Overview

• Autocar reports that the next Golf R will adopt an updated version of Audi’s turbocharged inline-five as a farewell to pure-ICE Golfs, targeting a 2027 debut tied to the R badge’s 25th anniversary.
• The RS3’s roughly 401 hp output would mark a large jump over the current Golf R’s ~328–329 hp, with outlets expecting 0–60 mph in under four seconds.
• Hardware changes are expected to manage the added power, including stiffer front axle components, additional chassis bracing, bigger brakes, and a revised seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with standard launch control.
• Reports indicate VW may incorporate the RS3’s Torque Splitter rear differential and anticipate a modest weight increase of about 25 kg, with lighter forged wheels and sticky Potenza Race tires to offset mass and boost grip.
• Spy photos show a prototype with hood cutouts, a larger spoiler, and a diffuser that still resembles a Golf, and Volkswagen declined to comment on the reporting.