Worried The VW Golf R400 Will Be Too Pricey? Grab An £8k R32

When we heard that the blisteringly fast Golf R400 had been confirmed for production, we were more than a bit excited. The only trouble is, with the standard Golf R already weighing in at £30k, the R400 probably isn't going to be that cheap. With that in mind, we've been perusing the classifieds to look for a cheaper way of getting our Volkswagen R kicks. And that's where the R32 comes in.

The R32 badge first appeared on the Mk4 Golf, but it's the R32'd MkV Golf we're lusting after today. It packs a 3.2-litre VR6 (essentially a very narrow angle V6) engine that's good for 247bhp and 236lb/ft of torque. That's a fair amount down on the current Golf R with its 296bhp 2.0-litre four-pot, but with the aural delight of those extra two cylinders in the R32, you're unlikely to care.

0-62mph is possible in 6.5 seconds, while the top speed is electronically pegged to 155mph. And with the superb MkV Golf chassis underneath, it handles brilliantly and makes for a superb driver's car.

Interested? Prices start at around £8000. This example could be worth a look; it's finished in the rather lovely Deep Blue Pearl and has a full service history. It's done a reasonably low 62,000 miles, and is up for £9100.