- 2023 VW Golf R Anniversary Edition Price: $44,940 plus a $1,095 destination fee
Volkswagen gave its little Golf hatchback a shot of adrenaline and an R badge for the first time for the 2003 model year. The R32 edition, as Volkswagen purists know it, is a legend to fans. Twenty years later, it is marking the occasion with a special edition.
Volkswagen will build just 1,800 examples of the 2023 VW Golf R Anniversary Edition. They’ll wear a sticker on the window with a $44,940 price tag, plus $1,095 shipping and handling.
The upgrades are all cosmetic, save one. The Anniversary Edition deletes the standard sunroof to save weight. It’s a curious move, but we imagine anyone looking to mark the birthday of the R32 cares enough about their car’s performance to approve.
North American buyers can choose from a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or a 6-speed manual. The rest of the world just gets the automatic gearbox.
Otherwise, the special equipment is all decorative. It includes blue R badges (rather than the usual silver), black “20” badges on the B-pillars, and puddle lights that project “20 R.” The 19-inch wheels are gloss black.
Inside, the Anniversary Edition is the first VW to get genuine carbon fiber trim.
Outside, it will come only in blue, white, or black paint color. Blue models get black mirror caps. White and black models get blue mirror caps.
