Yokohama Chosen for Most Powerful Golf Ever

Volkswagen is releasing the most powerful Golf in the marque’s 33-year history, and has selected Yokohama to handle the hatchback’s phenomenal power. The Golf GTi W12-650, created to celebrate the annual GTi festival in Europe and 30 years of the Golf in the UK, features a twin-turbocharged 650bhp version of the W12 engine normally found in the Phaeton.

The massive engine is engine mounted amidships in the Golf GTi W12, behind the front seats. Power is channelled to the rear wheels via a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. The six-litre W12 engine is usually rated at 450bhp but the addition of two turbochargers raises this by 200bhp and gives the Golf a staggering 553lbft of torque.

This is enough to propel the car from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in less than four seconds and on to a top speed in excess of 320km/h (200mph). To provide the traction needed to cope with this type of acceleration, the Volkswagen engineers chose Yokohama ADVAN Sport tyres for task – 295/30R19 size at the rear for maximum traction and safety, and 235/35R19 Sports at the front, to provide all-round performance.

The Golf GTi W12 will be making its UK debut at the independent GTi festival at Leicestershire’s Bruntingthorpe Proving Grounds on the weekend of June 16-17, where an expected 20,000 fans will be able to see it in action.