+ Click to Enlarge NEW DRIVE FOR OLD GOLF: If you're old enough to remember the original Golf GTi then this one is even more powerful; if you're not, then try the car your dad loved to bits.

April 20, 2007
By Mike Winfield

In all its 25 years VW's Citi Golf has been re-invented more times than Madonna (it’s probably also had more facelifts than Cher) but the new R-line is the most radical Citi yet. It’s the humble Citi dressed as a hot rod.

The R-line branding is to VW what AMG is to Mercedes or MSport to BMW. It’s the company’s go-faster department and later this year you'll be able to set eyes on the new R32, the VW Golf that thinks it’s a Porsche.

When its comes to the Citi R-line, however, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that, at R115 920, it’s claimed to be the most afffordable performance car in the country.

The bad news is that only 100 will be available so, if you want one and your name isn’t already on the list, you’d better scoot down to your local VW dealer quick.

Performance car? I hear you sneer. A Citi Golf? Well, yeah, the new R-line produces 90kW at 5900rpm, five more than the original hot-hatch, Mk.I Golf GTi. What’s happened is that VW’s competition department has taken a fuel-injected 1.8-litre Golf engine and beefed it up with different camshafts, crankshaft, con rods and pistons.

Visually, the R-line Citi is remarkably restrained. I had expected something aimed at the boy racer to come with huge wings and garish stripes but the body kit runs to nicely proportioned front and rear spoilers and sills.

It also has slightly lower suspension, double exhausts and new 15", six-spoked alloy rims through which red brake callipers are just visible.

In fact most of the boy racer stuff is inside the car, what with front bucket seats, a three-spoked sports steering wheel with aluminium trim, silver dials, vents and sills as well as silver foot pedals.

But it also has some luxury stuff, such as tinted windows, a front-loading CD/MP3 player with four speakers, a transponder immobiliser, child-proof door locks, remote-controlled central locking and an alarm.

Nobody at VW SA’s Citi R-line launch could remember just how many variants of the Citi there have been. About 15 was the best guess but certainly this one is the most sporting yet.

In fact just firing up the car leaves you in no doubt that this is a modified car because it idles with that rorty, lumpy growl that comes with somebody having massaged the motor’s innards. Rev the car and it spits out a racy bellow that’s not going to go down well with your neighbours.

Three-pointers out

Slip it into first, jump on the throttle and away we scream. Up comes the first corner and with it the first of several discoveries that remind you this car is a quarter of a century old. There’s no power steering and, with its fat tackies, you have to haul it round the bend with your forearm muscles yelling "hey, what’s going on here?"

Now you remember why they call them boy racers - because no young lady is going to want to three-point turn this buggy in a supermarket car park.

Now you’re back on the straight and you boot the throttle flat. Up goes the speed - it’ll reach a about 190km/h if the conditions are right - and so too does the engine noise. By the time you hit the 6000rpm rev-limiter you’ve switched off the radio and anything you wanted to say to your passenger will have to wait because you won't be heard anyway.

Tap off a little... Ah, that’s better, but remember to take ear plugs if you’re planning a really long trip anywhere or your ears will be ringing for a week.

Great starter buy

By now your backside is also telling you that, heck, but this thing’s a little firmly sprung, isn’t it? Yep, but that’s the price you have to pay for better roadholding. The vacuum assistance on the brakes has been improved to handle the extra power but there's no anti-lock system.

Still, the car does stop on a tickey (anybody remember a tickey?) so no real complaints there.

In short, the little Citi R is a dinosaur, but at the price it’s a great starter buy for a cash-strapped youngster who is looking for a performance car that’s fun to drive and reliable to boot.

Incidentally, if you miss out on the limited-edition R-line, VW is planning a more sedate version - to be known as the 1.8i - later in the year.

So, this dinosaur’s planning to be around for quite a while yet.