We recently declared the current (Mk7) VW Golf one of the best out of the entire family tree. But, just as those words started to warm our screens, new reports suggest the next generation Golf lineup is about to get even better.
Over in Germany, Auto Bild claims the next Golf will be supplemented by a standard version of the GTI with a 245 horsepower powerplant but also, apparently, a new, additional performance trim will crank out around 300 horsepower. And according to the VW website, the GTI Performance would be nipping at the heels of the current Golf R, which in turn suggests that at an even higher-performance R model is in the pipeline too.
This all might sound like we’re connecting red string, but last year a “Golf R” was spotted testing, supposedly powered by what sounded like the Audi five-cylinder currently on duty in the RS3. It’s possible the VW Golf R420 project is alive and well.
It sounds insane to put 400 horsepower into a tiny hatchback, but if VW gives the top-tier Golf the same all-wheel-drive system from the R (which is basically Audi Quattro) it should be one hell of a hot hatch. The supposed R420 will definitely come with a higher price; the question is, by how much? The current Golf R starts at $40,395 and the Audi RS3 sits at $56,200. It wouldn’t be a stretch to think the R420 will get a price tag just below the RS3 — even with the Audi technology and performance, the four-ring badge is still worth a few hundred dollars on today’s market.
We’d expect more news and information on the 2020 Golf lineup to trickle in over the summer. The official reveal of the next-generation Golf will likely take place at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show in September.
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