Saturday 23rd September 2017

Golf R400 testing again?

There's a fast VW Golf out at the 'ring again, and apparently this one has five cylinders...

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Remember the Golf R400 concept? Revealed at Beijing more than three years ago now, it promised a hell of a lot from the fast Golf formula. Like 200hp per litre, for a start. Nothing appeared to come from it, then there was that diesel issue, and now we're looking forward to VWs like the SEDRIC.

But what noise is coming from those exhausts?

Or are we? These latest spy shots appear to show an even faster Golf R on the 'ring, now with a pair of chunky exhausts, a slightly tweaked rear spoiler and a set of wheels that appear to be borrowed from a B7 Audi RS4. Note as well some wavier front brake discs, rather like those on an Audi RS3 in fact.

Speaking of the RS3, our spy photographer suggests that this car is using a five-cylinder engine. Frustratingly there isn't a video to support this, though of course the last VW seen on the Nordschleife with these exhaust pipes was the 'Tiguan R' - which most definitely did have a five-cylinder engine. Could it be that VW is finally being given more access to that lovely 2.5-litre turbo? Or will the EA888 2.0-litre be boosted even further?

Go on VW, you know you want to...

A 400hp Golf, ridiculous though it sounds, won't be short of rivals either. You can buy a Focus RS with a warrantied 375hp, a Mercedes A-Class with 381hp and the 400hp RS3, don't forget. Moreover, given how well the standard Golf R has been received, you'd think VW would be extremely eager to add to the range.

So, what do you think this might be? Could it be the first five-cylinder Golf since the old V5s? Or is VW duping us all, when the car is in fact a simple facelift? All thoughts welcome as always...

[Source: Autocar, images by S.B. Medien]

[QuattroDave]

Love the 5 cylinder engine in no small part due to eight years urq ownership but man the golf leaves me cold. Always has done.

I'm sure it's very capable and with this engine sound great but I could never bring myself to owning one. Can't quite put my finger on why but it's there and won't go away!

[QuattroDave]

Mafffew said:

QuattroDave said:

Love the 5 cylinder engine in no small part due to eight years urq ownership but man the golf leaves me cold. Always has done.

I'm sure it's very capable and with this engine sound great but I could never bring myself to owning one. Can't quite put my finger on why but it's there and won't go away!

For me it's the looks. A lot has been made of the Type-R and how "Halfords" it looks, but this is on the opposite end of the spectrum and dull as dishwater in my eyes. Granted, that suits some people and many will like it which is perfectly fine...

Thank you for being the first to stick your head above the parapet and say it's dull. I think that's most of it for me too, that and it seems completely characterless. Spec one in grey with the mainly grey tartan interior and you really do have a very dull looking car which suits some people fine and that's great, not criticising them for it. I'm sure it'll run rings around most cars but I like a bit more character. I loved the original M135, mostly for the engine but a big part was also how divisive the looks were. It is not a pretty car from the front but at least it stands out!

[QuattroDave]

Yipper said:

phil4 said:

Just spec'd an existing golf R, and with very few options got it very close to 40K.

While I'm sure this'll be a cracking addition to the range, I do wonder how close to 40K it'll end up being. I may be a tight git, but don't fancy all the extra tax if I'm only just over the 40K limit.

It is nudging 40k because of the collapse in the Brexit Pound pushing up most imports by 10-20% in the past year.

Yawn.

So as the pound is now 3% higher in the last couple of weeks we should see it reduce prices soon then. No.

The Uk's decision to leave the EU will cause some higher prices but it's all too conveniently being used by companies as a reason for increasing the price, and there's too many mugs out there willing to accept that excuse wholeheartedly.

Strange how other cars since June 2016 have seen nowhere near the 10-20% you're claiming. In a competitive market like certain sectors of the motor industry manufacturers will absorb a lot of the FX impact to retain their market share. Bear in mind the UK has long since been a cash cow for many companies who have used both the strength of the pound and the weakness of the pound as excuses to hike prices.