Edmunds Inside Line - First Drive: 2008 Volkswagen R32

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At 4.3 miles, the Landeck Tunnel in the Austrian Alps is one of the longest enclosed roadways in the world. It's an impressive feat of engineering, but a mile or so in, we're feeling a little claustrophobic. Opening the windows doesn't help as the air is thick with diesel exhaust, so to break up the monotony we move on to Plan B.

Two downshifts and a burst of wide-open throttle later, our 2008 Volkswagen R32 is filling the tunnel with the refined burble of its sport exhaust. Up to redline and back down again, the engine is flawlessly smooth with an occasional crackle when we abruptly let off the gas. The R32's V6 has never sounded so good, and yeah, we're feeling much better now.

A few more runs through the six-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG) and we're through the tunnel, headed toward roads with fewer ceilings and more turns. Wind noise overcomes exhaust growl at this point, but the 2008 Volkswagen R32 has plenty more to keep us interested.

Cont....

Do You Really Want To Have It?

Paying more than $30,000 for what is essentially a top-of-the-line Rabbit isn't an easy sell. But with only 5,000 headed our way and a good chunk of those already spoken for, the 2008 Volkswagen R32 is clearly aimed at a specific customer.

Caught between a BMW 328i on one hand and a Mitsubishi Evo on the other, the R32 occupies a very small niche in the market. More like a splinter, really. It's like a GT car stripped to a core of function and practicality, a compact long-distance car with high-tech engineering.

Considering its downmarket hatchback profile, it seems as if it costs more than it should. Then again, the R32 also does more than it should, too. For the right kind of driver, the R32 won't seem quite so expensive, and he'll be glad to own it every time he drives through a tunnel.

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