Volkswagen's Golf R model will not receive the five-cylinder engine.
In an intriguing turn of events, rumours have been circulating about Volkswagen's potential plan to install the Audi five-cylinder engine in the upcoming new Golf R. However, it seems that these rumours may be premature, as the automaker has yet to make a decision on the matter.
Recent tests involving a white test vehicle of the new VW Golf R on the Nordschleife have sparked excitement, but they were not about introducing the Audi five-cylinder engine. Instead, the focus was on testing Euro-7 aggregates.
It is worth noting that the Audi five-cylinder engine has already found a home in models like the RS 3. In fact, three Golf test vehicles were equipped with the five-cylinder engine at an earlier stage, during the tenure of Benny Leuchter, who was responsible for the Golf test vehicles with the five-cylinder Audi engine.
However, Volkswagen has dismissed the rumour that the Audi five-cylinder engine will be installed in the new Golf R. The automaker has also confirmed that the tests are exclusively about the Euro-7 standard and the Audi engine is not planned for these tests.
Insiders have revealed that Volkswagen would indeed have liked to have the Audi five-cylinder engine for the Golf R, suggesting that the rumour may stem from a desire to make the Golf R more powerful. The current Golf R, the Golf R 333, uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine from the EA888 series, delivering up to 333 hp and a maximum of 400 Nm.
The Audi five-cylinder engine has been updated to meet the Euro-7 standard, which could potentially make it a contender for the new Golf R. However, no decision has been made on this matter as of yet.
Interestingly, the Audi five-cylinder engine's use in the Cupra Formentor VZ5 appears to be an exception, as it was released by the VW Group to Cupra in 2021 for the limited edition Cupra Formentor VZ5.
Engineers involved in the tests spoke enthusiastically about a "crazy car," but it remains to be seen whether this will translate into the new Golf R. Only time will tell if the rumours about the Audi five-cylinder engine will become a reality in the new Golf R.
