VW headed to Nürburgring enduro with Golf24 racer

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Racing

Volkswagen Golf24 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Volkswagen will be returning to the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race this year with this, the new Golf24 race car. It’s a hot little number, and we’ll see it take to the track during the official race events that span from June 23 to 26.

Under the hood is Volkswagen’s turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five, though output has been bumped up to 434 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. That power is managed by a six-speed sequential gearbox and runs to the ground via permanent all-wheel drive. Combine that with a body that has been optimized to keep the car as flat as possible through turns, and what we have here is a seriously fast Golf that’s ready to eat the competition.

The last time Volkswagen entered a Golf in a Nürburgring race was 2007, when a 296-hp, front-wheel-drive example placed eighth overall. Since then, the automaker has commissioned its Scirocco GT24 for ‘Ring duty, but since 2011 marks the 35th anniversary of the infamous GTI hot hatch, VW decided that an all-new Golf-based car was in order. Follow the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: Volkswagen Golf24