Faster and faster. Better performance; quicker acceleration; more agile handling. Every car maker tries to better not only their competition, but the last edition of whatever car it is reinventing for the next model year. Progress is the name of the game, and Volkswagen has shown it knows the rules with the Golf R.
The R replaces the R32, the previous high-performance Golf that met with good but not raving reviews. The R32 was powerful, but its 3.2L V6 engine made it front-heavy and affected the handling; let's just say that VW has addressed that problem to its core.
The Golf R has downsized to just a 2.0L inline four cylinder, which on paper sounds like a massive mistake. And yet, no one will miss that big V6 lump; not only is the new engine obviously lighter (giving the car a 60/40 front-rear weight bias), but it also produces more power at 255hp and more torque (the Middle East gets cheated here a bit; Europe and other areas get a 270hp engine, but our four cylinder was detuned for engine cooling in hotter climates). Not only that, it now consumes a full 2.3 litres less of fuel per 100km, with an official rating of 8.4L/100km. All that while still sprinting to 100kph in an impressive 5.5 seconds.
That power goes through just one transmission available here: a six-speed, dual-clutch direct-shift gearbox. While it takes the fun of double-clutching away, it really does a better and faster job of rowing through the gears. And while I would prefer to use the paddle shifters in spirited driving, it's hardly necessary when sport mode is selected, as it keeps the engine in its sweet spot of revs perfectly. But shifting under duress gives another sensation - between upshifts, the engine gives a throaty "burb" as it pauses for a split second before grabbing the higher gear, giving notice that this is definitely not your average daily driver.
It's also got bigger, 17-inch brakes and a revised 4Motion AWD system with a constantly variable torque split that is less front-biased than the R32. It looks a little different from a regular Golf, too, the biggest change being three gaping inlets at the front for better airflow to the engine - and a racier look, of course. As well, the whole car sits 25mm lower for better handling.
The inside has a quality of materials that would rival, if not beat, just about any of its competitors at this price bracket, or even higher. The only downpoint might be the fact that the design and switchgear mirror other VW offerings but, really, it's got a very high-end feel that will satisfy passengers. Sport seats, a thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum pedals and trim will differentiate this R from its more sedate family models.
And all these improvements culminate into a number of things. See, the Golf R can be just as sedate as the base Golf, so it's perfectly fine for driving to work every day. But when you see an open road and no speed cameras, it will let you rip it up - possibly a little to easily for your own good. The speed comes on quick, the grip is exemplary with little roll or dip - especially with the suspension in sport mode, which firms the whole car up noticeably. (In fact, there are three settings for the suspension - comfort, normal and sport - but the change from comfort and normal is so minimal that I question why even bother?) If that's all good on the road, it's a blast on a race track. VW gave us a brief glimpse of the Golf R in January at the Losail F1 track in Doha, and this is where the R proves that it can hold its own on a track day. It stays solid and sticky in high-speed turns with just a little wiggle of the tail in hard braking. What you will notice occasionally, however, is its relatively high weight - more than 1,500kg, which makes it not as lithe as a few of its competitors in this area.
There's not much to say against the Golf R. It really is a big jump over the R32 in performance, and its improved fuel economy is startling. But what you could say is that the price is creeping into the larger offerings of VW's German brethren of BMW, Audi and Mercedes - you could pay just a little bit more and get something just as exciting; in fact, the agile BMW 1 Series is in the same ballpark in both price and performance. You could also say for all-out fun and agility, a Renault Clio or Megane Sport would be a better all-out drive for far less cash, but you wouldn't have quite the level of refinement as the Golf R, and no all-wheel drive. You could even justify going to the lower-level yet still upscale Golf GTI; yes, it's got 45hp less than the R version and only front-wheel drive, but it weighs less and, with a base price of Dh97,735, is the very slight difference in performance worth the jump of more than Dh30,000 for the base R?
The Golf R is good at very many things, and anyone who buys one would be happy to drive it every day as either a daily commuter or hot hatch. The problem is, at this price, it brings to mind many other cars that I'd also be very happy to drive, most which would leave me with more cachet on the bonnet or more money left in my pocket.
The Specs
Price, base / as tested Dh128,277 / Dh171,000
Engine 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder
Gearbox six-speed DSG
Power 255hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 2,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined 8.4L/100km
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
RESULT
Bournemouth 0 Southampton 3 (Djenepo (37', Redmond 45' 1, 59')
Man of the match Nathan Redmond (Southampton)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
More on animal trafficking
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
4/5 stars
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
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The specs
Common to all models unless otherwise stated
Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi
0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)
Power: 276hp
Torque: 392Nm
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD
Price: TBC
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
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Dunki
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