While some enthusiasts are still (hopelessly) hoping for a Golf R with a five-cylinder engine, Volkswagen has a completely different idea for an uncompromising hot hatch. The most powerful Golf is set to take part in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring next year – in honor of the 25th anniversary of the hot R models.
Damn, how fast time flies, you might be thinking now. So do we. But yes, it all started in 2002 with the beautiful Golf IV R32. Since then, every Golf series has had its own R model. In addition, there is the wild Touareg R50 TDI with a V10 diesel engine, other SUVs like the Tiguan R or T-Roc R, and the Arteon R.
For the birthday, there is a Golf 8 R. But not quite ordinary. In collaboration with Max Kruse Racing, they have developed a real racing car. VW is not yet revealing technical data, but some key changes can already be seen. The most noticeable is the much more aggressive aerodynamic equipment, including a pronounced front splitter that could be mistaken for a snow plow.
At the rear, we see a huge swan-neck roof spoiler and an equally prominent diffuser. Rugged fender flares with countless wheel well ventilation openings further distinguish the race car from the production car.
The fact that the typical four tailpipes of the R model are missing might at first glance suggest an electric drive – but that is not the case. Ventilation openings in the bonnet point to an internal combustion engine that needs additional cooling, and in some press photos a side exhaust can be seen. VW is currently calling the Golf R 24H a show car, but work has already begun on the actual vehicle, which is due to appear in the “Green Hell” next year.
Reinhold Ivenz, head of the Volkswagen R department, meanwhile confidently declared: “The most spectacular Golf R of all time.” However, we should not count on a version that would be homologated for road use – the Golf R 24H is designed exclusively as a racing car. However, a statement from spokesman Martin Hube a few years ago hinted at the possibility of an “even more racetrack-oriented version.” Whether a Golf R Clubsport will follow is not yet clear.
