by Volkswagen sure know how to tease its audience. After decades of hinting that the Bus would come back, we got the ID.Buzz. And while it didn’t turn out quite as we expected, it is a solid, if imperfect, effort. Now, after a decade of teasing a really powerful uber hatch, Wolfsburg might actually be ready to make it happen. What’s more, we might not have to wait for the first all-electric Golf R for it to materialize.
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In 2014, the R 400 concept was the first hint that such a weapon was coming. At the time, VW said a production version was on its way, but never did. Well, it wasn’t the first time a carmaker reneged on its promises, and it probably won’t be the last. In any case, for the 25th anniversary of the Golf R, now the company seems set to provide the firepower enthusiasts have long begged for courtesy of Audi’s legendary five-cylinder engine.
A Five-Pot With Serious Muscle
Instead of the familiar 2.0-liter four-cylinder, this special edition will reportedly pack the RS3’s 2.5-liter turbo five, a mill that we’ve already tested and love. In its current form, it makes nearly 400 horsepower (294 kW) and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque. If it makes it into the Golf’s engine bay without any mods, it would represent a gigantic upgrade over the 328 hp (241 kW) Golf R that’s currently on sale and finally deliver on the decade-old promise of the R 400.
According to Autocar, the RS3-powered Golf R will reportedly arrive in 2027. Audi is currently working to re-engineer the mill so that it complies with EU’s tighter emission regulations. At the same time, Volkswagen is evidently working to ensure that the Golf chassis can actually handle this kind of power. The updated car will get extra bracing, sharper suspension geometry, and one very special feature.
Handling That Matches The Power
That would be Audi’s fancy, and very handy, torque-splitting rear differential. Having sampled it personally, I can say that it’s a game-changer for cars like the RS3 (and, obviously, the Golf R). Bigger brakes, semi-slick Bridgestone rubber, and forged wheels will round out the performance upgrades.
It’s worth mentioning that we recently spied a mystery Golf prototype with a vented hood, larger intakes, an aggressive diffuser, and a new rear spoiler. While we can’t say for sure that the test car in the photos below has a five-cylinder under the hood, the timing is too perfect for it to be a pure coincidence.
Volkswagen has rolled out plenty of special edition Golfs over the years and even more concepts, but none actually came close to matching the R 400’s promise. Still, we do hope that this report turns out to be true. After all, better late than never, right?
