Volkswagen Golf24, the 440bhp Nurburgring racer

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The Volkswagen Golf is making a Nurburgring 24-hour comeback. The ubiquitous hot hatchback last raced at the Green Hell in 2007, when a front-driven 300bhp GTI finished in eighth place. Reflecting the event’s increased competitiveness, the Golf’s return is in a much more powerful form. The Volkswagen Golf24 boasts a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine with 434bhp and 398lb ft, sent to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox with paddle shifters. It’s fair to say it looks pretty striking, too. Its wide arches and low, muscular stance bring back memories of the amazing (and amazingly scary) VW Golf GTI W12-650 concept. The hatchback is Volkswagen’s headline ‘Ring racer instead of the recently successful Scirocco as part of the Golf GTI’s 35th birthday celebrations, denoted by some of the Golf24’s decals. Between now and the Nurburgring 24 hours in June, the car will be preparing via some VLN endurance racing at the ‘Ring. Evo’s John Barker races a VW Scirocco in the Ring 24 hours We drive the bonkers Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650 hatch VW Golf GTI v Ford Focus RS v Renault Megane 250 v SEAT Cupra R