Officially, the R400 is dead. Or is it?
Volkswagen ended the R400 project after the dieselgate scandal. Wolfsburg decided to end development of the ultimate Golf R because it was too difficult to make such a niche model. It is likely to be a limited-edition car, with a high price tag to match its status. Rumours circulated that the road-going car would be more powerful than the R400 concept , which was unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show 2014. Insiders claimed it would have been named “R420” to reflect its 420 horsepower.
Although the car is officially deceased, the Nurburgring saw a prototype of the Golf R. The car had a different exhaust system, with a pair oval tips similar to those found on the RS3 Sportback or Sedan. This led some to speculate that it might have been powered by Audi’s five-cylinder engine. The Golf R comes with four exhaust tips, in standard configuration, and when it is fitted with the Performance pack which includes a titanium-titanium Akrapovic light exhaust.
The Golf R was first rumored with the 2.5-liter unit, but later details emerged about a stronger version of the EA888 2.0-liter engine inside the standard Golf R. Car & Driver also learned from VW executives that the R400 will never make it to production.
A similar note: Sources close to VW’s agenda said Automotive News that in April last year, development of a beefier 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine would continue. However, future Audis will be served by this engine.
Although it’s difficult to tell what VW/Audi is up to, the exhaust tips suggest that something must be happening quickly. The R400/R420 will be a major premium to the R500/R420 available in Germany starting at EUR40,675 or $39,375 in America, where it is slightly less powerful than its European sibling.