VW Golf R 400 Headed for Production

10 years, 1 month ago - 16 November 2014, Autoblog

At the Beijing Motor Show earlier this year, Volkswagen showcased a concept hatchback called the Golf R 400. It was essentially the Golf R we already know and love, but with an even more powerful engine to make it the most potent take on the Golf since the GTI 650 concept of 2007.

Only unlike that bonkers, W12-powered prototype, which was never intended as anything other than a show car, rumors have been percolating over the past half year that VW could actually put the Golf R 400 concept into production.

This time, Britain's Car magazine claims that the bean-counters in Wolfsburg have given the Golf R 400 the green light for production. Its high-output turbo four, also showcased on the Audi TT Quattro Sport concept, is tipped to produce between 400 and 414 hp – far more than the 290 hp in the existing Golf R, the 210 hp in the GTI or the 170 hp in the base Golf we get in the US. The added juice could bump the designation up to Golf R 420.

Visual and aerodynamic enhancements are tipped to remain relatively low-key, with brakes and suspension further upgraded to handle the extra power. We wouldn't expect it to be too off-the-wall, though, because this top-spec hot hatch would likely be a full production model and not a limited run, and as such would still need to roll down the standard production line.