VW: No Golf R36 in production

Volkswagen’s Golf performance range has been hugely successful for the company, but rumors that they're planning to expand it to include a top-of-the-line R36 model with a 3.6L V6 engine are unfounded. That’s the claim made by a VW spokesman, who said the Golf R32 is perfectly placed within the market. The Passat R36 model that has already been announced comes with a FSI engine churning out 300hp and this is the same engine that was tipped to power the new hot-hatch. The current R32 Golf model makes do with “only” 250hp but the more powerful engine would have pushed its performance very close to the five-second mark.

In other news, the Passat R36 was expected to go on sale around now, but the launch has been pushed back to November due to technical reasons, reports Automobilwoche.

Having reviewed the Golf R32 we can confirm the platform is definitely capable of handling more power, especially as it is put down through a 4Motion AWD system. Sadly, it looks like VW will keep the Golf at the mid-range performance level, and also dashes hopes dreams that we'd one day see the Golf GTI W12 on the streets.