2025 Volkswagen Golf R Mk8.5 facelift teased

Volkswagen has teased the new-look Mk8.5 Golf R at Ice Race in Zell am See, a winter snow race in Austria.

The carmaker has not released details of the updated Golf R yet, though visually it follows the rest of the Mk8.5 Golf range with refreshed lighting signatures (including an illuminated badge), updated bumpers, and fresh wheel designs.

Elements of the new R's design have been left covered by camouflage, suggesting there may be some differences to the grille and LED lights compared to the regular Golf range – possibly the R brand's signature Lapiz Blue highlights.

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Inside, we expect the updated touchscreen interface with illuminated HVAC sliders, physical wheel buttons in place of the controversial touch-capacitive items, and a larger 12.9-inch touchscreen.

While the Mk8.5 Golf GTI will receive a power bump from 180kW to 195kW for European markets, it's unclear if the new all-paw flagship's EA888 2.0-litre turbo will deliver an increase over the 245kW/420Nm made by the R 20 Years special edition model.

Expect the revamped DSG-only R flagship to arrive in Australia after the early 2025 release of the core Golf range (including GTI).

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The new Golf R will return to physical steering wheel buttons (GTI pictured)

“Volkswagen R is Volkswagen’s premium performance brand and has stood for sportiness and dynamic performance for more than 20 years", said head of Volkswagen R Reinhold Ivenz.

"Here at the Ice Race, the past meets the future. We can hardly wait for the Golf R, still disguised here, to celebrate its premiere this summer [Australian winter].”

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Two-time Le Mans winner and touring car Hans-Joachim Stuck was present giving demonstration laps in the all-wheel drive Golf R with its clever torque-splitting differentials.

There's no word on whether settings have been changed, but it's safe to assume VW's R department will have been beavering away to perfect the programming of its electronic systems.

“The Ice Race is a real spectacle. Other drivers would be putting on snow chains in these conditions, but for us racing drivers, this is when the fun really starts”, said Stuck.