Volkswagen has revealed that the Golf R400, which was unveiled at last year’s Beijing Motor Show, will go into production by next year. Built to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the iconic hatchback, the R400 is the most powerful Golf ever made.
The Golf R400 is based on the high performance version of the the already powerful Golf R, and features a tweaked engine and an aggressive body kit to set it apart from the standard hatchback. It is powered by a 2.0-litre, turbocharged EA888 engine which has been tuned to churn out 395bhp (i.e. 400PS, which gives it the moniker) and 450Nm of torque.
Astonishingly, Volkswagen says that no structural changes have been made to the engine to pump out the extra 99bhp and 70Nm of torque. This kind of power figures means that the Golf R400 can hit 100kmph from a standstill in just 2.9 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 280kmph. The engine is mated to a six-speed DSG gearbox, which sends power to all four-wheels through a 4MOTION four-wheel-drive system.
Unlike a majority of such high-performance versions, the Golf R400 will be a regular variant in the Golf line-up, and not a limited edition variant. The production version of the Golf R400 is expected to debut as a 2016 model, at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, later this year.
