Since the first unveiling of the 270 horsepower 2011 Volkswagen Golf R, hot hatch enthusiasts here in the U.S. have been pining for a successor to the legendary R32, but according to previous reports the new Golf R is still up in the air for American sale due to cost issues and the relationship between the euro and the dollar.

That may soon change as Volkswagen officials let loose hints to the guys at Car and Driver during a recent visit that the Golf R is a near-certainty for the U.S. market and that an announcement could be made as early as next month’s 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

If all goes to the plan, the car would arrive in local showrooms before the end of the year as a 2012 model. There’s no word on pricing but expect a ballpark figure of around $33,000. While this may appear a bit rich considering the Nissan 370Z, V-8 powered Mustang GT and Camaro SS all start for less, you are getting plenty of niceties with the Golf R including leather Recaro buckets, a DSG dual clutch transmission and a sophisticated 4Motion all-wheel drive system.

No wonder the car is described as the “best Golf ever” by numerous publications.

The good news is, if the Golf R does come here, we’re also likely to get a high-performance ‘R’ version of the Jetta sedan as well.

[Car and Driver]