Friday 17th April 2009

Golf Makes New Power Plays

Hotter hatches from VW are set to raise the performance bar

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With VW’s latest 210PS Mk6 GTI significantly out-gunned by hot hatch rivals, the German firm is exploring options to redress the balance.

According to various unconfirmed reports, hotter versions of the Golf undergoing development testing at the Nurburgring include a car powered by a twin-turbo version of the new GTI’s 2.0 four engine and an even hotter 4x4 version sharing an engine with Audi’s new TT-RS.

This engine already sees duty in the Audi S3 where it offers 265PS, but VW has reportedly turned up the wick and is track testing the Golf at closer to 300PS with a view to upstaging the S3 in production trim.

Look out for the new installation in a new R20T model, reportedly due to be unveiled officially at the Frankfurt motor show this Autumn, although we may get an preview of the R20T as soon next month when a race-prepared version is tipped to be competing at the Nurburgring 24hrs.

Meanwhile, VW is also said to be testing Golf prototypes with all-wheel-drive and a version of Audi’s new 2.5 five cylinder – as recently introduced in the new TT-RS.

According to one report we’ve seen, VW engineers have boosted that engine all the way up to 390PS for a new R45-badged Golf variant that could see the light of day in 2010.

[LCR270]

Much more like it

[Essex Exile]

Will the R45 have Touareg V10/ Phaeton W12esque pricing?
I assume the 45 bit stands for grand?

[Cassius81]

Surely this sort of thing isn't going to help sales of the 210bhp version in the meantime?!

I for one will be waiting for the more powerful engines before swapping mine...

[adycav]

Excellent news.

[Fetchez la vache]

I can't see a hot golf ever being allowed to be faster from the showroom than an RS3, but one that slots in between the S3 and RS3 is possible, I guess. Politics always comes to play with these things, especially when they're taking parts from the same bin.

No idea about the R45 monica though... R25 maybe, since it may be a 2.5l?

[BBS-LM]

At the moment the new Golf GTI is not looking very good to other competitors cars, and putting a electric LSD is a cop out because will all know it's not a LSD at all. And all this for 25K. Makes the ford and the R26 look like a bargain.

[stworld]

R(enault) 25?

[focus man]

Wish they would spend the money on a new golf!!!! the last 3 or 4 look very much the same....yawn!!!!

[Spiritual_Beggar]

Fetchez la vache said:

I can't see a hot golf ever being allowed to be faster from the showroom than an RS3, but one that slots in between the S3 and RS3 is possible, I guess. Politics always comes to play with these things, especially when they're taking parts from the same bin.

No idea about the R45 monica though... R25 maybe, since it may be a 2.5l?

I can.


The R45 will be the TOP of the VW range of cars. In other words....VW best/ fastest car!

The Audi RS3 would not be Audi's range topper. Becuase of this, I can see VW giving their own badged hatch more than an Audi badged one.

That said....they still probably won't do it

[LewisR]

How much does this thing weigh? More than a 3.0 X350 I reckon (1545kg) and much mroe than a Mk1 Golf GTi!

[Scawie]

They need to start mass-producing the Golf W12-650 pronto!

[FL07AAV]

Scawie said:

They need to start mass-producing the Golf W12-650 pronto!

They need to make it work first

[collateral]

How many similar yet different VAG turbo hatches do we really need?

[Speed_Demon]

So

Bloody

Fat!

[n4aat]

According to one report we’ve seen, VW engineers have boosted that engine all the way up to 390PS for a new R45-badged Golf variant that could see the light of day in 2010.

Not a hope in hell of that happening.

Marketing spin strikes again.

[collateral]

n4aat said:

According to one report we’ve seen, VW engineers have boosted that engine all the way up to 390PS for a new R45-badged Golf variant that could see the light of day in 2010.

Not a hope in hell of that happening.

Marketing spin strikes again.

I'm not so sure it's that mad of a claim considering the 1.8t had 225hp in some incarnations.

Whether they'll do it or not remains to be seen; I much prefer Renault's weight reduction approach over ze Churmahn's seemingly endless output wars

[Pow!]

Twin turbo 4 cylinder?

Can or should it be done?

[hahithestevieboy]

n4aat said:

According to one report we’ve seen, VW engineers have boosted that engine all the way up to 390PS for a new R45-badged Golf variant that could see the light of day in 2010.

Not a hope in hell of that happening.

Marketing spin strikes again.

Like you say, Hell would freeze over first. In the real world it'd give silly money supercars a run for their money. Still wouldnt beat a 335d (mapped) though....

[collateral]

Pow! said:

Twin turbo 4 cylinder?

Can or should it be done?

They already have the 1.4 TSI giving 170ps so...300ps 2.5L TSI anyone?

[Spiritual_Beggar]

FL07AAV said:

Scawie said:

They need to start mass-producing the Golf W12-650 pronto!

They need to make it work first

Didn't stop Renault releasing the V6 mk1