Volkswagen introduced the Golf R 20 Years Edition in Europe earlier this year to mark two decades since the launch of the R32. This is the most powerful version of the compact car the guys from Wolfsburg have ever made and also their fastest R model at the Nürburgring. While the Euro model is DSG only, 20 . equivalentth The Anniversary Edition for the US also gets a six-speed manual. It has now been spotted near the Nordschleife featuring aero upgrades.
The blue accents and the “20” badge on the B-pillar suggest we’re looking at a limited-run model but look at the front bumper and you’ll see canards. It’s not clear why VW tested this aero element on the hottest Golf of all as there are no press images of the European or North American model depicting the anniversary model with this aero element. Other than that, the press release doesn’t say anything about the winglets on the bumper corners.
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It’s highly unlikely that VW will come out with another special edition in such a short amount of time, so it could be an optional track-focused aero package being developed by the German automaker. Lest we forget a mid-cycle facelift is planned for the Golf and will be released in 2023. A prototype was recently captured by a spy camera featuring the large touchscreen we expect to see on all hatchback and compact wagon variants.
The hardcore Golf R for the circuit will be the all-wheel-drive counterpart of the GTI Clubsport. We’re told the prototype is part of a larger fleet of R prototypes that VW is testing this week, including the different Arteon R and Golf R. The spy photographer has learned from sources close to the automaker that one of them is “special,” but it’s unclear whether they’re referring to this one prototype or another.
If VW does work on the spicy Golf R, it will likely arrive after the model’s mid-cycle facelift. That means it’s unlikely to be revealed until later in 2024. Furthermore, VW has confirmed there will be a ninth generation model with a combustion engine, the last since the company has promised to go purely electric in Europe by 2035.
