Volkswagen Ponders Production for 395-hp Golf

Volkswagen AG is determining the financial viability of commercializing the R400, a version of its high-performance Golf R three-door hatch powered by a 395-hp engine, Autocar reports.

VW unveiled the car in concept form at the Beijing auto show in April. The R400 is powered by a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 332 lb-ft of torque and delivers it to all four wheels through a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Autocar says the main engineering challenge is to find a transmission that can cope with the car's torque. The magazine opines that VW's just-announced 10-speed dual clutch transmission is a likely candidate, since it is being developed to handle as much as 369 lb-ft of torque.

The magazine notes that Golf R's 6-speed dual clutch gearbox is good for torque loads no greater than 280 lb-ft.