Rare Car Archive

Makes › Volkswagen Germany › Golf › Golf GTI W12-650 · Prototype · 2007 One-off

Volkswagen
Golf GTI W12-650

Running mid-engine W12 Golf concept; a single show car built for the 2007 Wörthersee GTI meeting.

Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650 (Wikipedia article: Volkswagen Golf Mk5)
Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650 (Wikipedia article: Volkswagen Golf Mk5)
Photo: Bruno Kussler Marques · CC BY 2.0
1BuiltIndependently researched
0Chassis documentedin this archive
?SurvivingNot yet verified
Contents
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Production & history
  3. 03Specifications
  4. 04Colours & options
  5. 05Individual cars
  6. 06Reference

01Overview

At a glance

Built
1 Built
Years
2007
Engine
Mid-mounted longitudinal W12, twin turbo · 6,000 cc / 6 LFactory: 6 L
Power
478 kW / 650 PSFactory: 650 PS
Top speed
325 km/hFactory: 325 km/h
Body
Not yet verified
Designer
Marc Lichte (exterior design); Klaus Bischoff (VW head of design)
In this archive
Not yet verified
Surviving
Not yet verified

Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.

Why it matters

The W12-650 was a one-off show car for the 2007 Worthersee GTI meeting, a mid-engined, rear-drive Golf with a twin-turbo W12. It never became a production car, but it is among the most extreme Golf variants ever built.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Model rarityOne-off 1 · Built1
Specification rarityNot yet assessed
Colour rarityNot yet assessed
Individual rarityNot yet assessed
Historical rarityNot yet assessed
Survival rarityNot yet assessed

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

02Production & history

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

What is countedFigureBasisStatus
Total model productionOne-off show car (single example built) 11 Factory production Independently researched

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Volkswagen built the car in 2007 for the Worthersee festival after CEO Martin Winterkorn approved the idea; The Drive says the build took two months. The 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 came from Bentley, the gearbox from the Phaeton, the front brakes from the Audi RS4 and the rear axle and brakes from the Lamborghini Gallardo. The rear seats and original fuel tank were removed to fit the engine behind the driver, and a fuel cell went under the front hood.

Designer Marc Lichte said it would be easy to build because all parts came from the Volkswagen group, but VW did not produce it.

Variants

How each version differs from the standard Golf GTI W12-650.

No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

03Specifications

Technical specifications

Engine

Engine familyNot yet verified
Engine codeNot yet verified
LayoutMid-mounted longitudinal W12, twin turbo2 Independently researched
Cylinders122 Independently researched
Displacement 6,000 cc / 6 LFactory: 6 L2 Independently researched
BoreNot yet verified
StrokeNot yet verified
Compression ratioNot yet verified
Fuel systemNot yet verified
InductionTwin turbocharged2 Independently researched
Power 478 kW / 650 PSFactory: 650 PS2 Independently researchedevo quotes 641 bhp; The Drive quotes 650 hp.
Power atNot yet verified
Torque 750 NmFactory: 750 Nm2 Independently researched

Transmission & drivetrain

GearboxSix-speed automatic2 Independently researched
Gears62 Independently researched
Driven wheelsRear2 Independently researched

Chassis, body & dimensions

ChassisNot yet verified
Front suspensionNot yet verified
Rear suspensionNot yet verified
BrakesNot yet verified
SteeringNot yet verified
Body constructionNot yet verified
WheelbaseNot yet verified
Length 4.2 mFactory: 4.2 m2 Independently researchedApproximate (rund 4.20 m).
Width 1.88 mFactory: 1.88 m2 Independently researched
Height 1.42 mFactory: 1.42 m2 Independently researched
Front trackNot yet verified
Rear trackNot yet verified
Kerb weightNot yet verified
Dry weightNot yet verified

Performance

Maximum speed 325 km/hFactory: 325 km/h2 Independently researchedTheoretical figure; The Drive says 201 mph.
0–100 km/h 3.7 s2 Independently researched
Fuel tankNot yet verified

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

04Colours & options

Factory colours & interiors

Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Factory options & codes

Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

05Individual cars

Chassis register

Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Competition history

Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Auction & sale history

Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

See one in person

Museums where an example of this car can be seen.

No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

06Reference

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Being verified against factory or registry sources before it is published. Have a source? Contribute it.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    evo – Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650 ('an undeveloped, one-off show car') Level C
    • 1 One-off show car (single example built)
    Accessed 2026-11-12
  2. 2
    Vergessene Studien: VW Golf GTI W12-650 Level C Motor1 Deutschland
    • der Motor längs direkt hinter Fahrer und Beifahrer eingebaut
    • W12
    • 6,0-Liter-Biturbo-W12
    • Biturbo
    • 650 PS
    • 750 Newtonmeter maximales Drehmoment
    • Ein Sechsgang-Automatikgetriebe
    • Sechsgang-Automatikgetriebe
    • an die Hinterachse
    • im rund 4,20 Meter langen Golf
    • mit 1,88 Metern deutlich breiter
    • Die Höhe nahm auf 1,42 Meter ab
    • 325 km/h Höchstgeschwindigkeit
    • 3,7 Sekunden auf 100 km/h
    Accessed 2026-11-12

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