Is the RS3-Powered Golf R420 a Meme or Something VW Will Build?

The notion of a super-powerful Golf R has been around for quite a while, but the R400 concept came out in China about four years ago. That thing was supposed to have a super-powerful 2-liter, an idea which was scrapped completely when the Dieselgate... you know what hit the fan.

But more recently, Volkswagen started testing a Golf R with the five-cylinder from the Audi RS3. That engine has an unmistakable sound which even Audi haters enjoy. But we still don't know what VW wants with it... other than having fun at the Nurburgring.

The two testers in the car seem to be having a lot of fun, and we also enjoy that dual oval exhaust setup. But it feels more like a toy than a serious project.

Still, all the rumors about the next Golf R going hybrid could be false; it might really borrow the RS3 engine. We're sure no hot hatch fan would complain about that.

But it's far more likely that all this Nurburgring testing is just for VW to have a bit of fun or even to develop a special edition. Over the years, some oversized engines have been shoehorned into cars like the Audi A1 Clubsport, the TT Clubsport or the Polo R WRC.

According to Wikipedia, a meme is an idea or behavior that spreads from person to person within a culture. And the Golf R with a 2.5 TFSI is kind of a meme. Several of them have been built independently, and the idea that you can challenge supercars in a Golf is shared with the twin-turbo R36 swaps as well.