The craziest Golf ever made is back. Almost two decades after it shocked the GTI community.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650 has made a comeback to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the GTI brand, and this time it’s painted in red.
First shown in May 2007 as a rather humble “design study,” the W12-650 was anything but.
Volkswagen started with a three-door Golf GTI body, added a custom mid-mounted 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine, and put all 641 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels only.
The engine itself was derived from the Phaeton and had strong connections to the engine used in the Bentley Continental GT, with four valves per cylinder and twin turbochargers.
Performance figures remain properly supercar-grade even by today’s standards.
The six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission had the unfortunate job of handling the power, propelling the W12-650 from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds and on to a claimed 201.8mph top speed.
For a Golf, this is simply outrageous.
To accommodate the engine mounted amidships, Volkswagen widened and lowered the body considerably.
Aggressive cooling vents, scoops, and underfloor aerodynamics were incorporated to ensure it remained stable without the need for a large rear wing.
Carbon fibre construction and 19-inch wheels, which were quite large for their time, rounded off the package.
Volkswagen has not announced any new technical information with its comeback, only that the car will make an appearance as part of the GTI’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
For British fans who have grown up with sensible hot hatches, the W12-650 is a reminder that even the most rational manufacturers will occasionally produce something completely bonkers.
