BEIJING MOTOR SHOW: VW Golf R 400

Not content with just having launched its new Golf R, which delivers ‘just’ 206kW in Australia (down from Europe’s 220kW), Volkswagen will soon reveal the mother of all Golfs, offering no less than 300kW.

Alas, the ‘Golf R 400”, denoting its 400hp output, is only a concept for which Volkswagen admits it has no production plans, created purely for show at this weekend’s Bejing motor show.

Volkswagen says the Golf R 400’s uprated 2.0-litre turbo-four, matched with a twin-clutch DSG automatic transmission, is enough to accelerate the super-Golf to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds – more than a second sooner than the production version.

Complimenting the ballistic performance is a fully reworked bodykit comprising flared wheel-arches that VW says are deliberately reminiscent of those on the 1988 Rallye Golf G60.

Most of the concept is painted in ‘Silver Flake’ metallic, in contrast to the gloss black roof and carbon door mirror caps, while ‘Lemon Yellow’ highlights on the outside include the horizontal stripe across the grille instead of the standard Golf R’s chrome strip.

Of course there’s larger wheels and a louder interior, the latter featuring motorsport shell seats with integral head restraints and racing harnesses.