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Top Gear's hot hatch of choice

THREE WISE MEN: Jeremy, Richard and James think this is the best hot hatch money can buy at the moment. Who are we to argue?
THREE WISE MEN: Jeremy, Richard and James think this is the best hot hatch money can buy at the moment. Who are we to argue?
VW’s Golf R has won TopGear’s Hot Hatch of the Year Award.

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May (hosts of the most popular motoring broadcast show in history) singled out Golf R for its dynamic ability, powerful and charismatic engine and everyday refinement. 

In deciding the winner of the category the judges found the Golf R to be "extraordinarily good at so many things".

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On hand to collect the Award was Hendrik Muth, marketing boss at Volkswagen R – the special projects wing of Volkswagen tasked with designing and developing R products.

He commented: "This is the third generation of Golf R and the fastest and most focused. We designed it to appeal to keen drivers such as the judges at TopGear."

Able to sprint from 0-100km/h in only 5.5 seconds, courtesy of its 199kW 2.0 TSI engine, the Golf R’s benefits from a suite of mechanical upgrades to cope with its increased dynamism.

These include new springs (in combination with recalibrated dampers), revised DSG transmission software, larger brake discs and slightly enhanced aerodynamics. A sophisticated all-wheel drive system enables the car to employ full power even on treacherously wet or uneven road surfaces.

The Golf R takes the TopGear crown from the Golf GTI, which won the Hot Hatch category in 2009. For VW, it is a family affair...
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