Canadian Market Find: 2018 Volkswagen Golf R in Magma Orange

What: 2018 Volkswagen Golf R
Color: Volkswagen Spektrum Magma Orange (magmaorange; non-metallic uni; LD2C; Volkswagen)
VIN: WVWWF7AU3JW102801
Mileage: 121,325 km, 75,387 miles
Current Bid: $28,947 CAD
CarFax: N/A
Window Sticker: N/A
Location: Grand Prairie Hyundai, Grand Prairie, AB, Canada
Listing: Link

We’re always fond of Volkswagen Golf R Spektrums. Highly unique, they’re a great entry point into the tailored driver world. For Spektrum watchers, we particularly love watching the Canadian market where more than their usual share were sold and well-kept examples can be had should you be willing to jump through the few hoops it takes to import one. Among those cars, we believe Magma Orange may be one of the rarer examples and we’ve confirmed with a Spektrum expert that is the color on the car you see here.

For the 2018 model year, Volkswagen Canada introduced the Spektrum Color Program, an option that allowed buyers to special-order their Golf R in one of 40 historic and vibrant shades pulled from the brand’s archives. Unlike the standard palette, each Spektrum car was diverted off the main production line to a dedicated paint facility where the color was applied by hand. The process was labor-intensive, it added weeks to delivery times, and it carried a healthy surcharge—but it made each car something special.

Only 473 Spektrum Golf Rs were ever produced for North America, with roughly 199 going to the U.S. and the remaining 274 staying in Canada. That’s a tiny fraction of overall Mk7 Golf R output, instantly making any Spektrum car a collector’s item.

Within that already rare set, Magma Orange stands as one of the boldest and most unusual hues. Bright, fiery, and unmistakably Volkswagen, it harkens back to the Fahrenheit-edition GTI of 2007 and other memorable orange VWs from decades past.

Enthusiasts who know the program will recall “MagmaR2018,” a Canadian example documented by Renndvous, whose owner had also previously run a Fahrenheit GTI. It showed just how deeply this shade resonated with VW Golf R community who appreciated the link between past and present.

Of course, rarity isn’t just skin-deep. Underneath that Magma paint lies the heart of the Mk7 Golf R formula: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 4Motion all-wheel drive, and either a six-speed manual or DSG dual-clutch gearbox depending on spec. With 292 horsepower on tap and a chassis that balances precision with everyday usability, the Golf R earned its reputation as Volkswagen’s most complete performance car.

This Magma Orange Canadian-market Golf R isn’t simply a used hatchback—it’s part of a very short production run, a unique moment when Volkswagen allowed customers to step outside the catalog and order something deeply personal. For collectors, that makes it as much an artifact as it is a driver’s car.

Heads up to anyone looking into this car. We see a few things you’ll want to take notice of. First, we see rust perforation in some places. This is a Canadian market car and likely run through winter salt, so its paint isn’t exactly perfect. Also, the factory wheels appear to be replaced with aftermarket examples. Given these elements seen in photos, we’d suggest having it checked out in person rather than buying sight unseen.

If you’ve been waiting for the right Golf R to surface—one with provenance, color, and character that sets it apart from the pack—this might be the one. Cars like this don’t cycle through the marketplace often, and when they do, they tend to disappear quickly into collections.