Golf Mk5 R32 with 800 CV: small but fierce

This Golf Mk5 R32 with 800 CV presents itself as a monster in sheep’s clothing. A true marvel of speed.

Going back to the days when the Mercedes A-Class was considered a small, oddly shaped minivan and not a 376 CV monster, Volkswagen it was already riding the crest of the wave with its R versions of its most popular model, the Volkswagen Golf.

For the fifth generation of this compact car, the German manufacturer chose a 3.2-litre VR6 engine that produced 246 CV and 320 Nm of torque. The R32 had a short life, being launched in 2005 and discontinued three years later.

Featuring all-wheel drive and a 6-speed manual gearbox, the Golf Mk5 R32 was very complete for its time. It took 6.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h from a standstill, or 6.2 seconds with the automatic gearbox, while its top speed was 250 km/h in both cases.

Since then, Volkswagen has recognised the “shortcomings” of the Mk6 and Mk7 generations in order to improve as much as possible with the Mk8 due next year. So why give so much prominence to a Mk5? Simple: because it is no ordinary one. We are talking about a Custom version with 790 CV produced by its tuned VR6 engine.

This version is more powerful than many modern supercars, and it was recently filmed at an event in Germany, where it raced against the clock over half-mile runs, reaching speeds in excess of 260 km/h.

One of the best things about the Mk5 is undoubtedly its exterior design, which has not been touched at all, making it a camouflaged monster from which nobody expects such contained power. It is always good to see this kind of initiative, especially when it is disguised, particularly in amusing situations against apparently superior cars.

Here we leave you a video of several acceleration runs by this camouflaged monster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=110&v=OFTXr-tv34U