Volkswagen has been toying around with the idea of a spicy Golf R for several years, having introduced the R400 concept back in 2015. Rumors insist a high-performance version is still on the agenda, but a new report from Australian magazine WhichCar says it’s likely not going to happen until at least 2023. While the model hasn’t been approved yet, a design sketch has allegedly been shown within the company, proposing significant styling changes over the upcoming regular Golf R.
The biggest mystery surrounding what various outlets are suggesting will be called the Golf R Plus or simply R+ is the engine. Audi apparently said no to sharing its inline-five powertrain, so VW might have to beef up its own four-pot and squeeze as much as 402 horsepower (300 kilowatts) as the report claims. That output would represent a major increase compared to the forthcoming standard Golf R, which is set to have nearly 330 hp (245 kW) based on a screenshot from a
