Driver is ok

A Volkswagen Golf V GTI was involved in a brutal accident in Germany at the Nürburgring Nordschleife during a track day.

The crash took place on May 1st and involved a three-door Volkswagen Golf GTI fifth generation that was going way too fast when it went onto the grass surface. The driver lost control of the vehicle which crashed into the barrier sending the vehicle up in the air and then it hid the barrier on the other side of the road before coming to a full stop.

Despite the powerful impact, the driver escaped without any serious injuries as he was taken to the hospital only for some routine checkups. There was someone on the front passenger seat who also survived without any injuries.

Hopefully the owner has a good insurance policy because the Golf GTI looks pretty much totaled.

Will be all-wheel drive

Volkswagen chief of R&D Heinz-Jakob Neusser declared recently the Golf R 400 production version "could make more than 400 horsepower."

Last month at the Beijing Motor Show in China we saw Volkswagen's rather radical Golf R 400, a concept which based on a recent report will see the light of production day. There's actually more to this story as Volkswagen's head of research and development Heinz-Jakob Neusser said this week at the Vienna engine symposium in Austria the range-topping Golf "could make more than 400 horsepower."

The company's supervisory board chief Ferdinand Piech and VW CEO Martin Winterkorn participated at the symposium so needless to say Neusser was very serious when he made the statement. This means the current flagship Golf R will be dethroned by a super Golf pumping out more than the concept's 400 PS (294 kW) and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft).

The uprated 4-cylinder, 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine will work most likely with a 6-speed DSG transmission and a 4MOTION all-wheel drive system. Volkswagen said the concept can do 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and an electronically-capped top speed of 174 mph (280 km/h) but the production car could be even faster than that as a result of the added power.

Goes on sale in August

Volkswagen has announced the 2015 Golf will be priced from $17,995 - excluding an $820 destination and handling fee - in the United States.

Set to go on sale in August, the entry-level Golf Launch Edition will be available exclusively as a three-door hatchback. Despite its affordable price tag, the model will come nicely equipped with air conditioning, power windows / locks, Bluetooth connectivity and an infotainment system with a 5.8-inch touchscreen display.

The Golf S starts at $18,995 and features all the aforementioned equipment as well as leatherette seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and 16-inch alloy wheels. The model also has Car-Net connected services and an optional six-speed automatic transmission that costs an additional $1,100.

The $24,495 Golf SE is available exclusively as a five-door hatchback and boasts automatic headlights, fog lights, rain-sensing windshield wipers and 17-inch alloy wheels. The car also has heated front seats, a rearview camera and a Fender audio system.

Moving up to the $26,995 Golf SEL adds "sport comfort" seats, automatic climate control andkeyless entry with a push button ignition. There's also ambient interior lighting and GPS navigation.

All the aforementioned models are powered by a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 170 bhp (126 kW) and 200 lb-ft (270 Nm) of torque.

The Golf can also be equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine that cranks out 150 bhp (111 kW) and 236 lb-ft (319 Nm) of torque. The diesel variants closely mimic the petrol models in terms of features and pricing starts at $21,995 for the Golf TDI S. Likewise, the Golf TDI SE is priced from $25,495 while the Golf TDI SEL goes for $27,995.

First US-spec VW with full LED headlights

Volkswagen of America has announced the 2015 e-Golf is heading to select dealers starting the fourth quarter.

It's been a busy start of the week for Volkswagen's U.S. division since after announcing 2015MY Golf pricing details and introducing the Golf SportWagen, the company has now disclosed plans to offer the e-Golf at select dealerships starting the fourth quarter of the year. It will be the first U.S.-spec Volkswagen to feature full LED headlights and will provide an average range between 70 - 90 miles (112 – 145 km) while the maximum range is estimated at 115 miles (185 km).

The vehicle is powered by an electric motor generating 115 PS (85 kW) and 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) and works together with a 24.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that weighs 701 lbs (318 kg), out of a total of 3,090 lbs (1,401 kg). It will do 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 10 seconds before hitting an electronically-capped top speed of 87 mph (140 km/h).

It takes less than four hours to fully charge the batteries using a 240-volt wallbox while with a 110/120-volt connection it takes approximately 20 hours. The e-Golf benefits from Combined Charging System (CCS) technology which allows an 80 percent recharge in only 30 minutes when using a CCS-equipped DC fast charge station.

Interestingly, Volkswagen is offering the 2015 e-Golf with a Roadside Assistance Pack that will try to eliminate the client's range anxiety worries.

For example, if the car runs out of juice within a 100-mile range of the owner's home, the roadside assistance provider will deliver the vehicle to a nearby power source to fill the batteries and it will also pay for the client's taxi. Volkswagen says the plan covers an unlimited number of events.

If you watched our video with the Nissan Maxima vs. the Porsche 911 Turbo or the other one pitting a VW Golf R against a Ferrari 458 Speciale, you'll know that with some crafty work under the hood, regular cars can easily outrun high-performance models several times their price – at least on the drag strip. Oettinger is one of those tuners and its newest project focuses on the latest VW Golf R.

Scheduled to be revealed at this year's Wörthersee Golf GTI Meeting in Austria, Oettinger's expanded tuning program for the Golf R Mk7 adds 380PS (375hp) and 400PS (395hp) power kits to the existing 360PS (355hp) package.

In factory tune, the Golf R's 2.0-liter turbocharged four has 300PS (295hp) and 380Nm (375 lb-ft) of torque for a 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) sprint in 4.9 seconds with the dual-clutch DSG and 5.1 seconds with the 6sp manual, along with an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

Oettinger can add up 100PS to the Golf R through a larger turbocharger, complete sports exhaust system and a modified ECU, boosting output to 400PS (395hp) and 500Nm (369 lb/ft) torque. According to the Germans, with this tune, the Golf R hits 100km/h (62mph) in less than 4.0 seconds, beating the stock model by over 1 second, and reaches a top speed of around 280 km/h (174 mph).

Available options include a new body kit with front and rear aprons, plus a roof spoiler and a different diffuser, 19- or 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels, racing brakes and chromed exhaust pipes.

Should have a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 300 PS (221 kW)

Our spies have managed to catch the Volkswagen Golf R Estate undergoing testing on the Nürburgring.

Caught virtually undisguised, the high-performance wagon has a sporty body kit that includes modified bumpers and a rear diffuser. The car also has been equipped with five-spoke alloy wheels and a four-tailpipe sports exhaust system.

Like the standard model, power will be provided by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 300 PS (221 kW) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque. It will likely be connected to a six-speed manual or a six-speed DSG transmission which is backed up by a 4MOTION all-wheel drive system with a fifth-generation Haldex coupling that "eliminates nearly all traction losses."

While the model looks virtually production ready, previous reports have indicated Volkswagen is still evaluating a production variant.

Volkswagen shocked many when it rolled out its 395-horsepower Golf R concept at the recent 2014 Beijing Auto Show. But what’s more shocking still is that the wild concept is actually destined for production, if senior VW execs are to be believed, and there’s a good chance it may even have more than 400 horsepower on tap when it finally lands in showrooms.

From a 2.0-liter engine, that would comfortably give it the highest specific output of any production 2.0-liter car, and make Mercedes-Benz's 355-horse A45 AMG (and the CLA45 AMG sedan sold in the U.S.) look... well, a little weak.

Incredibly, the required modifications to regular Golf R’s 2.0-liter turbo four in its transformation to R 400 spec were rather minor. Boost pressure was increased, internals uprated, and air and fuel flow optimized. In this latest video from AutoEmotionenTV, we get to hear the Golf R 400’s potency for the first time. Hopefully any production version sounds just as good.

Obviously, you cannot have a Golf GTI fest without…Golf GTIs and at this week's Wörthersee Tour in Austria, a group of 12 apprentices aged between 18 and 23 from VW's Wolfsburg plant are presenting a unique study inspired by the 40 years of the Golf (1974) and named the Golf GTI Wolfsburg Edition.

Developed over the course of nine months, the Wolfsburg Edition carries a modified 2.0-liter TFSI engine boosted from the stock Performance Package Golf GTI's 227hp (230PS) to 375hp (380PS). It also features a carbon air box and a hand-welded stainless steel exhaust system with vacuum valve control that allows the driver to regulate the volume of the engine sound.

The four young women and eight men gave the car a special look employing a red and black interior and exterior color scheme.

Notable details on the outside include the one-off, hand-made spoiler kit, two-tone alloy wheels with Wolfsburg emblems, and a Wolfsburg Skyline decal featuring eight landmarks from the region, including Schloss Wolfsburg, Planetarium, the Car Towers at Autostadt, Phaeno, Autostadt Customer Center, Volkswagen Arena.

Inside, the first thing that captures your attention is no doubt the lovely Recaro bucket seats dressed in leather and GTI tartan with red stitching (VW should offer these on the production car). Other details include the red accents used throughout the interior, the handcrafted center console with an integrated iPhone Docking Station, the door trimmings, while in the boot, you'll find a PlayStation with 24-inch LED-LCD TV set.

The Golf Variant Youngster 5000 is yet another study made by VW apprentices, and in particular, a group of six youngsters from the Zwickau plant, for the 2014 edition of the Wörthersee Golf GTI Tour.

Using the newest generation of the Golf Variant as their canvas, the apprentices shaped up an interesting proposal finished in Arancio argos pearl and fitted with the front and rear bumpers, and side sills of the Golf R hatch, together with a new set of gloss black rims.

For the car's motivation, they chose the Golf GTI hatchback's 2.0-liter turbo engine with the Performance Package, which was further tuned to deliver 321hp (325PS), while they also integrated a Bilstein suspension that can be controlled through an iPhone.

As for the tuned Golf Variant's name, it comes from the iPad-controlled sound system with an output of about 5000 W that's mounted on skids in the rear of the vehicle.

Volkswagen is among those few companies that not only accepted the challenge from Sony Playstation and their Gran Turismo 6 (GT6) to design a virtual concept for their game, but also went ahead and built a real life example (Mercedes did too), and now their showing it at the most appropriate event: the 2014 Wörthersee GTI Tour in Austria.

We say the most appropriate because VW's GTI Roadster study pays tribute to the hot hatch series that was born in 1976.

It is the work of three young VW designers, including Malte Hammerbeck, Domen Rucigaj and Guillermo Mignot, who were the winners of an in-house competition to design a vehicle to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Gran Turismo game. Klaus Bischoff, VW's Head of Design f, and Kazunori Yamaucht, the creator of the Gran Turismo series from Sony, selected the winning design.

The three young men were inspired by last year's VW Design Vision GTI Concept creating an even more extreme speedster model for two that measures 4,158 mm long, 1,894 mm wide and just 1,090 mm tall, while riding on a 2,494 mm wheelbase that is 137 mm shorter than that of the production Golf GTI hatchback.

The impressive looking study replaces the GTI's 2.0-liter 4-cylinder TFSI for a 3.0-liter V6 biturbo TSI engine fitted up front that kicks out 503PS (496hp) and 560Nm (413 lb-ft) of peak torque between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm.

The twin-turbo unit is paired up to a seven-speed DSG gearbox and 4MOTION four-wheel drive that help propel the 1,420 kg (3,130 pounds) GTI Roadster from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in just 3.6 seconds, and on to a top speed of 306km/h (190 mph). For its stopping power, the concept uses ceramic brakes housed behind 20-inch wheels with 235/35 tires at the front and 275/30 at the rear.

VW says that it has no plans for production, but at least players of GT6 will be able to download the GTI Roadster from mid-June and get behind the wheel on Sony's virtual environment.

By John Halas