The most powerful kit features a larger turbocharger, a sports exhaust system with a different downpipe and a racing catalyst, reprogrammed ECU, a revised air intake system and a new intercooler.

The most powerful kit features a larger turbocharger, a sports exhaust system with a different downpipe and a racing catalyst, reprogrammed ECU, a revised air intake system and a new intercooler.

B&B claims that the 362HP Golf R sprints from standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in just 4.8 seconds and maxes out at 280km/h or 174 mph.

The tuning firm also offers a special 8-caliper high-performance braking system, an adjustable coilover suspension with new springs that lower the vehicle’s ride height and a set of black-colored alloy wheels in sizes 19” and 20”.

Over the past few years, LEDs have worked their way into automotive lighting, initially on high-end luxury and sports cars, but lately, on an increasing number of mainstream vehicles. In what the company claims to be a ‘first’ in the compact segment, Volkswagen has developed new LED rear lights for the sportiest variants of the Golf VI.

Initially, the LED tail lamps will be offered as standard on the recently revealed 270HP Golf R and as an option for €350 or approximately US$520 on the 210HP Golf GTI and its diesel-sibling, the 170HP Golf GTD.

Volkswagen said that each smoked rear light consists of two curved right angles, each angle containing eleven LEDs plus one central LED above each curve. If you do the math, that comes to a total of 48 LEDs.

Aside from the cool-look factor, the LED rear lights are practically maintenance-free and extremely fast with their response time to brake activation said to be 0.2 second faster than that of conventional incandescent lights. The company said that this time difference translates to 5.6 meters braking distance at a speed of 100 km/h or 62mph.

Golf buyers can combine the LED tail lights with bi-xenon head lights with dynamic cornering light that vary the lighting direction as a function of the steering angle. The headlamps are standard on the Golf R and optional on all other Golf models with prices starting from €1,295 (US$1,900).

Volkswagen used today’s Bologna motor show to unveil its Mk2 Golf Plus, the third Golf model (after the three- and five-door hatchbacks) to get Wolfsburg’s latest looks.

Only the nose on the new VW Golf Plus looks new! What’s changed?

That new nose is indeed the obvious change. The headlamps, now with daytime running lights, receive a little nip on the inner edges and the two-bar grille is now in high-gloss black.

The bodywork tweaks also see the rubbing strips disappear from the revised front bumper, while the rear is tidied up by new bodywork and LED rear lights.

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