By Lee Nian Tjoe

Blue is the new black. The colour usually associated with the working class has evolved to be the hero shade of choice.

No, it's not Captain America (the man in blue tights retired his big shield in March last year) or The Tick (not the coolest shade of blue). Rather, think of four-door wheeled specimens such as the Audi RS4, the BMW M5 and, most recently, the Honda Civic Type R.

There is simply no better colour for these stupendous machines than electric blue.

Coming from almost nowhere to join the village is the Volkswagen R36.

VW may not boast the same amount of motorsport pedigree as Audi, BMW or Honda, but that hasm't stopped it from creating its own go-faster niche products. It started with the Golf- based R32. Now, it has the R36, featuring its own unique shade of you-know-what.

In case the colour hasn't made the Passat- based car look fast enough (even its brake callipers are blue), VW went on to lower it by 20mm, gave it a bodykit and strapped on a pair of exhaust pipes which peek conspicuously from its rear.

Still not quick enough? The cabin features the full look-fast treatment, starting with thickly bolstered sports seats dressed in Alcantara and leather, chunky steering wheel, luminous blue needles in the instrumentation and shiny chrome-like accents on the fascia.

Of course, the problem with the glaring inserts is that only those inside the R36 will be affected, not those outside who are ignorant of the car's purpose.

It is easy to be smitten with the R36 as a passenger because it is a seriously quick way to get five people from Point A to B, courtesy of a 300bhp 3.6-litre engine and a sublime six-speed DSG gearbox.

First seen on the updated Touareg, the V6 is both a crooner and a performer. Its power delivery is linear and seamless; and thanks to extensive insulation, the R36 hardly feels as fast as the published 5.6-second century sprint timing suggests.

The ride is arguably better than the standard Passat, being just a little bit firmer to exude better body control. At higher speeds, there is never any sensation of float.

The setting is also pliant enough to keep the 18-inch tyres firmly on the road. Couple that with the sure-footed nature of the car's 4Motion all-wheel- drive and the R36 is a genuinely quick car over almost any kind of road.

The enthusiast may expect an eager and exciting ride like the R36 to exhibit a healthy dose of playfulness. Like its half-cousin, the Audi RS4. But note that the big VW does not even cost half as much as the discontinued BMW M3 challenger.

In the R36, you get a lot of bang for your buck. Oh, you can have it in black as well.

The writer is the editor of Torque, published by SPH Magazines.

VOLKSWAGEN R36
Price: $162,200 with COE
Engine: 3,597cc 32-valve V6
Transmission: Six-speed DSG
Power: 300bhp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 350Nm at 2,400-5,300rpm
0-100kmh: 5.6 seconds
Top speed: 250kmh
Fuel consumption: 10.5 litres/100km (city-highway)
Agent: Volkswagen Centre Singapore

This article was first published in The Straits Times on 19 July, 2008.