VW Golf’s Golden Milestone: Celebrating 50 Years with Racing Reworks at the Nürburgring 2024

VW Golf I GTI: Three extreme racing modifications to commemorate at the track in 2024

The reason is the 50th anniversary of the Golf model

The year 2024 is a special one for Volkswagen, marking the half-century milestone of the Golf series. That's why they're making sure to showcase one or several classic Golf models at nearly every world premiere of the latest Golf throughout the year 2024.

At the Nürburgring's 24-hour race at the end of May, the revamped VW Golf GTI Clubsport will be unveiled. While the original Golf GTI made its debut in 1975 and hit the market the following year, the GTI acronym has become synonymous with the Golf series. With the GTI gathering at Lake Wörth no longer taking place, the Nürburgring and the passionate (and hopefully GTI-powered) fan base of the 24-hour race serve as an appreciative audience.

Photo Gallery: Preview of the 2024 VW Golf GTI Clubsport

Ahead of the main race, the ADAC 24h-Classic will host a trio of the original Golf GTI models, set to excite fans along the Eifel circuit. All three cars will be racing under the KWL Motorsport banner, which will be marking its 45th anniversary in 2024. It's a dual celebration on the Nürburgring – 45 years of KWL and 50 years of the Golf model.

The team from Burscheid is set to enter a race with a classic 1981 Golf GTI 16S "Oettinger" (Group 4) boasting 208 horsepower. Equally iconic is their 1978 Golf GTI "Kamei" (Group 2) with 183 horsepower. Completing the trio of vintage cars is a 1980 Golf GTI Group 2 model wrapped in a GTI camouflage design featuring the 50-year Golf logo, which has 184 horsepower.

The Golf GTI Clubsport 24h, fielded by Max Kruse Racing at the 24-hour race, is intended to demonstrate the capabilities of the new Golf GTI Clubsport. This racing car was developed from the standard GTI model. Originally constructed by Volkswagen Motorsport for the WTCR series, the vehicle was transferred to the Volkswagen Classic collection following the conclusion of Volkswagen's racing endeavors in 2021.

The prototype has been revived and fine-tuned specifically for use in the notorious "Green Hell" by racing driver Benny Leuchter along with his team, Max Kruse Racing. The race car will compete in the AT3 class (SP3T / class for vehicles with alternative fuels), as its robust 348 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo engine is powered by a novel bioethanol fuel provided by technology partner Shell: the advanced E20 fuel.

The Golf GTI Clubsport 24h races at a top speed of 270 km/h, showcasing exceptional performance for a compact sports car. This is due in part to its solid technical foundation. Weighing in at just 1,170 kg, the Volkswagen boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 3.36 kg/HP, giving it impressive agility. The turbocharged engine delivers up to 450 Nm of torque to the front wheels. Additionally, the car's powerful acceleration is fueled by efficient E20 fuel, with the capacity to hold up to 100 liters in its tank.

A key factor in the race's success is the driving team assembled by Max Kruse Racing. Benny Leuchter clinched a class victory at the 24-hour Nürburgring race in 2017 while driving a Golf GTI TCR. In 2019, he made history as the first German to win a WTCR race, again in a Golf GTI TCR at the Nürburgring. Johan Kristoffersson is also part of the elite driving squad, renowned as the current and a six-time FIA Rallycross World Champion, having made his mark in the annals of Volkswagen motorsport.

The Volkswagen Golf: A Look at Its Past and Present

In the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR), the Swedish racer was a teammate of Benny Leuchter and also claimed a victory at a Nürburgring event driving the Golf GTI TCR. This well-coordinated squad is bolstered by the addition of two German Nürburgring experts, Nico Otto and Heiko Hammel. On the exterior, the Golf GTI Clubsport 24h turns heads with its race camera, sophisticated aerodynamics, and a unique camouflage pattern previously exclusive to the disguised production models of the Golf GTI Clubsport.

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