Legendary Golf for Hill Climbs
If the latest rumors are to be believed, Volkswagen may release a more powerful version of the Golf R with a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine from the Audi RS3, producing over 400 hp. Perhaps inspired by this possible new model, VW Motorsport in South Africa has just unveiled what might be the best interpretation of the current eighth-generation Golf.
Built to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the German brand in South Africa, this astonishing car is as far from a road-going Golf as possible. It was created specifically for hill climbs and debuted last weekend with Jonathan Mogotsi behind the wheel.
The most spectacular Golf R that cannot be bought
Engine Swap to Audi 2.5
The team working on the car apparently decided that the standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EA888 engine was not suitable, so they replaced it with the 2.5-liter turbo-five from Audi. While a simple engine swap would have been enough to maintain the RS3’s power level, the engineers went much further.
Hypercar Power
Now it is said that the 2.5-liter engine produces over 1000 hp. Volkswagen did not go into details of how they managed to extract that much power, but it undoubtedly involved forged internal engine components, a larger turbocharger, and significantly higher boost pressure. A carbon intake and a special exhaust system that exits through the front bumper have also been installed.
Exterior and Chassis
Since this Golf is not intended for public road use, VW Motorsport was able to completely transform the exterior. They did this with a radical new bumper, widened wheel arches, a huge rear wing, and a diffuser package. No downforce figures have been published, but there should be enough to keep the car glued to the road.
As you understand, there is no point in having that much power if you cannot put it down. Therefore, the Golf received an upgraded all-wheel-drive system as well as large AP Racing brakes.
This approach by VW Motorsport shows how factory racing divisions can create true monsters for specific competitions. While this Golf will never go into series production, it is a testament to engineering prowess and a tribute to the brand’s 75th anniversary in South Africa. It will be interesting to see if Volkswagen ever decides to release a production version with the RS3 engine — rumors about this persist, and this project only fuels them.