Volkswagen Golf R420 continues to be tested, but why?
Volkswagen decided to pull its R420 prototype from the garage in September for a spin around the Nurburgring. Things have become even more bizarre since the unique hot hatch made an appearance at the Nordschleife Scuderia Hanseat Driving Course. It is not clear why VW would allow the vehicle to run at such an event.
We hadn’t seen the R420 testing since September 2017.. The machine is almost identical to the golf R. However, the oval exhaust outlets at its back distinguish this hot hatch from the rest. The VW R420 prototype has the CB 242 license plate which makes it easier to spot the car.
The R420 prototype is for the production version of Volkswagen’s Golf R400 concept. The 2.5-liter inline five cylinder engine is used in vehicles such as the Audi RS3. It reportedly produces 414 horsepower (309 kilowatts). This significant power is made easier by having all-wheel drive.
The R420 project was far enough advanced in development to receive at least one test mule. VW had to reduce costs after Dieselgate. An ultra-hot Golf R version was an easy choice, as the RS3 was so similar.
Although it’s unclear why the R420 test mule is returning to the Nordschleife, the laps suggest that at least one person within VW still loves the machine. Although it is possible for the automaker to put the vehicle up for sale, the limited edition model would be an appropriate sendoff for the current generation Golf. The new generation of the popular hatchback will be in production by June 2019, and will go on sale in the fourth quarter.