The full Golf performance range, covering the three-door Golf GTI Original through to the Golf R are now all on-sale in Australia.

VOLKSWAGEN AUSTRALIA has announced its full performance range of Golf product is now on-sale in Australia, with prices ranging from $37,490+ORC for the popularly demanded three door Golf GTI Original climbing to $59,990+ORC for the Golf R Wolfsburg Edition Wagon.

In its announcement, Volkswagen took aim at Hyundai, again, and media claims that its i30 N, which will launch in Australia soon and is expected to match the Golf GTI on price, suggesting the Hyundai will be more track-day than real-world. And he might be right, our Paul Horrell who drove the i30 N on UK roads late last year said it was a stiff-legged machine… but our versions will be tuned for Australian roads, so…

“Volkswagen offers not only the most accomplished fast and fun compact cars in the world, it provides the world’s widest range,” Volkswagen Group Australia Managing Director Michael Bartsch said. “There is now a performance Golf for everyone.”

“Extraordinary claims are being made for supposed rivals that are not yet on sale. While any skunkworks can turn out a track day special, the expertise and experience required to engineer a GTI or an R – cars that also excel in the real world – is rather more hard won.

“When you’ve owned a GTI or an R, it’s difficult to settle for anything less.”

We’ll come back to the Golf range… Here’s how our Paul Horrell summed up the i30 N: “The i30 N demands you drive it. You can spend ages setting it up to suit you, and then you’ve got a manual transmission, busy engine and lively attention-grabbing chassis to keep you on your game. Obviously, if you want a quick but refined and calm fast-car experience, look elsewhere”.

And the Golf GTI and Golf R: “Against key competitors, the two Golfs might not be as raucous but they feel better built, better equipped, more comfortable and just as sharp as ever”.

I’d suggest Volkswagen is being overly nervous about the arrival of the i30 N. Yep, it’ll grab some headlines but it’s going to take decades before it or any other N car becomes a cult classic. And if you’re a fan of driving, how exciting is it that car companies are churning out corner carvers like the Golf GTI and R and the i30 N.

The Golf GTI we’re most excited about is the three-door Golf GTI Original, which VW said was built in response to customer demands for a “pure” three-door GTI. Priced significantly under the five door GTI range, the retro-inspired Original shares the 7.5’s 169kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo four and choice of six-speed manual or six-speed DSG transmissions. It’s PM’s pick of the range.

You can now get into one of Golf’s coveted R’s for less than the sticker price of the top-spec GTI. Starting at $47,490+ORC, the Golf R Grid Edition is an entry version of the Golf R 7.5. Despite being the first R variant to be priced at less than $50,000, the Grid forgoes only Active Info and features Alcantara rather than leather upholstery, while boasting an 8.0-inch infotainment screen.

Golf GTI and Golf R pricing (excludes ORC):