Volkswagen Australia is champing at the bit for the successor to its top-selling R performance model, the Tiguan R.
With the all-new Volkswagen Tiguan range arriving in Australian dealerships last month, the wait for a successor to the high-performance Tiguan R continues.
However, Volkswagen Australia has told Drive it would be “first with [its] hands” up if and when the new performance Tiguan variant is confirmed by head office in Germany.
Reports of a new second-generation Tiguan R surfaced as early 2023, and while confirmation has not come in the intervening two years, it seems likely the successor to the original Tiguan R will join the broader range at some point in the future.
“There’s nothing confirmed at the moment from the factory,” Volkswagen Australia’s Head of Product Arjun Nidigallu told Drive.
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“Once they announce it in Europe, we’d be very interested, more than very interested, in that model.
“If there’s an R available in Germany or any other market, we’d be the first one to put our hands up.”
First seen in Australia in 2022, the original Tiguan R utilised Golf R underpinnings to become the brand’s best-selling performance car locally, outselling every other GTI and R model.
In its two full years on sale in Australia – 2023 and 2024 – Volkswagen sold a total of 3814 of the high-performance mid-size SUV, second only to Tiguan 162TSI variants.
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The original Tiguan R was powered by a 235kW/400Nm version of Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine offering a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.1 seconds.
As reported by Drive’s European correspondent Greg Kable in late 2023, “a new Tiguan R is in the works”, according to Volkswagen.
“It is planned to run the latest version of VW’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine from the outgoing model, developing 235kW and 400Nm.”
The newest Golf R has stepped up to outputs of 245kW and 420Nm.
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The broader Volkswagen Tiguan range launched in Australia last month with five variants across two engine choices – in three states of tune – and three trim levels: Life, Elegance and R-Line.
Sitting atop the current range, the 195TSI R-Line boasts 195kW/400Nm and all-wheel drive from its 2.0-litre turbo-four, all priced from $70,490 before on-road costs.
A new-generation Tiguan R would need to supplant the 195TSI at the top of the range and would, in all likelihood, exceed the $73,790 (plus on-roads) the previous generation asked for when last on sale in Australia in 2024.
The post Volkswagen Tiguan R return high on Australian wish list appeared first on Drive.