[aesthetect]

We've seen some pretty wildly modified Volkswagen GTIs in our day. From potent street weapons to track day toys, the GTI is one of the ultimate tuner cars of the last 30 years. But what happens when Volkswagen itself decides to modify a GTI? Crazy happens.

Meet the Golf GTI W12-650. That's W12-650 as in "this GTI has a 650 horsepower, biturbo, 6.0-liter, 12-cylinder engine." You might be doubtful that such a powerplant could even fit in a GTI, and you'd be reasonable to be less than confident. But as it turns out, the engineers were able to find plenty of room after they'd widened the body 160 mm and removed the rear seats. That's right, this GTI is mid-engined and rear-wheel drive. The end result is a 0-62 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph.



According to Volkswagen, one of the biggest challenges was getting enough airflow to the engine, a problem solved by designing the C-pillars and rear windows to feed air to the W12. Attention was also paid to aerodynamics, with the carbon fiber roof acting as a large integrated diffuser. Virtually every other component on the car is upgraded to near-race spec as well, from suspension components to brakes. Even the wheels were specially engineered for the Golf GTI W12.

So let's recap: Volkswagen GTI; 650 horsepower; mid-mounted W12 engine; rear-wheel drive; 202 mph. When can you buy one? Well that's the catch: you can't. Volkswagen says this is a strictly a show car to show the world what the GTI is capable of. Darn!

:eyebulge::biggrin::respekt::thumbup::w00t:

[larryn]

Nic photoshop! Funny how the car is pasted on the idential background in the same corner of the track, going each direction.

The R32 is definitely a 135i competitor. I hope BMW realizes that with their price point of the little coupe...

[chemhalo]

Originally Posted by larryn

Nic photoshop! Funny how the car is pasted on the idential background in the same corner of the track, going each direction.

The R32 is definitely a 135i competitor. I hope BMW realizes that with their price point of the little coupe...

The R32 is a competitor to the 130i. The R32 wouldnt be able to touch a 135i. It reminds me of the G35 sedan when it first came out. It set the bar way above every other car and now we have the IS350, C350, 335i, TL Type S. VW will need a 300hp R36 to be able to compete... which they cant do until they figure out how to put that engine with a beefier DSG into the Golf chassis.

[brfbmw128i]

nice V-DUB, but whats the price gonna be?

[ice13water]

late this thingy has been talked about for a while considering the v12 and 650 hp its not gonna be 30g's

[brfbmw128i]

Originally Posted by ice13water

late this thingy has been talked about for a while considering the v12 and 650 hp its not gonna be 30g's

not directed towards you Ice, but how does VDUB expect that to compete with the 1-Series? It clearly gonna cost an ass load of money.

[chemhalo]

Originally Posted by brfbmw128i

not directed towards you Ice, but how does VDUB expect that to compete with the 1-Series? It clearly gonna cost an ass load of money.

Umm... the W12 650 was just a bunch of VW engineers screwing around seeing what they could do. It was just a for fun thing to do and nothing even close to it is intended for the market.
-------------------

Wolfsburg, 17 May 2007 - Leaving conventions in its wake has always been at the very heart of the GTI. An icon over three decades, the GTI has lured over 1.67 million drivers with its siren song. To drive the GTI it to make a statement. Since 1982, GTI fans have gathered in Wörthersee, Austria. Thousands come to the five-day carnival at Wörthersee, and it is for them - the people who made the GTI a legend, that the GTI W12-650 show car was conceived.

More powerful than any Golf ever built, wider than any Golf crafted at Wolfsburg, faster than any of its iconic predecessors, the GTI W12-650 is seemingly fresh from the race course. A golf that packs in technology used for the Pace Car of the 24 hours of Le Mans. It is named after its heart: A W12 engine producing 650 horsepower. The GTI W12-650 is a show car, nothing more, nothing less, but it does show the enormous potential offered by the Golf platform.

[ibeam81]

Given enough money and engineering expertise, it's pretty amazing what you can do. :eyebulge:

[larryn]

Originally Posted by chemhalo

The R32 is a competitor to the 130i. The R32 wouldnt be able to touch a 135i.

I'd agree with that, if there was such a thing as the
in this country. R32 might be lesser than a 135i, but in this country.. it's the direct competition, until there's an Audi S3.

[aesthetect]

im not saying anything with regard to this as having anything to do with the 1 series. those are photoshops that i posted because they were along with that article which i thought summed up the car nicely. rest assured it exists in the flesh.



and if youve known about it so long how come you didnt know that there are no plans to bring this thing to the market whatsoever. im just bringing it up, i hadnt heard of it until the other day.

im simply saying that putting such a powerful engine in the middle of such a small car (although the R32 is somewhat of a hefty fucker at almost 2900lbs) and having it be rwd is awesome. imagine picking up a date in your "golf" which she snuffs at and then you take off onto the highway like a fucking bullet. and honestly with the widebody styling that thing is beautiful to me, and the widened track is even more of a blast im sure. i bet theres a ton of noise in the cabin from the engine though.

and yeah you have to consider the r32 competition for the 1 series (although not the 135) just because there doesnt really exist much else in the niche of the 1 series. but how many people posting in the "What else are/were you considering?" thread on here mention the r32 (hint- none). to me it is more volkswagon trying to step it up into the STi/EVO playing field.

[chemhalo]

Originally Posted by larryn

I'd agree with that, if there was such a thing as the
in this country. R32 might be lesser than a 135i, but in this country.. it's the direct competition, until there's an Audi S3.

Its really hard to see how the S3 would fit or sell here because of Audi's pricing. An A3 3.2 S-line starts at 34K. An S3 in the UK is 73% the price of an S4. In the US, 73% of the price of an S4 is.... 34K. I dont believe anyone would buy an S3 that STARTS at 40K... its just not that much of car for that price. The only way to bring it here would be to drop the 3.2 (or drastically lower the price) and move in the S3 at 34-35K.

[larryn]

A3 3.2 already exists. That can't be the S3 powerplant. Since the 130i was being compared to the VW (because of performance, I assume), and will never be available in the US, I made the comparison that the S3 would be the 135i's performance competition, when and if that car is ever sold here. My comparison points were size and both are marketed as the small sports oriented car.

Competition means many different things, (e.g. Price, size, performance, sales share, etc., or any combination) and a few of those meanings are being interchanged in this thread. I guess I muddied the waters trying to expand on the OP's point.

[chemhalo]

Ya, we are way off on a tangent. I know the A3 3.2 exists. What I was trying to say is that if the S3 (which is a 2.0T + more boost) were brought over, it would have to be priced above the A3 3.2... which would be too much. So, the only solution I saw was to ditch the A3 3.2 altogether and bring in the S3 at the A3 3.2's price point.


Man that W12 650 is a beast. Im not so much on the looks though.... give me an A8 W12 650.... goodbye rainforests.


So much better than rear seats.

[brfbmw128i]

Originally Posted by chemhalo

Umm... the W12 650 was just a bunch of VW engineers screwing around seeing what they could do. It was just a for fun thing to do and nothing even close to it is intended for the market.

:tongue: yeh that would seem like an awkward step for VDUB

[aesthetect]

the A3 quattro S-line i would say is definitely fair competition for the 135. given awd losses, 250 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque i would say is at least enough to put it in the running, probably more so than almost anything else i would consider; the 3.2 or current S3's 2.0T (although i cannot attest to dynos or powerband). but the disgusting amount of softness reported by the reviews kills it for me, and that goes for the S3 and the A3. to me that ends that discussion, unfortunately. because i do love the styling, and i typically dislike hatches. could have been so much more.. really when it comes down to it, its just a hyped up GTI, same chassis same powerplant - which reportedly delivers an edge on being more of a "drivers car" with communicative steering etc. but i think the VW vs BMW "luxury" stigma keeps it more out of the running than the audis. although the 1 series has really entered a market that has been pretty well untouched by BMW.. competitive $/performance

[aesthetect]

also without a true manual in the US.. its out.

but a 12 cylinder mid-engined widebody golf??? cmon, that shits hot, just for funs sake.