieving a driving experience like never before. The Middle East has long shown a keen appetite for performance models, so we are particularly excited about launching this car in the region.”

Volkswagen is accepting pre-orders with a starting price of $49,709 (excluding VAT).