There is something to be said for subtlety.

And you really can't get more subtle than the 2008 Volkswagen R32. It's a petite little package with a cute exterior façade.

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2008 VW R32

Tops & Bottoms

Favorite Features:

• Exclusivity
• Excellent six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission
• AWD
• Cool blue instrument cluster

Needs improvement:

• Make the gauge and control lighting match the cool blue instrument cluster lighting

From a quick glance, you'd never expect that something so simple has a 3.2-liter VR6 engine that delivers 250 horsepower and goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds. There are clues, of course, like the large blue brake calipers peeking out from behind the spokes of 18-inch alloy wheels and the chrome-plated dual exhaust. The beefy bolsters on the sport seats indicate that anyone taking a drive in this car will be in for a spirited ride. And the R32 badging itself is a huge clue for those who know their cars.

The R32 is much more than a chromed-up, sport-tuned Rabbit or GTI. It's fast, it's fun, and it's only available in limited numbers. For 2008, there will only be 5,000 R32s produced.

Which means that it's going to cost you twice as much as its li'l buddy, the Rabbit. Base price for the R32 is a cool $33,630 with destination.

But the hefty price includes a lot of standard features such as 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD), leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, a premium sound system and dual zone climate control. Since the R32 is well-equipped at its base level, options aren't really necessary. The test vehicle, however, added the navigation package ($1,800), which brought the final price up to $35,430.

Even though the R32 is a petite little package, don't let that lull you into a false sense of fuel economy. The VR6 engine needs a little more fuel to keep it happy, and EPA estimates ring in at 18 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. In comparison, both the Rabbit and GTI with an automatic transmission have 2008 estimates equaling 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

In a car of this ilk, I often prefer a six-speed manual transmission. So, I was slightly dismayed to discover that the test vehicle had the six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) automatic transmission with Tiptronic. In fact, this is the only transmission available in the car.

But if you're a diehard stick-shift driver, don't let that turn you off. DSG is the best manual transmission sans clutch pedal that I've encountered outside of a Ferrari or Lamborghini. The DSG is a dual-clutch transmission, which means that two clutches work simultaneously. One clutch automatically engages the next desired gear, while the second clutch releases the previous gear. Thus, leaving the transmission in automatic mode, I found the shifts to be quick and acceleration to be smooth.

When I needed that extra kick of power or simply wanted to play, I manually shifted via the steering wheel paddle shifters. I liked that I didn't have to engage the "sport mode" to use the manual operation. And I really liked that it would switch back to automatic mode when it sensed you were done shifting manually.

In general, the R32 is a kick to drive. Because of its small size, the R32accelerates quickly and is very easy to maneuver through traffic. It is also easy to parallel park, and crowded Chicago garages are a breeze to handle.

Even though I was zipping around in the R32 during our unusually warm fall, this car will be perfectly suited to Chicagoland winters as well with the standard 4Motion AWD. You obviously aren't going to be driving over drifts after getting plowed into your space on the street, but you should be able to handle inclement weather without too much white-knuckle driving.

Speaking of AWD, one of the things that makes R32 worth its price is the true flexibility of the car. It's obviously meant for the enthusiast driver with a bit of a gearhead bent, but if you take the race-inspired construction out of the equation, you've got a year-round driver that has a maximum cargo volume of 43.4 cubic-feet with the rear seats folded flat.

I really liked the interior of the R32 with its glowing blue gauges and easy-to-reach controls. I liked the blue needles on the tach and speedometer, but was slightly thrown by the glaring red, generic Volkswagen central information gauge. Since the instrument cluster changed colors, I'd like to see the rest of the interior lighting follow suit. This is a special car that deserves special treatment throughout.

The leather sports seats were comfortable, and since I didn't have to deal with a manual gearshift, the large side bolsters didn't get in the way of my driving. Overall driving position was very comfortable in terms of seat adjustment, and there weren't any unusual blind spots.

There are a lot of boring, get-yourself-from-point-A-to-point-B cars out there. The R32 definitely is not one of them. I enjoyed every single minute behind the wheel, and this was definitely one of those test cars I did not want to give back.

You will pay a steep price for ownership, but remember: Only you and 4,999 other people will have one.