Since the release of the new VW Golf Mk7, it has won 2 very highly accredited car awards. The World Car of the Year & European Car of the Year award. So, with the GTI officially launching very soon, the Golf fans has started the gossip about the upcoming Golf R Mk7.
Pictures, courtesy of VWVortex.com forums shows that Volkswagen has already started the development of the Mk7 R, with predictions of a tentative release date in late 2014. The car will be based on the Mk7’s MQB construction chassis, tagged along with an AllWheelDrive system which will probably be similar to the Mk6 R’s Haldex AWD system. Standardising from the Mk4 R32, we can expect a 3 and 5 door configuration and also a DSG transmission with a manual option as well.
Putting aside the configuration and the setup of the car, the highly debated topic on the Mk7 R is the engine itself. The forums has been busy talking about the 5 cylinder, 2-point-5 litre turbo engine in the Audi RS3 and TT-RS. However, doubts came along when it occurred to the enthusiasts that following the history of the Mk6 R, it would have to be an engine passed down for the Audi S3 and TT-S.
The buzz began again when Audi recently released the new Audi S3 sedan with it’s 2.0 TFSI engine, producing a whopping 300 HP & 380 NM of torques. Taking into consideration that they are based on the same platform – this is what the new MK7 R is expected to pack under it’s hood. It is unlikely for VAG to introduce the Volkswagen R cars more power than Audi’s flagship S models, as they are both priced competitively. Although, is that a possibility? Will they risk the sales of the S3? Only time will tell…
As enthusiasts, we are not bothered about the sales charts and figures. We are more interested about what we’ll be getting. So.. 2.0 TFSI or the 5 cylinder 2.5 litre rocket? As much as we’d love to see the 5 cylinder engine screaming down the road, with the car makers abiding to the emission regulations and fuel economy, downsizing has been the trend. Even the RS6 has been downsized from 5 litres twin-turbo to 4 litres twin-turbo. So we reckon the 2.0 TFSI from the new Audi S3 will be the engine prospective for the coming Mk7 R.
Not to forget, the A45 AMG is also 2 litre turbocharged. The future looks rather interesting for the hot hatch market..
What do you guys reckon?
Pic above: Audi 2.5 5cylinder fitted on the RS3 & TT-RS
