The Volkswagen Golf R is poised to receive the turbocharged five-cylinder engine from the Audi RS3, according to a report from Autocar.
The special-edition model is expected to arrive in 2027 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first R-branded Golf.
This new five-cylinder model should become the quickest Golf yet, with the RS3 able to accelerate to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds.
While the Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 have shared a platform since the latter's introduction in the mid-1990s, the German automakers have consistently differentiated their high-performance models. The Golf R's turbocharged four-cylinder produces an impressive 328 horsepower but has played second fiddle to the RS3's turbocharged inline-five, rated at 394 ponies. But now a report from Autocar asserts that Volkswagen will finally stuff the five-cylinder engine into the Golf R's engine bay for a special 25th anniversary model.
VW Golf RS3?
According to the report, the five-cylinder Golf R will arrive in 2027, celebrating a quarter-century since the first R-branded Golf (the R32) was launched in 2002. The move is apparently meant to serve as a send-off for the pure-gas-powered Golf, with Volkswagen expected to transition to an entirely hybrid lineup and launch an electric Golf variant before the end of this decade.
The rumor is a bit of a surprise, as it was previously thought that Audi's five-cylinder would be discontinued due to increasingly strict European emissions rules. Now, however, it appears that Audi is committed to updating the engine to pass the upcoming Euro 7 regulations, which go into effect in November 2026.
The five-cylinder would make the Golf R significantly more potent, adding 66 horsepower and 59 pound-feet of torque. This should make the 25th anniversary special the quickest Golf yet. We estimate that the standard 2025 Golf R needs 4.0 seconds to reach 60 mph, while a 2025 RS3 did the deed in just 3.2 seconds in Car and Driver testing.
In order for the inline-five to find its way into the Golf R in 2027, Audi will need to update the engine's hardware to pass the Euro 7 standards. The report suggests this will bring a new particulate filter, more intense NOx sensors, reworked injection mapping, and higher cell-density catalysts. These upgrades will likely add weight, with Autocar estimating at least a 55-pound increase. This will probably necessitate suspension changes, so the Golf R could end up adopting suspension bits from the RS3.
The special-edition Golf R will also receive other upgrades, with Autocar reporting that it should ride on forged aluminum Warmenau wheels to minimize the weight increase, with a wider track and semi-slick Bridgestone Potenza Race tires. Bigger brakes are also likely, while the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox will be recalibrated.
The five-cylinder Golf R should also gain the RS3's torque-splitting rear differential, which can send all available rear-axle power to a single rear wheel. Spy photos of a Golf R variant testing at the Nürburgring show larger air intakes in the front bumper, vents cut into the hood just above the front wheels, a larger rear spoiler, and a more aggressive rear diffuser.
Autocar claims that this model will be revealed next year, with sales kicking off in the United Kingdom in 2027. It's unclear if this model would be offered stateside or if it will remain exclusive to European markets. We reached out to Volkswagen, but the automaker declined to comment.
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