Volkswagen has created a new weapon for this year's gruelling Nürburgring 24-hour race.
Simply named 'Golf24' this beast is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine that shoves 325kW and 540Nm through all four wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox.
VW's last factory fielding of the Golf on the famous roller-coaster circuit of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife dates back to 2007, at which time the 225kW front-wheel drive vehicle finished in eighth place overall.
Successive class victories for the Scirocco GT24 over the past three years have followed but the competitiveness of the event has increased enormously, meaning a new technical concept was required.
Motorsport Director Kris Nissen explained: "With the new Golf24 we are continuing our successful commitment at the Nürburgring 24-hour race. The event enjoys huge popularity, is one of the true classics in motorsport and, due to its extreme distance and unique race track, also represents a very big technical challenge.
"With our spectacular Golf we want to provide an additional highlight in front of a large audience."
Before lining up on the grid of the 25km circuit in late June, the Golf24 will undergo an extensive testing and development program.
This began at the end of last year at Portugal's Portimão circuit and further tests have been completed at Vallelunga in Italy. The Golf24 will also compete in three races in the Endurance Championship on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.