Leader of the pack!
When it comes to speed, the Golf R has it, winning big at its first-ever F.A.T. Ice Race in Aspen both days of the competition, thus showing the vehicle’s true capabilities as part of the motorsport festival. With a Motorsport Heritage and with its most powerful production Golf ever made, VW is the clear leader of the pack!
Here’s more…
What we know!
In the first day, this feat represents the fastest lap time for VW brand ambassador Tanner Foust, who took the day-one win in the AWD category. In a repeat victory on Day 2, Hoonigan host and expert off-road racer Blake Wilkey took his Golf R to the head of the race, also in the AWD category. He also maintained the fastest recorded lap time at the event across all categories. This only served to solidify what we already know — the hatchback’s place is high when it comes to this segment of vehicles.
Foust not only lauded the victory, but also the vehicle thats wheel he sat behind.
“As a stock vehicle fitted with snow tires, this result was a great way to show the true capability of the Golf R,” he said. “It handled the challenging course well on both days at this fun event, and I’m happy to have brought a win to Volkswagen.”
The race, which is an extremely unique motorsport even featuring amateur and professional rivers, featured demonstration laps where drivers in a roster of 50 specially invited classic and iconic race cars, competed against the clock. The six fastest then took part in a face-off where the quickest of the day was selected. The same regime was repeated on day 2.
This inaugural F.A.T. Ice Race followed last month’s event in Bell am See, Austria, and moving forward is poised to become an annual Colorado tradition. It was an event that dated back to the 1950s which ran until 1974 before being revived in 2019 by the motorsports lifestyle brand F.A.T. International.
About the Golf!
The Golf R that competed was factory-stock with the exception of its snow tires. Also featured at the race was the 2025 VW Golf GTI and the historic and unique twin-engine 1987 Volkswagen Golf racer that once ran in Colorado’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
In terms of its Motorsport Heritage, the twin-engine Golf made its way back to Aspen for the first time since 1987, with the favorite boasting power from a turbocharged front- and rear-mounted dual 1.8-liter GTI engine, which makes a combined output of about 640 horsepower. Featuring a riveted aluminum monocoque, Kevlar body panels and pure racer suspension and transmission, this vehicle is definitely built for this type of high-altitude competition.
The 2024 Mk8 Golf R is considered the most powerful production Golf ever made, with its 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder engine producing 315 hp at 5,600 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 1,900 rpm. The DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission incorporates a launch-control feature.
Thanks to its advanced 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, the Golf R can send up to half of its available torque to the rear axle, with a torque-vectoring rear differential having the ability to distribute all of the rear torque to an individual wheel in drift mode, thus designed for track use. This car rides on standard 19-inch machined aluminum-alloy wheels fitted with 235/35 summer performance tires and is available in one fully-equipped trim. Its starting price tag is $45,665 for the 6-speed manual and $46,465 for the 7-speed DSG.
There is no question that when it comes to speed, the Golf R is undoubtedly leaving its mark! With the fastest lap times and with an engine that resulted in multiple wins in a variety of competitions, the Golf R holds its spot as the Leader of the Pack!