by The hot hatch Volkswagen Golf R and its predecessor R32 are by no means the first all-wheel-drive performance models of the German brand. In the early ’90s, Volkswagen even attempted to challenge the rallying Lancia Delta Integrale, Ford Escort RS Cosworth and early Mitsubishi Lancer Evos.
This was about the unjustly axed Volkswagen Golf A59 project. For its time, it was a real bomb. Volkswagen prepared the hot hatch for the World Rally Championship (WRC), with plans to produce 2500 road cars for homologation.
The car was developed by Schmidt Motorsport, which prepared Audi for the DTM. For the Volkswagen Golf A59, they developed a completely new 2.0-liter turbo engine and a 6-speed manual gearbox. Maximum power reached 275 hp, and torque was 367 Nm. The hot hatch easily reached 270 km/h.
Specially for the VW Golf A59, a full all-wheel drive system with an electronic central differential and a new multi-link rear suspension were created. Shock absorbers with adjustable stiffness and more effective brakes were installed.
The Volkswagen Golf A59 can be recognized by its body kit, hood air intakes, and widened fenders. Inside, there’s eye-catching sporty Recaro bucket seats.
The hot hatch was tested at the Nürburgring by rally ace Walter Röhrl. The car was ready for production, but then Volkswagen head Ferdinand Piëch considered it would be profitable only at a price of 80,000 marks — like a Mercedes E320 of those years.
In addition, the WRC championship was also deemed too costly, so the project was closed. Pre-production cars were distributed to museums and private collections, and Volkswagen entered rallying only in 2014.
