Volkswagen has confirmed plans to enter the 24h Nurburgring in 2027 with a dedicated racing version of the current Golf R in partnership with long-standing collaborator Max Kruse Racing. A show car previewing the project will be unveiled to the public on the Ring Boulevard at the Nurburgring.
The program marks the 25th anniversary of the Volkswagen R brand, and carries particular symbolic weight given the name itself is derived from ‘racing’, an activity VW has somewhat shied away from since it left the WRC in 2016. The Golf R 24H will be built around an all-wheel drive configuration engineered to handle the demands of the Nordschleife, though Volkswagen has stopped short of disclosing technical details at this stage.
It also signals a new chapter for Volkswagen at the race. The brand previously contested the event across three editions with the Golf GTI Clubsport, with Max Kruse Racing involved throughout. Team co-founder Benjamin Leuchter will lead the new program, combining his role as program manager with his existing responsibilities as a test and development driver for Volkswagen’s performance road car models.
“The 24h Nurburgring is the toughest test for us under real competitive conditions,” said Reinhold Ivenz, head of Volkswagen R. “The Nurburgring is also our test and development track, and we will meet people at the 24h race who share our passion for performance, which is why the project is a perfect match for Volkswagen R.”
Ivenz added that the show car makes the team’s 2027 vision tangible at an early stage, and promised “the most spectacular Golf R to date” when the full racing car is revealed.
Further technical details are expected as development progresses ahead of the race entry.
Related news, McLaren unveils 2027 LMDh contender and limited edition track car
