Volkswagen R32 wrooms off as 'Best Sports Car' at Autocar 2006 Middle East Awards

In the Middle East, motoring excellence recognition doesn't come bigger than the Autocar Awards, and as this year's awards proved, the Volkswagen Golf R32 ranks right up there with the best sports cars in its segment globally.
At the award ceremony held in Dubai, Volkswagen Golf R32 was adjudged the best in its category ahead of some strong competition.

The Autocar Middle East Awards are the most authoritative and impartial in the region thanks to the fact they have compiled through a mixture of independent judging and popular votes. The Awards cater to many categories from "Best Small Car" to "Best Exotic Car", with a panel of various judges consisting of motoring journalists and driving experts from across the Middle East. The judges spent a few days putting the three nominated cars through their paces at the Dubai Autodrome before deciding on the ultimate winner of the Best Sports Car, the R32.

Reflecting on the recognition, Andreas Prinz, Managing Director of Volkswagen Middle East, said, "This R car is the real deal. It truly epitomises all that makes for a good sports car - style, brilliant handling and masses of power. And the AutoCar Awards is the ultimate recognition, which substantiates our strategies for the Golf R32."

The new R32 is the most powerful and fastest Golf ever. The combination of standard four-wheel drive (4MOTION), 184 kW / 250 hp, 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds (using DSG* gearbox) and a top speed of 250 km/h make the Golf R32 one of the best sports cars in the compact class. Ideally balanced for fast lap times on track days, the equally comfortable Golf R32 is also recommended for long trips between appointments. The engineers have tuned the sports chassis perfectly to the V6 boost and 4MOTION grip. While the GTI chassis has been lowered by 15 millimetres compared with the series model, the new R32 has been lowered 20 millimetres. This car is therefore both comfortable and, thanks to the four-wheel drive, very agile. Other than its intonation, the 3189cc 24-valve narrow angle V6 features wonderful smoothness, a barrel-chested mid-range, lots of run near redline and a decent amount of muscle at low revs.

Autocar is Europe's best-known, best-informed and most trusted motoring magazine, and since 1963, has recognised motoring excellence through the Autocar Awards. As the tagline so rightly puts it, the Autocar Awards celebrate the biggest success stories of the past 12 months - and those who made them happen.