TUNNING

Volkswagen Golf with over 1,000 hp under the hood

The VW Golf R has an army of fans, which should come as no surprise, given its performance credentials.

However, despite being a powerhouse in stock form, many tuners have taken the popular hot hatch to the next level. Klaus Kranmajr of Turbo Elite is the man we have in mind.

He created a 1,204 hp Mk6 Golf, which looks quite “ordinary” from the outside. It is definitely a “sleeper” par excellence.

The car in question started life as a standard Mk6 VW Golf R, with a 2.0-liter turbo engine with 270 hp and 350 Nm of maximum torque. Since the owner had aspirations of competing in German half-mile races, Turbo Elite removed the stock setup from the vehicle and installed a unit from the R32 VR6 in its place. This 3.2-liter engine produces around 250 hp from the factory, but after a major modification, the addition of a Garrett GT42-1450 turbocharger, it showed a whopping 1024 horsepower at the wheels.

Modifications:

Forged crankshaft

Forged pistons and connecting rods

Special cylinder head

Garrett GT42-1450 turbocharger

Turbo Elite ECU with multiple maps

Audi RS3 DQ500 DSG gearbox

Upgraded clutch and flywheel

In the end, the owner changed his mind about the competition, and the engine was “detuned” for better reliability. Thanks to the Turbo Elite ECU, he can use different engine maps, with one delivering around 700 hp and the other around 900. Klaus, apparently (rightly) smug, states that the latter setting will make the car “slip in third gear.” Indeed, when you launch the Golf with all-wheel drive using the more powerful setting, the car accelerates frighteningly.

Huge power with nice “manners”...The best part of the whole story is that despite the huge amount of power available, this Golf still behaves like a “sleeper” with good manners. It doesn’t look aggressive and doesn’t let anyone around know what a “beast” it is. It sits on 19-inch OZ Racing Ultraleggera wheels, and the engine compartment is almost factory-made. Upon starting, this Golf enters a “safe mode” to comply with legal regulations for participation in everyday traffic, while the more powerful mappings are activated at the push of a button.

What is also interesting is that this is a “very quiet” and “very comfortable” car when driven in more tame settings. Exhaust noise is minimal and acceleration is smooth.

Mundoquatrorodas