It has more power than the never-became VW Golf R420.
Many studies have been published on how Volkswagen planned to take the Golf R with the introduction of an R400/R420 to unparalleled power levels, but eventually opted to ax the idea as a result of the costly Dieselgate.
You might suggest that the people of Wolfsburg would add a beefier version of their all-wheel-drive hot hatch. As seen as the GTI’s Clubsport S flavor beautifully suited its production. Although this was a limited-run affair. The current Golf GTI TCR comes close to 300 hp, bringing it incredibly close to the mighty R.
VW will tackle the shrinking power gap with the new Golf R set to drive 330 horsepower, but what if some people want more? Yeah, there’s always the Audi RS3 Sportback with its beautiful five-cylinder engine, but it’s also considerably more costly.
That is where the tuners at Manhart come into play because they’ve just designed a 450-hp Golf R version.
It began as a Euro-spec car from the pre-WLTP era. So before it lost 10 horsepower to comply with the tighter emission regulations.
Except for the front spoiler lip, custom wheels, H&R falling springs, and discreet body decals, the Manhart RS450 looks the same as the Golf R stock.
The true mystery lies under the hood. Where the 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine now has a bigger turbocharger and carbon intake.
After remapping the ECU of the engine, Manhart managed to pull 450 hp and 500 Newton-meters (369 pound-feet) of torque out of the common 2.0 TSI. The tuners even fiddled with the rhythm of the engine by changing the exhaust to suit the new downpipe.
While it not the five-cylinder Golf R that Volkswagen intended to produce before Audi shot down. It will still give a major improvement in output over the regular model.
The decal added to the rear pillar of this DSG-equipped car shows that only ten Golf Rs should upgrade to the Manhart RS450 standard. Which will be a worthy opponent of the RS3 and the AMG A45 S.
