Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR 2019 confirmed for Australia

The VW Golf GTI TCR has been confirmed for Australia, with the race-bred rocket set for launch in the final quarter of this year.

Born of the brand's TCR race car, and first revealed in concept form at the brand's Worthersee fan festival, the road-going version promises to be the fastest front-drive Golf ever, clipping 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds before pushing on to a top speed of 250km/h as standard (though international versions can be optioned up to 260km/h).

The TCR arrives with a swoon-worthy standard features list, including a front-axle diff lock, perforated sport brake discs, a TCR-exclusive roof spoiler and rear diffuser, as well as 18-inch forged wheels. But the included fruit isn't the big news here.

Nope, that's reserved for the outputs, with the TCR upping the grunt from its turbocharged 2.0-litre engine to 213kW and 370Nm. And that's a lot, especially given the current GTI - which recently received its own power boost, now mirroring the Performance version's outputs across the line-up - produces 180kW. Even the range's flagship Golf R produces an equal 213kW, and only a smidge more torque at 380Nm.

While those figures matches the kW output of the Golf 40 Years special edition released in 2016, that model only achieved those number for short bursts, while the TCR has its power on tap all the time.

The TCR is paired exclusively with a seven-speed DSG automatic, and it will form something a a going away party for the go-fast Golf 7; with a new model approaching, this will likely be the final GTI iteration of this generation car.

Expect the GTI TCR to arrive in Australia before the end of 2019, and while the engine is yet to be officially confirmed in its wildest outputs, VW here will be pushing to introduce the most powerful version on offer.

"The GTI remains one of our most popular and iconic cars, and we cant wait to have the TCR in Australia," says VW's public relations manager, Kurt McGuinness. "We think it's a good fit for our market, and for our performance car fans, and we will of course be pushing to introduce the most powerful version we can."

While the brand is yet to confirm pricing, expect the TCR to land below the Golf R in the line-up. And given its outputs, that might just make it the performance-car bargain of the year.

The Golf GTI TCR or the Golf R? Tell us in the comments below.