Volkswagen’s Golf R 400 Concept storms Beijing with (not quite) 400 horsepower

By Stephen Edelstein Published November 25, 2014

While 2015 Volkswagen Golf R is still fresh in the minds of enthusiasts, VW has decided to up the ante with a 400-horsepower Golf concept.

Ok, so the “400” in the Volkswagen Golf R 400’s name refers to its metric horsepower rating. It actually makes 395 hp, but that’s still quite impressive for a car with VW Golf badges.

Set to debut at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show, the Golf R 400 could be the ultimate Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG killer if it ever makes it to production. It will do 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 174 mph.

That performance comes courtesy of a modified version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine used in the regular Golf R, which sends its power to all four wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The sketches released by VW reveal more aggressive styling to match the more aggressive power output. The Golf R 400 has flared fenders that harken back to the 1988 Rallye Golf G60, bigger wheels, and revised front and rear fascias with special yellow trim.

The Golf R 400 will also reportedly be lighter than the standard Golf R, with a stripped-down, race-inspired interior.

We’ll get a better look at the Volkswagen Golf R 400 concept in a few days when the 2014 Beijing Motor Show opens, and hopefully find out if VW has any plans to put it into production.

Stephen Edelstein

Former Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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