RE: VW Golf A59: The stillborn European Evo

RE: VW Golf A59: The stillborn European Evo

Thursday 12th July 2012

VW Golf A59: The stillborn European Evo

Riggers investigates the history of a very unusual Golf



"The strange thing is that this car doesn't really belong to anybody," quips VW product communication chap Martin Hube of the magnificent Golf A59 prototype sitting in the car park of VW's Stiftung museum in Wolfsburg. "Sure, Volkswagen paid for the development of the car but, as far as we understand it, not for the car itself."

And you thought the Mk3 Golf was boring?
And you thought the Mk3 Golf was boring?
Having no official owner is just the tip of the iceberg of weird when it comes to the A59, which we first saw a few months back at the Techno Classica Show in Essen. Created for VW by Schmidt Motorsport (SMS), the same concern behind the all-conquering Audi V8 DTM cars that decimated all opposition in 1990 and 1991, the A59 piles mystery upon mystery when you start to delve into its story.

Originally conceived as a Group A/Group N contender for the World Rally Championship in the early 1990s, the A59 ought to have spawned a production run of 2,500 road cars in order to homologate it for WRC competition. But the project was canned with only two prototypes built. So what happened? Rumour has it that the axe was wielded by none other than Dr Piech himself, but the precise reasons why will perhaps forever remain a mystery.

Big wings, four-wheel drive, bonnet vents...
Big wings, four-wheel drive, bonnet vents...
Could have been a contender
There were certainly no half measures when it came to the car's specification - possibly one of the reasons the project met its end in the wobbly financial climate of the early 1990s. For example, instead of using VW's existing 1,984cc 16-valve unit (an undersquare engine and thus unsuited to the rev-hungry demands of motorsport), SMS came up with an entirely fresh-from-the-cylinders-up 1,998cc design with a dead-on-square 86mm bore and 86mm stroke. Then there was the four-wheel-drive system that was an entirely different one to the then-current Syncro set-up and more like the Haldex system VW later adopted.

And we haven't yet mentioned the unique carbon-Kevlar bodywork, nor the integral roll cage, nor the expensively crafted bucket seats. For a near-as-dammit unique prototype it is an astonishingly well-finished product in places - a clear indication about how serious VW must have been, at least at one point.

Looking forward to the drive that never was
Looking forward to the drive that never was
Not everything is super-slick, mind you. SMS obviously struggled to get the Garrett T3 turbo (same as you get in a Sierra Cosworth) enough air to breathe properly - two of the three bonnet vents are beautifully finished, while the third has clearly been chopped out as an afterthought.

Shafted
It's at this point that we'd start to tell you what this very special Golf is like to drive. Except we didn't get to go anywhere in the driving seat, as the car popped a left-rear driveshaft during a spirited spot of acceleration (and if you're wondering just how spirited, think 0-60mph in the low fives or possibly even high fours), leaving us with a distinctly ill-sounding museum exhibit.

2.0-litre turbo was unique to this car
2.0-litre turbo was unique to this car
What I can tell you from the few kilometres or so I experienced from the passenger seat is that, had it made production, the street version of this Golf would have utterly saved the Mk3 Golf from its reputation as being the least sporty of all Golf generations. Brutally fast, far nimbler than you'd expect from a Golf of this vintage and seriously grippy, the A59 could quite clearly have been a fine rival for the likes of the Escort Cosworth Lancia Delta Integrale Evo and early Mitsubishi Lancer Evos. Especially given its 275hp at 6,000rpm, and 273lb ft of torque at 3,500rpm.

What might have been
Sadly, of course, it was not to be. Whatever the cause of its death, the axing of the rally programme meant that this particular car spent a little time as a Nurburgring hack (quite for what purpose we're not sure) and then sat in the corner of a museum, pretty much unknown and disregarded for the best part of 15 years.

The GTI story might have been very different
The GTI story might have been very different
In many ways, the tale of the A59 is a sad one of might-have-beens and missed opportunities. But now, with the Polo WRC programme finally looking like it'll put Volkswagen firmly at the forefront of the international rallying scene, the A59 is being given a second chance. Sure, it's never going to be the sire of a European answer to the Mitsubishi Evo - that particular boat sailed well over a decade ago, but it can rightly take its place as part of the VW Group's rallying history. Still, you can't help but think on what might have been...


VOLKSWAGEN Golf A59 PROTOTYPE
Engine
: 1,998cc four-cylinder, turbocharged
Power: 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 273lb ft @ 3,500rpm
0-62mph: 5.0 seconds (est)
Top speed: na
Weight: na
MPG: na
CO2: na
Price: ...and another na...

Author
Discussion

Chickentonight

Original Poster:

49 posts

143 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Full of win biggrin

DanDC5

18,745 posts

166 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
It's things like this that would make VW a lot more interesting. Mad styling and performance on special editions of normal road cars is always a win.

Mr E

21,581 posts

258 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Not everything is super-slick, mind you. SMS obviously struggled to get the Garrett T3 turbo (same as you get in a Sierra Cosworth) enough air to breathe properly - two of the three bonnet vents are beautifully finished, while the third has clearly been chopped out as an afterthought.

Vents in the bonnet for cooling surely, not for breathing?

Ali_T

3,379 posts

256 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Why can't the Golf R have that level of attitude? I also remember, years ago, reading of a project by Honda, based on the then-new Integra which was 4wd and a supercharged B18 of around 240bhp, back in 91/92. Car drove it, I believe, but it never made production, nor was it used for rallying. The DC2 came about instead.

Here's the article for those interested:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/jkeirnan/unt...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/jkeirnan/unt...

Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 12th July 12:07


Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 12th July 12:07

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
rare vw = <3

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Mr E said:
Not everything is super-slick, mind you. SMS obviously struggled to get the Garrett T3 turbo (same as you get in a Sierra Cosworth) enough air to breathe properly - two of the three bonnet vents are beautifully finished, while the third has clearly been chopped out as an afterthought.

Vents in the bonnet for cooling surely, not for breathing?
flow of air in will increase with more vents out.

Embryonic

4,432 posts

174 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Ali_T said:
Why can't the Golf R have that level of attitude? I also remember, years ago, reading of a project by Honda, based on the then-new Integra which was 4wd and a supercharged B18 of around 240bhp, back in 91/92. Car drove it, I believe, but it never made production, nor was it used for rallying. The DC2 came about instead.

Here's the article for those interested:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/jkeirnan/unt...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/jkeirnan/unt...
I know of this car but have never seen this article. Thanks for the link.

Honda did of course make 4wd Integras, but not with any significant performance.

DanDC5

18,745 posts

166 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Ali_T said:
Why can't the Golf R have that level of attitude? I also remember, years ago, reading of a project by Honda, based on the then-new Integra which was 4wd and a supercharged B18 of around 240bhp, back in 91/92. Car drove it, I believe, but it never made production, nor was it used for rallying. The DC2 came about instead.

Here's the article for those interested:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/jkeirnan/unt...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/jkeirnan/unt...

Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 12th July 12:07


Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 12th July 12:07
How did I not know of this!? And why did they not make it!?

Ali_T

3,379 posts

256 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
I've been trying to find that Car mag article for years. This reminded me of it so went a hunting on Google! It was around the time when Honda also made a Prelude SiR with a completely sealed, maintenance free engine.

j_s14a

863 posts

177 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Recaro A8 seats!

Contigo

3,113 posts

208 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
It looks pretty hideous. I really would like to have seen the Golf W12 650 go into production as that would have been the most insane hot hatch ever. Power more power please!!

Chris Eyre

135 posts

222 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
The engine was a true special, nothing to do with VW at all. It was later reincarnated into a Le Mans LMP 2 chassis and won its class 3 years on the trot. Heaps more detail here:

http://www.clubgti.com/showthread.php?113003-What-...

MIS created the engine for SMS, and then sold the design to Lehmann. Lehmann claim the castings are gone.

That second (road-spec) car is well known. The first has just been unearthed (2014), having been out of sight for years. On top there's a third and a fourth car, all exist.

As for the Mk3 Golf being boring, Alister McRae and Tapio Laukkannen were hammering the FWD Mk3 GTIs around in the forests in the late '90s on the British Rally championship with great success, won F2 in Portugal, and these were engineered in Britain. VW in Germany took a second overall at the Nurburgring 24 Hours with the TDI in 1997, with a BMW on the top step (and one Sabine Schmitz in that BMW driver line up!).

SMS also did the R&D work on the early '90s Audi Coupe S2, before Ingolstadt took it over and put it into production.


Edited by Chris Eyre on Friday 15th August 20:54

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
As awesome a machine as that is it can't untarnish the Mk3's image as a blob of ste - the road-going GTI will seal that forever I'm afraid.

AA88

391 posts

141 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Is it me or does the rear half of the car look very MK4 like?

GravelBen

15,654 posts

229 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Ali_T said:
Why can't the Golf R have that level of attitude? I also remember, years ago, reading of a project by Honda, based on the then-new Integra which was 4wd and a supercharged B18 of around 240bhp, back in 91/92. Car drove it, I believe, but it never made production, nor was it used for rallying. The DC2 came about instead.

Here's the article for those interested:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/jkeirnan/unt...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/jkeirnan/unt...
thumbup

Had never even heard of that, very interesting.

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

184 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
VW seem to have had a history of making really interesting, fast prototypes - and then not selling them. Maybe this happens with all manufacturers..?

Have had the pleasure of poking around a Corrado hidden in the basement of what was the Karmann Museum in Osnabruck which is fitted with the excellent VWMS 16vG60 engine that was used in the Golf G60 Limited and a few other rare models. They only produced in the region of 70 of those engines.. it's a real shame more cars never saw the light of day sporting that engine!

Similarly a serious Scirocco enthusiast colleague in Germany (he has about 30'ish cars - all Scirocco's!) has the only VW Motorsport MK2 Scirocco with that same engine.. it must go like an absolute rocket as the engine produces in the region of 200BHP but the MK2 Scirocco doesn't weigh that much. VW have approached him to try and buy it back but wisely he doesn't want to part with it! smile

Mr E

21,581 posts

258 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
billybob69 said:
flow of air in will increase with more vents out.
Yes, to increase cooling.
The turbo will breath through a filter/airbox that sits front right (probably). How will vents in the bonnet improve that?

jimjim150

213 posts

183 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
I want this Kevlar beast. I also want this SC 4wd Integra the PHers speak of.

anything fast

983 posts

163 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
As awesome a machine as that is it can't untarnish the Mk3's image as a blob of ste - the road-going GTI will seal that forever I'm afraid.
has no one heard of the VR6 then? also the 16v GTI was nippy if not rapid. The standard basic 8v was slow and dreary but the more potent ones were not bad and a lot more grown up than the poorly made garish rivals from other makes.

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

207 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Mr E said:
billybob69 said:
flow of air in will increase with more vents out.
Yes, to increase cooling.
The turbo will breath through a filter/airbox that sits front right (probably). How will vents in the bonnet improve that?
I was thinking the same. Don't they know we are a pedantic lot. The vents are clearly for cooling.