One year after revealing the craziest version yet of the Golf at the 2014 Shanghai Auto Show, Volkswagen says that the car is headed for production and is "in fact in development right now". The first production road-going car to employ the group's new 2.0-liter turbo engine previewed in the Audi TT420, VW is likely to now tack the 420 number onto the Golf R's nameplate as well. The new engine is rated at 420 metric hp (400-414 bhp), and the company says it is "in fact in development of it right now".

Speaking to Car magazine, VW group powertrain chief Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser said that the hottest Golf ever is just a few months away. Beyond its engine, the car is reported to be all-wheel drive, sporting less design gear than the Shanghai concept but still equipped with a new spoiler, aero pack and splitters and other goodies to differentiate itself from your run-of-the-mill Golf Rs. It will also get a new set of brakes to match its power increase. The R400/420 is expected to debut at the September Frankfurt show. With deliveries beginning later this year or early in 2016, the company hopes to keep the price tag below €50,000. However, there is still no sign that an exchange rate to dollars will be relevant for this model.