What happens when you take a
SEAT Leon Cup Racer
and give it better interior plastics and a more desirable image? The new VW Golf TCR!
How many more fast Golfs can there be?
Perhaps that's a little disingenuous but the similarities are impossible to miss. Same 330hp 2.0-litre turbo, same six-speed DSG, same front-wheel drive layout with the VAQ 'diff' and, look at that, it's also 40cm wider than a production car...
This is not officially called the TCR, it's a title bestowed upon it as a car competing in the Touring Car Racer International Series, or TCR. It's a global series featuring hot-hatch based racers including the SEAT - natch - a Civic Type R, Focus ST, Astra VXR and the Audi TT also. Looks quite good actually. The Golf will race under the Liqui Moly Team Engstler for the rest of the TCR season, beginning this weekend at the Red Bull Ring. VW is evaluating a customer racing programme for next year (a bit like the Leon Eurocup then) with the TCR races aiming to speed up the development process.
With the car not yet confirmed for a one-make series, there are no details on price or availability. Expect a slight premium over the SEAT if it does go ahead to account for the additional badge allure and resale value. Ahem.