Volkswagen ushered in its highest level of popularity with the VW Beetle and alongside the development of that product came the VW R line.

In the 1970s, European Beetle enthusiasts begged the company to create a limited-edition version fo the Bug for rally driving. It would have an upgraded suspension and brakes. Volkswagen obliged, offering a well-equipped Beetle with a special yellow and black livery called the Beetle GSR or Gelb Schwartz Renner.

The spirit of that rally car would continue through the generations of Volkswagen vehicles extending through the Golf R and the company’s R-Line trim levels that can be found on many modern VWs like the Jetta and Passat.

“Volkswagen R is all about excitement and thrill,” says Jost Capito, Managing Director of Volkswagen R.” In the future, we will continue to focus our efforts on integrating these emotions into the Volkswagen brand.”

The modern incarnation of Volkswagen R began in 2002 with the reveal of the first Golf R32, designed to be a hotter hatch than the typical Golf. Produced until 2005, the model came complete with a 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. The engine pumped out 238 horsepower and was the world’s first production car with a race-inspired dual-clutch automated manual gearbox.

When Volkswagen redesigned the Golf for the 2008 model year, the company sold a very limited number of 2008 Golf R32 models in the U.S., due in large part to the Great Recession. The redesign gave the model 250 horsepower but took away its manual transmission, opting instead for paddle shifters.

Two iterations later, the Golf R has reached its 2019 model year with a 288 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque rating. It can be had with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmission. It starts at just over $40,000.

Earlier this year, Volkswagen introduced the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport and when the model arrives on dealership lots, a new version of the R logo will come with it.

“The R marks the athletic apex of our model program and the R logo serves as an expression of both aesthetics and sportsmanship,” says Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design.

The new logo was designed at the Volkswagen Design Center in Santa Monica, California.