It’s simply amazing.
The Volkswagen Golf R MK8 was being built. Wolfsburg’s residents asked their Audi colleagues if they would be able to use the 2.5-liter TFSI engine of the Audi RS3. However, they were not given a positive answer. Although it is likely that we will never see a performance Golf with an inline-five engine from the factory, that doesn’t mean VW enthusiasts will not build one. A Golf R MK7 2.5 FFSI is actually already available and featured in a new video.
The 12-minute video clip is attached at the top. It introduces Kavin, the owner, of the white hot hatch. He asked Innovative Motorsports for a swap of his golf R engine with a 2.5-liter Inline-five from Audi. It was never my intention to modify it. But one thing leads to the next. “I started modding, but it wasn’t my intention to modify it, but one thing leads to another.” VW won’t build a five-cylinder Golf R, but Kavin did.
Innovative Motorsports is a company that specialises in the conversion of RS3 engines to Golf MK7s. The entire process takes approximately five weeks. It all starts with a wrecked RS3 that is used as an engine donor. The entire hardware, including the engine and transmission, is replaced. We are pleased to report that the final result is a fully functional five-cylinder Golf R with no instrument cluster lights, and completely emissions compliant.
It is also possible to fabricate both the Audi RS3 or the Golf R using the same MQB platform. The engine and transmission bolt directly into the car, so the whole process is very straightforward. Because the engine compartment is basically rewired, the wiring and software will be the most difficult.
What are the costs for such a project? According to Kavin, the cost of such a project depends on what you have and what your goals are. To recoup some of his investment in the RS3, he sold his old engine, transmission and rear differential. There is a huge range of prices available. Prices can be as low as $15,000 up to close to $80,000 depending on how much you can put into the car and what you do.