Volkswagen is developing a new wagon version of its upcoming 2015 Golf R hot hatch, as evidenced by spy shots of a prototype testing at the Nürburgring and on some of the German race track’s surrounding roads. Based on the latest Golf wagon, which will be called the Jetta SportWagen when it hits American showrooms later this year, the high-performance Golf R wagon is an unlikely candidate for local salebut we’re certain it could find a loyal following in these parts.

The powertrain of the Golf R wagon should match the one in the Golf R hatch, meaning a 2.0-liter turbo four paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed DSG dual-clutch ‘box. VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system will be fitted as standard along with the automaker’s XDS+ differential lock front and rear. The engine in the 2015 Golf R hatch is rated at 290 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, and in the Golf R wagon should help achieve 0-60 mph times of about 5.0 seconds.

Obvious Golf R traits include R badging, more aggressive bumpers, 18-inch Cadiz-style wheels, lowered suspension, and twin exhaust tips. Inside, expect to see sports seats in the front, leather trim, and faux carbon accents on the dash.

A market launch in Europe for the Golf R wagon is expected to take place in early 2015, with the vehicle likely to be called the Golf R Variant (the regular Golf wagon is called a Golf Variant overseas).

Note, VW is believed to be also working on a more potent version of the Golf R, possibly labeled the Golf R Evo. The car is said to be getting a more powerful engine, more aerodynamic styling, and a series of weight-saving measures.

Note, VW is believed to be also working on a more potent version of the Golf R, possibly labeled the Golf R Evo. The car is said to be getting a more powerful engine, more aerodynamic styling, and a series of weight-saving measures.

Regular Volkswagen Golf R not quite powerful enough for you? You might be in the market for the Golf R 400 then, a hotted-up version of the regular Golf R with close to 400 horsepower. The car is being unveiled at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show in China, but it's still a concept.
The actual total is 395 horses (400 refers to its metric horsepower measurement, PS) and performance is impressive for a compact hatchback: Volkswagen quotes a 0-62 mph time of 3.9 seconds, and a super-sedan baiting top speed off 174 mph. In order to reach this kind of performance, the car's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder has received significant tuning, and an electro-mechanical Haldex multi-plate clutch helps transfer the shove to each wheel.

Volkswagen insiders suggest the car could weigh less than 3,100 lbs (over 150 lbs less than the current Golf R) thanks to a stripped-out cabin and carbon fiber panels. The latter manifest themselves visually with wider wheel arches--a nod to the 1988 Rallye Golf G60--and deep front and rear bumpers. New alloy wheels are also on the parts list, and the cabin features motorsport-grade seats. Sketched teaser images show the car in a special silver metallic paint shade with vibrant yellow accents--including the distinctive grille trim, painted different colors on Volkswagen's different performance models.

Unfortunately, the car is strictly a concept at this stage--though Volkswagen is known to be testing a harder, faster model with dedicated performance components. It's been seen at the Nürburgring wearing GTI body trim and could be a test mule for a new production Golf variant.

VW premiered the Golf R 400 Concept at the Beijing auto show, and here’s why it’s awesome: Powered by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged EA888 engine tweaked to produce 395 horsepower, it can reach 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph. Here’s why it’s double awesome: It’s going to be built, the confirmation of which we received directly from VW research and development chief Heinz-Jakob Neusser.

It’s not yet clear if it’s coming to the U.S., but we’d very possibly cut someone to make that happen. We also learned that the engine hasn’t been changed much from the version rated at 290 horsepower in the U.S.-spec Golf R, having only received mild revisions in the interest of withstanding more boost. The basic engine architecture hasn’t been altered. “We haven’t reverted to cast iron and made it into an EA113 again. The EA888 can handle it,” another VW executive told us.

The engine could also migrate to Audi models, with one source telling us that “[VW] wouldn’t take this effort for just one brand.” Does this spell the end of the turbocharged inline-five that we expect to power the next-gen Audi RS3? Not likely. But the R 400 engine no doubt will serve as a kick in the pants to Audi engineers striving to make their EA113-based five-banger even better and more powerful.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/confirm...ing-auto-show/

The latest Golf R production model was introduced just recently With 221 kW / 300 PS of power. All-wheel drive. It handles the sprint to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and attains a top speed of 250 km/h (governed) – this is the sharpest production Golf ever and one of the most agile sports cars in its class. But the potential of the Golf – which made its debut exactly 40 years ago and developed into one of the world‘s most successful cars – enables even further extensions to the limits of what is feasible in sporty performance. Volkswagen is demonstrating at Auto China 2014 just how far these limits can (currently) be extended in the world premiere of the Golf R 400 concept car. Its name reflects its mission. It is a Golf developed by Volkswagen R GmbH – the brand‘s sports car manufacturer. 400 stands for 400 PS (294 kW). The powerful engine with the genes of the WRC racing version propels the Golf to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Its top speed, assuming that a German motorway or race course is available: 280 km/h (governed).

3.55 kg per PS. The Golf R 400, including its all-wheel drive system, weighs just 1,420 kg thanks to its compact high-performance engine (2.0 TSI), lightweight dual-clutch gearbox and low body weight. Its weight-to-power ratio is a dominant 3.55 kg per PS. The permanent all-wheel drive system by Volkswagen – 4MOTION – is also one of the most fuel-efficient systems of its kind. In addition, the Golf is also exceptionally aerodynamic, as the R 400 as well. Perfection in details runs through the entire concept of the Golf R 400 – from the engine to the largely new body design. This extreme Golf is painted in „Silver Flake“; creating a contrast to this light metallic colour are the car‘s glossy „Black“ roof and mirror caps in genuine carbon. Also designed in painted carbon effect are the splitters (wrap-around aerodynamic parts) adapted from motorsport and genuine carbon accents in the interior.

Special features of the Golf R 400 in detail:

R 400 turbocharged engine

200 PS per litre displacement. The Golf R 400 is powered by a 2.0 TSI with the technical genes of the WRC racing engine. Compared to the 221 kW / 300 PS Golf R, the Golf R 400 develops 100 PS more power, thus providing 295 kW / 400 PS (at 7,200 rpm) – which is 200 PS per litre of engine displacement. This specific power figure lies on the same level as that of super sports cars. The engine‘s maximum torque was increased by 70 Newton metres to 450 Newton metres (between 2,400 and 6,000 rpm).

R400 all-wheel drive system and running gear

4MOTION. Typical of all Golf R cars, due to their exceptional power reserves, has always been their permanent 4MOTION all-wheel drive system. Of course, this also applies to the Golf R 400 being shown in Beijing. In this car, the all-wheel drive system is coupled with an automatic 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG), which can also be shifted manually as an alternative via the gear shift lever or steering wheel paddles.

Clever control. The 4MOTION all-wheel drive of the Golf R, which has been perfected with such features as a Haldex-5 coupling, is activated even before slip occurs. Traction loss is practically prevented by this. The system makes use of a pre-control strategy here, which depends on the specificdriving state. Under low load conditions, or during coastdown, the front wheels transfer most of the propulsive power, while the rear axle is decoupled. This basic tuning saves on fuel. If necessary, the rear axle of the Golf R can be variably engaged in fractions of a second as soon as this becomes necessary. This is done by means of the Haldex coupling that is activated by an electro-hydraulic oil pump.

EDS, XDS, ESC Sport. Along with the Haldex coupling, which acts as a central differential lock, the electronic differential locks (EDS) integrated in the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system act as transverse differential locks. In addition, the Golf R 400 is equipped with the XDS+ system on both the front and rear axles, which brakes the wheels at the inside of a bend during fast driving through bends, and which optimises steering response as a transverse differential lock. Last but not least, the Golf R 400 has an „ESC Sport“ function like that of the production model. The system is activated via a two-stage switch on the centre console. When the driver presses the button once briefly, this selects the „ESC Sport“ mode of Electronic Stability Control (ESC). During very fast driving with lots of bends – e.g. on a race course – the ESC does not intervene as frequently, which enables even more agile handling properties. If the ESC button is held down more than three seconds, the system is fully deactivated for professional drivers on a race course.

Sport suspension and new wheels. The sport suspension of the production Golf R, which lowers the ride height by 20 mm compared to the base Golf, did not have to be changed for the Golf R 400 thanks to its large power reserve. In front, the two Golf R versions each have a MacPhersontype suspension with lower wishbones, while what is known as the modular performance suspension (multi-link suspension) is used at the rear. The tyres are also the same on both cars: 235/35 R 19. The alloy wheels of the Golf R 400 are a new development. Their design is based on the 19-inch „Cadiz“ production wheels, but they were highly modified and equipped with high-gloss black inserts which, as air vanes, perfect cooling in the reinforced brake system.

R 400 exterior

Side profile. Volkswagen Design made wide-ranging design changes to the Golf R 400. For one, the body was widened by 20 mm on each side to accommodate the 19-inch wheels that are further outboard due to their larger wheel offset. In front, the designers developed an entirely new wing, which – as a modern interpretation of the legendary Rallye Golf G60 (from 1988) – are significantly flared. Similarly, the rear side panels over the wheel housings of the Golf R 400 were also flared. The wheel arches are painted in body colour as a uniform part of the new wings and side panels. In addition, the bottoms of the sides are characterised by a wrap-around splitter made of visual carbon that is a very flat aerodynamic element derived from motorsport. Perfection in the details: the fibres of the visual carbon parts in the exterior area that just have a matt coating are aligned in the driving direction, and as arrow-shaped elements they emphasise the dynamism of the R 400. Above the splitter, designers also adapted the side sills to the new contours, creating a uniform transition to the newly designed wheel arches.

Front end. Designers have redesigned the front end of the Golf R 400 as well. Beneath the high-gloss black radiator grille with its „R badge“, on a background in „Lemon Yellow“, the Golf R 400 also features a line in „Lemon Yellow“. Similar to the line of the Golf R (chrome line), Golf GTI (red line) and the new Golf GTE (blue line), it forms the termination of the grille towards the rear and continues into the headlights on the left and right. Beneath this line, there is a type of slot that serves as an air inlet on the Golf R 400 to help cover the car‘s elevated cooling requirements. The bumper was also completely redesigned. The central air inlets have a surround that is a wing-like element made of carbon effect, which visually appear to hover in the bumper. The lines of this aerodynamic element run horizontally up to the height of the bi-xenon headlights, then they bend in a V-shape towards the rear, and finally describe the form of a C (left) and a reversed C (right). Self-contained wing elements in high-gloss black also hover in the lower air inlets. Between the aerodynamic element of visual carbon and the high-gloss black wings (as well as within these black elements) there is a protective screen whose honeycomb structure – like so many details of the Golf R 400 – is reminiscent of motorsport vehicles. Since the wing element protrudes somewhat further forward, this gives it a progressive three-dimensional appearance. As in the side profile, there is also a motorsport-derived splitter in carbon effect at the front.

Rear section. At the rear, the wrap-around motorsport splitters transition into a diffuser, which – like the front wing element – protrudes slightly out from the body. Integrated here are the two central exhaust tailpipes. The reason: in contrast to the Golf R with its four tailpipes (two each, left and right), the Golf R 400 follows the design of the Golf R32 – the original R-series model presented in 2002. Specifically, there are two polished tailpipes with a diameter of 110 mm, which are spaced 200 mm apart from one another and extend slightly upwards. Perfection in the details: the exhaust tailpipes have an inner part that is visible from the outside, which repeats the honeycomb design of the front air inlet. The designers also redesigned the rear bumper; at each end of the bumper there is a carbon inlay in a C-shape (reversed C on the right). The reflector is integrated in the lower horizontal part of the C; the vertical part protrudes slightly from the bumper. Here the designers have worked in a wheel arch exhaust vent.

The global success and 40th anniversary of the Golf is celebrated with an exclusive concept car: the Golf Edition. This fascinating concept car is equipped like a luxury limousine, and distinguishes itself by the exclusive colour "Magic Morning" and burnished 19-inch "Madrid" alloy wheels. The metallic paint with a white basic tint stands out by a special golden shimmer that becomes visible at certain viewing angles. The interior of the Golf Edition presents itself in two-tone leather in "St. Tropez" sand colour and black. Further highlights like wood trim in the door panels, sports seats, luxurious diamond quilting seams on the upholstery and a centre console in piano finish underscore the luxurious ambience. The concept car honours the Golf, of which more than 30 million units were sold, making it one of the most successful automobiles of all times.

The GTI Roadster, Vision Gran Turismo is a supercar that has been designed for a singular mission: the hugely popular Sony® PlayStation® videogame. This extreme and ultimate interpretation of the Golf GTI will make its debut at the Woerthersee Festival in Austria that begins on May 28th.

Like the Design Vision GTI that debuted at the same event in 2013, the GTI Roadster, Vision Gran Turismo uses the Golf GTI Design DNA to create a strong sporting statement, with distinctive horizontal graphics.

Powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo VR6® TSI® engine that produces 503 horsepower and a massive 491 pound-feet of torque, the GTI Roadster, Design Gran Turismo concept is ferociously fast, its speed exacerbated by the low-cut windshield. The seven-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission is programmed to give incredibly fast shifts on the racetrack.

Roadholding on the track is optimized thanks to an integrated rear diffuser, a gigantic rear wing, and a race-car-style front splitter. The car is equipped with 20-inch wheels that carry 235/35 front and 275/30 rear tires; 4Motion® all-wheel drive helps to transmit the torque to the pavement. Supercar-style vented disc brakes are fitted, with a diameter of 15.0 inches up front and 14.0 inches at the back.

The GTI Roadster, Vision Gran Turismo is presented in a bright, vivid metallic red, a modern interpretation of the classic GTI color.