But then again…big or small, it’s an entire model line. As yours truly is all too aware, VW has been plagued with quality issues for sometime now. And while things have supposedly gotten better, something like this only goes to support the contrary.

Nevertheless, if you’re one of the lucky few to own a 2008 R32 take your baby to the dealer for free service to replace the faulty valve. I sure wouldn’t want my R32 to catch on fire…unless I drove it really fast and somehow managed to go back in time.

But look a little deeper on this one, and check out what the competition is. Wow, the R32 beat out the Mazda3? And the Volvo C30?! Holy crap that’s…lame! They didn’t even pit it against the GTI, which is a BIG mistake.

As I (and TTAC) have said before, I think VW really missed the mark on this one. And TTAC follows up by calling Intellichoice out. As Robert Farago (of TTAC) points out, you don’t have to go far to see the real comparisons on the cost of ownership – which is the basis of the Intellichoice award. Now do I think that VW is paying off Intellichoice as Farago suggests? Not necessarily. The R32 is still a limited edition run (about 5,000 stateside I think), which VW has never had an issue selling. BUT, what are the banner ads on the award detail page? That’s right, the GTI (at least they where for me). So I guess it’s a chicken or the egg question. Did VW buy ad space because they won the award, or did they buy the space to win the award?

Either way, when you take a closer look the award loses its luster quickly. But, it’s still great to hear anything positive about VW’s quality – especially when you consider where they’ve been in the past. Let’s just keep them moving in the right direction.

Now, there are a lot of nice things said about the R32 in this review. It seems to get all the praise it deserves. But I think Farago has hit the nail on the head. With this generation, VW has narrowed the gap between the R32 and the GTI. It seems that they’ve given the GTI driver much more, and R32 guy just a bit more than that. Was it the right move? I personally think so. Cannibalizing a collector’s market for the sake of a much larger one is a regrettable move, but a necessary one. VW was in sad shape before unveiling the Mark V GTI, and they’ve made somewhat modest strides to improve their shape since.

Now, I’m writing all of this without seeing one of these puppies in person. Maybe I’m completely wrong, and the new R32 lives up to and surpasses the holy grail quality of it’s predecessor. But seeing the pics, reading the reviews and considering the slow sales thus far has somewhat confirmed my suspicions(I’m still reserving judgment though).

What do you guys think? Anyone been privileged enough to take both a GTI and an R32 for a spin?

• Will debut this fall
• 0-60 in 6.4 seconds
• 250 horsies, 236 ft. lbs. of torque
• 1,000 of the 5,000 allotted sold in pre-sales
• MSRP of $32,990
• DSG Transmission

Now just look at it for a sec:

I’m officially drooling. While I’m sure I will never own one, they’re fun just to think about. I’d write more, but I’m daydreaming right now. But The Car Blog has done a swell job on the write-up. Still need more? Hit up the official site.

Side note: The Car Blog seems to be having some php issues at the time of this writing. If it’s down when you hit it, just try again a hair later. They usually have great up time.

The three day event will kick off on Monday at Mohawk Park with catering, live music, and photo opps. Tuesday brings full-on drag racing at Tulsa Raceway park from 4:30pm till the sun don’t shine no mo’. Wednesday is track day at Hallet Motor Racing Circuit, where you can mix it up with other R32 owners in the bends.

Other extras include rooms reserved at Cherokee Casino Resort which will be hosting a poker tournament, and a golf course for all you Tiger-wannabees out there. Check out the official website, R32NationalGTG.com, for more details.

All that goodness should translate well to the new R32. Tack on the venerable narrow-angle VR6 3.2l pumping out 250hp and 236lbft of torque, a lower, wider suspension, twin exhaust, AWD, 18’s… you get the picture. Speaking of which, here are a couple shots and a video of someone taking the R32 through its paces (video is European version).

* From VW’s press release:
CHICAGO – Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced the return of its motorsports-inspired R32 at the Chicago Auto Show. First introduced in 2004 to an enthusiastic reception, the R32 delivers the ultimate in Volkswagen sports performance with dynamic handling and refined road manners.

The R32’s power comes from a 3.2 L naturally aspirated 15-degree narrow angle V6 engine. With 250 horsepower and 236 ft. lbs. of torque, the R32 is all muscle. The standard 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system transfers at least 75 percent of available torque to the rear wheels. Volkswagen’s acclaimed DSG® transmission allows for seamless gear changes and accelerates from 0-60 in approximately 6.4 seconds.

With a fully independent multi-link rear suspension that sits wider and lower than its GTI sibling, the R32 flaunts its authority both inside and out. Twin chrome exhausts, 18-inch alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon headlights, a uniquely shaped front grille and R32 badging distinguish this car from anything else on the road. A rear roof spoiler and deep front spoiler, coupled with body-colored bumpers, side bump strips, door handles and door mirrors, add to the streamlined, sporty look.

The R32 boasts a long list of safety features, including Electronic Stabilization Program that reacts to critical driving situations in milliseconds by controlling the speed of individual wheels; and a confidence-inspiring Anti-Lock Braking System that helps to prevent wheels from locking under heavy braking. Brake Assist boosts brake pressure in emergency braking situations and the state-of-the-art Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle’s brakes based on road and driving conditions.

Inside, the R32 takes it cues from racing with aluminum-look foot pedals and deep front sports seats. Features such as automatic climate control (Climatronic™), ten-speaker premium CD stereo system, rain sensing wipers, automatic dimming interior rear-view mirror, heatable front seats and heated washer nozzles, anti-theft alarm, cruise control and trip computer are standard luxuries that complement this performance-driven champ.

VW currently offers the DSG on the Jetta with a 2.0l turbo, the Jetta GLI and TDI models, GTI and the New Beetle TDI. The DSG transmission functions like two automatics mated together. One clutch works the odd gears, the other even. The smooth transition between gears is accomplished by keeping one clutch open at all times, ready to receive the next shift. The increase in fuel economy is because of the speed of the gear shift and no torque converter to lose power to, like in automatics.

Volkswagen will be building the DSG’s in house at its factory in Kassel, Germany, which begs the question: will VW transmission quality go up? Some might say it can only go up from here. ;) Early in this transition, it will cost Volkswagen about the same amount to build the DSG’s as it would to purchase automatics, but they hope to cut that cost throughout the transition.

Head on over to their site and check out their huge offering of ads.

I have been eyeing the R32 since they hit the streets back in ‘04. Unfortunately for those of us without an abundance of cash lying around, the $30k sticker price leaves us drooling as we watch lucky owners pass us on the interstate.

Its now 2006, and the 1-year-run R32 has been on the streets for 2 years now. I thought it might be time to upgrade my GTI 1.8T for some new hotness. Alas, my dreams have been dashed… I have never seen a normal production car hold its value so well. In some cases, dealers are actually trying to sell the car for MORE than what it was new. I went to several dealers, and the CHEAPEST I could find my dream car was $27 grand. And thats with 60k miles on it… Yeah right. I know what youre saying to yourself… “Check out e-bay motors, Timmau!” The only problem with that is, I’m terribly lazy.

Even so, I still used it as an opportunity to go to some dealers and take several R32s for a spin. The most important thing I can say about the R32 is that it is concentrated hotness. It is a Golf, but at the same time it is SO much more. When you sit in the R32, the Recaro seats hug you like you were their long-lost family member… And when you’re taking 90-degree turns at exceptional speeds, you will feel like you are part of the car. Turning the ignition and firing up the car rewards the driver with a throaty exhaust.. Reving it turns that low-range growl into a mid-range pur as you bring it to normal RPMs. The R32 feels good on the highway and in stop-and go traffic… but the real fun is when you get to hit some windy roads. There is little to no body lean in turns, and the 4-motion pulls you along with no tire-squeal in tight turns.

Acceleration in the R32 is good. It could be that I’m used to having to wind out the 1.8T to get that pin-you-in-your seat acceleration, but I could not for the life of me do the same in the R32… Acceleration is much more smooth across the entire range of RPM. Any review you read though, will tell you the R32 is not suited to take a WRX or a Mitsu-Evo off the line.

To sum up my impressions of the R32: is it worth it? Brand new this car is easily worth the 30k sticker price, but after two years on the road, average depreciation is something on the order of 20% or so…. I would not pay 30k for a two-year old car. Besides, the next-gen R-series Golf is due out later this year.

Time to start saving those pennies ;)

* Photo Credit: VWvortex.com

You can check out each poll at the following links over at VWvortex.com and provide your opinion. The poll results will be submitted to Volkswagen for review.

- 3 or 5 Doors Poll
- DSG or Manual Transmission Poll

What would I like to have? Hmm, it’s a tough choice on both for me. But I must fall back on what would work best for what’s happening in my life right now. My wife and I will be starting a family soon, so the 5 door is more appealing. So I guess I would vote 5 door.

For the transmission, I love manuals, but I’m gonna have to say DSG for this too. The technology itself is cool, and being able to tool around Cincinnati roads while paddle-shifting sounds like fun. Handling kids and other things with an automatic that’s semi-manual would be a lot easier than with a manual. So I vote DSG transmission.

Man, am I getting old and crotchety already? hahaha Hey, having a family-friendly car wrapped in R32 clothing is still a pretty hot family ride.