Battle of the VW Golf R: Volkswagen CEO vs Lead Engineer
The 2025 Volkswagen Golf R is the definition of a hot hatch, and both the VW CEO and Golf R's lead engineer took to the track to prove its mettle.
A CEO who uses their company’s product is an endorsement in and of itself, so seeing Volkswagen’s head honcho get behind the wheel of a 2025 Golf R is plenty inspiring.
What’s even more entertaining, however, is his willingness to take on the hot hatch’s lead engineer on the track. VW CEO Thomas Schäfer took on VW R lead engineer Jonas Thielebein in an epic set of races to both show off the Golf R and, more importantly, determine who's the better driver.
Related: 2025 Honda Civic Type R: Is this hot hatch worth it?
Volkswagen’s CEO took on the Golf R’s lead engineer in three races
A simple drag race just won’t do in a hot hatch like the Volkswagen Golf R. Instead, Schäfer and Thielebein agreed on a set of three races: quarter-mile sprint, fastest lap, and drift battle. The CEO got behind the wheel of the Golf R Black Edition, while the lead engineer prepared to do battle in a Golf R Estate.
Yeah, the video is an obvious advertisement for the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R, but it's an entertaining one. Check it out for yourself:
During the video, the CEO and lead engineer showed off some of the Golf R’s features, including Racing mode and launch control. Schäfer won the quarter mile with a time of 13.72 seconds, beating Thielebein’s 14.32-second run.
The second race utilized the GPS lap timer and customizable Individual mode. Thielebein squared away a quick victory with a lap time of 1.07:50, comfortably beating Schäfer by a little under five seconds.
With the drift battle up next and the score tied 1-1, it was a winner-take-all. Drift mode was the obvious pick here. The winner was determined by who performed the most drifts, and it was here that Thielebein proved just how comfortable he was behind the wheel of the Golf R. The lead engineer dominated with 14 drifts to the CEO’s 5, giving him a decisive win.
Related: Mitsubishi vs Nissan - the two least expensive vehicles you can still buy in the USA
The 2025 Volkswagen Golf R is the full package - for a hefty price
While lead engineer Jonas Thielebien drove a Golf R Estate, we only get the standard and Black Edition models here in the United States. The base 2025 Volkswagen Golf R starts at $47,100, while the Black Edition will run you $48,415. That price tag beats out the Honda Civic Type R’s $45,895, making the Golf R the most expensive hot hatch on the market.
The 2025 Volkswagen Golf R features a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pumps out 328 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. There’s no manual transmission for the 2025 model year, with a standard seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission taking its place. With that kind of power, the Golf R serves as the most powerful production hot hatch available.
Competitors like the Civic Type R and Toyota GR Corolla come with a six-speed manual transmission option. Like the VW Golf R, the Civic Type R features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. The Toyota GR Corolla boasts a turbocharged three-cylinder that generates 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.
The newest model rolls out with a handful of styling updates, including new headlights and taillights, an illuminated VW badge on the grille, and athletic 19-inch wheels. Blue brake calipers, enlarged exhaust tips, and a rear spoiler come standard as well.
Inside, the 2025 VW Golf R features a new 12.9-inch touchscreen display, the latest infotainment software, and a design specific to the Golf R. There are plenty of standard amenities, including heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, and a ventilated wireless charging pad, just to name a few.
Related: Volkswagen's manufacturing facilities prepare for production cuts
The Black Edition comes with a handful of cosmetic changes, namely blacked-out badging, as the name implies. Black quad exhaust tips and darkened headlight elements complete the slick exterior aesthetic, while the cabin gets kitted out in carbon fiber.
Final thoughts
We usually get to see hot hatches in action in some way, shape, or form, but it isn’t often we get to see an executive take on a lead engineer in one of the quickest cars around. While the 2025 Volkswagen Golf R is truly a beast, it’s also one of the most expensive models in its class.
Combined with a handful of downsides, like the lack of a manual transmission, the 2025 VW Golf R may lose some of its appeal. Still, I wouldn’t turn down the chance to get behind the wheel, and I hope you wouldn’t either!
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Related: 2025 Volkswagen Golf R: 4 reasons to love it, 2 reasons to shy away
