2023 Golf R ’20 Years’ Becomes Fastest R-Branded VW Ever To Lap The Nurburgring

Volkswagen today announced that professional driver Benny Leuchter managed to clock a time of 7:47.31 around the fearsome Nürburgring-Nordschleife behind the wheel of the Golf R “20 Years.” That time makes the limited edition model the fastest R-branded VW ever to tackle the track.

Curiously, that doesn’t actually make it the fastest Golf to ever lap the circuit. Even though that time does put the Golf R “20 Years” on par with some impressive cars, like the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, the 2004 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and the 2006 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, it’s not quite as fast as the 2016 Golf GTI Clubsport S that recorded a lap time of 7:47.19.

Although the special edition GTI was designed specifically to take the front-wheel-drive production vehicle lap record, it’s still a little surprising that the supposedly higher-trim, higher-price Golf R couldn’t match its stablemate.

Read Also: VW Golf GTI Clubsport S Just Smashed Its Own Nurburgring Lap Record

Regardless, the Golf R “20 Years” is four seconds faster than the standard Golf R thanks, in no small part, to the extra 13.4 hp (10 kW/13.5 PS) advantage that its 2.0-liter inline-four has been given over the standard car’s. Making a total of 329 hp (245 kW/333 PS), in addition to being the fastest Golf R ever to finish a lap of the track, it’s also the most powerful Golf ever to leave Wolfsburg.

The automaker also tuned the vehicle to give it better throttle response to make overtakes on the road and on the track easier. It also gets the R-Performance package, the Driving Dynamics Manager, and the R-Performance Torque Vectoring to get it around corners quicker.

As with the Golf GTI Clubsport S before it, the Golf R “20 Years” has been given a “Special” driving mode. Developed with the input of Leuchter, the mode is specifically calibrated to make the Golf R as effective on the Nürburgring as possible. Intriguingly, the mode adjusts the shocks to be as soft as possible to allow it to better handle the enormous loads of the high-speed and bumpy track.

Despite all of those special features, the Golf R remains true to its spirit and continues to be a useful daily driver, according to Leuchter. “With this car, I can drive here on the Nürburgring and the next stop is then the baker’s or the DIY store,” he said. “The vehicle is really an all-rounder that can do everything.”