2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR Wants to Be the King of the Nurburgring

The Mk8-based GTI TCR was recently spotted undergoing testing at the Nurburging. They say if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Or was that New York?

It is not wearing any camouflage, and there's also no mistaking it for any other model. But at this point, it's not clear if or when the TCR will be available in America. The decision will have to be made at the end of the year, when they start production.

At the front, the GTI TCR sports a different grille and lower chin spoiler. The car sits lower than a normal GTI, plus it has better wheels and tires. The performance enhancements continue with side skirts, the diffuser, and a big trunk lid spoiler. It looks fast, but not in the same exaggerated way as the Civic Type R.

Honestly, we can spend all day debating how the Civic Type R will never be beaten or whether is super ugly with the fake vents. So instead, let us just have some nice, objective numbers in here.

The all-new GTI TCR is going to be a second-generation model. We are 100% sure the European model will have 300 hp (metric, 296 hp in American money), about 10% less than the Golf R. It is probably going to be lighter than the older model because they changed the rear suspension. Beyond that, performance increases are going to come from the superior electronics that make the dampers, traction control, and brakes talk.

Back in 2017, the Honda Civic Type R became the fastest FWD hot hatch at the Nurburgring after setting a time of 7:43.8. The previous record belonged to the GTI Clubsport S at 7:47.2. This is the kind of competition that makes this segment so great.