Volkswagen unveiled a unique design study for 2007 which debuted at the largest GTI festival in Europe. The GTI W12 650 mates a GTI three-door bodyshell to a bespoke mid-mounted bi-turbo W12 650 bhp engine channeling drive to the rear wheels. Not only is it the most powerful Golf ever produced by Volkswagen but it’s also the fastest. The sprint from standstill to 62 mph takes 3.7 seconds. A potential maximum speed of 201.8 mph is made possible through a 70 mm lower ride height and the extensive use of under floor aerodynamic aids including a diffuser negating the need for a large rear wing to keep the vehicle pinned to the ground at very high speeds.
At the vehicle’s heart is a bespoke mid-mounted W12 engine linked to a pair of turbochargers. In order to make the installation possible Volkswagen engineers created a unique aluminum subframe onto which the engine could be mounted.