A 400bhp VW Golf R Is Coming And It Wants The Hot Hatch Crown Back

Volkswagen is fed up of people moaning about how the Golf R lacks power versus its hot hatch rivals, so it’s brewing a 400bhp riposte

Matt Kimberley

31 May 2018

A 400bhp VW Golf R Is Coming And It Wants The Hot Hatch Crown Back

Volkswagen has been playing catch-up for a while in the hot hatch stakes, especially while such budgets were restricted during the emissions scandal, but things are looking up.

Reports suggest that a 400bhp R – first ‘confirmed’ in 2014 before being quietly set aside and forgotten about – will bring the hottest Golf back into contention with the fastest cars in the class. With the eighth generation of the car due next year the company has deemed it time to start talking about performance options again.

VW sales and marketing boss Jurgen Stackmann is quoted by Auto Express as saying:

“The R brand is going extreme. The role of R is that it can go beyond the rational; nobody needs a compact car with 400bhp, but is there a place [for it?]. Certainly, and that’s the turf of R.”

While the Mk8 is an all-new car, it’s expected that the Golf R’s layout won’t change too much. A 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot will send that vastly increased power to all four wheels on demand, as before, and power will flow through a seven-speed DSG twin-clutch transmission. It’s not known publicly whether the manual version will continue.

What will change is the electrical system, which will be a 48-volt mild hybrid setup that has various advantages for practical applications, but will also link to a starter/generator for extra shove at peak acceleration. The 0-62mph sprint should drop below four seconds.

The engine itself will produce around 370bhp, with the rest filled in by the electric motor. It’s a similar setup to the one rumoured to be headed for the next Ford Focus RS. Like the Ford and the Mercedes-AMG A45 ‘Predator’, the Mk8 Golf R will launch in 2020. That’s going to be a fun triple-test.

Source: Auto Express

Comments

How about a VR6 instead of that 4-pot?

That will add weight. Still, sounds like a lovely idea.

Maybe the vr5 should make a comeback?

Must be turbocharged then

Yeh the new VR6 from the Arteon R

So an RS3 with a Golf badge?

I would love that. But RS3 has the inline 5 and i don’t think that VW will make the step to take the 5 cylinder. A hybride 4 pot would be good. Electric instant torque + 4Motion and 400ish bhp —> perfect

But with an inline-4 :(

Didnt know the RS3 came with a 4 cylinder…

Sound Familiar?

This isn’t related but
Can you guys just ban kaan lol

It’s not that easy sadly

Ban Who?

What did he do?

Why are you bringing drama in the Main posts ? Return with your friends complaining about this guy. Accept it.

Inline-5 PLEASE!!!

At this rate by 2030, the 600hp GTI W12 will look pathetic.

At this rate either it or the GTI roadster will reach production, if vw sticks to this mentality

Am I the only one that thinks that, at each new golf model I first think about depreciation of the last model and that I will be able to buy it in 5 years ?