Volkswagen Golf R 400 is Officially a No-Go

VW Golf R 400 Concept (Credit: © Volkswagen)

At the 2017 Beijing Auto Show, Volkswagen got the world amped up over an even hotter version of the Golf R, known as a Golf R 400. This model boasted 395 horsepower and looks that would make any supercar blush a bit. Shortly after its reveal in concept form, VW’s now-former chief of research and development, Heinz-Jakob Neusser, confirmed it would spawn a production model. According to Automotive News, the Golf R 400 is no longer approved or production, thanks to the dieselgate scandal.

Sadly, it appears as if the resignation of Neusser in the wake of the dieselgate scandal has resulted in the company scrapping the super-hatch. There is a little light at the end of the tunnel, however, as the same insiders claim that the 395-horsepower 2.0-liter engine isn’t off the table altogether. Instead, the VW Auto Group will continue working on the engine for use in various Audi models.

Also passed on to Auto News is a report that VW is working on the next-gen Golf R, which will be based on the eighth-generation Golf and is primed for a post-2020 launch. Currently, there are two possibilities in the works with the next-gen Golf R and these are a more-powerful model or a reimagined version that stays close to its current 292-horsepower mark but drops nearly 300 pounds in heft.

So, while we won’t see a 400-horsepower Golf anytime soon, it is nice to know the brand still has big plans for the R model in the future.

Stay tuned for more details.