Volkswagen’s MK8 GTI TCR Shows Why We Miss VW Motorsports

• Volkswagen has a rich history of motorsports endeavors, which all came to a halt in 2020, with the company citing a shift in the brand's image and mission.

• As a result, VW Motorsports left behind its MK8 Golf GTI TCR, a homologated model for the TCR Touring Car series, before it could be fully finished or even hit the grid.

• With help from Orchid Euro and FCP Euro, the car was brought to life on track at Lime Rock Park with an in-depth look at the engine, suspension, and interior.

Volkswagen officially ceased all motorsports operations back in 2020, citing a company-wide shift in ideology. Committing to an aggressive focus on electric vehicles, fuel-burning race cars weren't right for a brand trying to regain credibility as an environmentally caring company.

As the overarching parent company of Porsche and Audi, which both recently committed to joining Formula 1 in 2026, there were plenty of motorsports opportunities remaining. Even so, this left some Volkswagen Motorsports projects unfinished, though one such project has managed to see the light of day.

The folks at FCP Euro and Jamie Orr's Orchid Euro are lifting the veil on Volkswagen's abandoned MK8 Golf GTI TCR Touring Car prototype. With the original camouflage job and the requisite project car zip ties, the car was never fully finished, but Volkswagen's Motorsports team got close enough for us to watch the prototype run in all its glory—anti-lag, gear whine, and flat-out grip included.

The chassis of the TCR car is fundamentally the same as its road-going sibling, based on the MQB platform that the previous MK7 generation of road and race cars were built on. That said, you'd be forgiven if you thought it was a totally different platform at first glance.

With a significant portion of the substructure chopped out of the engine bay, turbulence-calming fender flares, and a slew of homologated aerodynamics, the MK8 GTI TCR was set to shake up the touring car world. And in a nod to its founder, World Touring Car Championship boss Marcello Lotti, homologation of the TCR series goes well beyond the use of downforce.

Powered by a slightly modified version of the road-going Evo 4 EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, the TCR version benefits from a slightly larger Golf R-derived turbocharger, an updated cooling system, and an anti-lag system. Besides these upgrades, the core of the engine remains stock, including the intake manifold, throttle bodies, and coil packs.