VW it touting this as the Golf's 'comeback' to the Green Hell as the model returns to the Nürburgring-Nordschleife for the legendary 24-hour race this upcoming June.

Called the Golf24, the racer is a (permanent) all-wheel drive touring car based on the VW Golf VI which boasts an output of 440 HP and has already been tested in Portugal and Italy. The Golf24 features a revised 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbocharged power plant from VW Group with a maximum torque of 540 Nm mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters.

The last time a 'factory' Golf was fielded at the Nurburgring race was in 2007 with a front-wheel drive, 300 HP Golf coming in 8th overall.

"With the new Golf24 we are continuing our successful commitment at the Nürburgring 24-hour race. [The race] represents a very big technical challenge...[and] we want to provide an additional highlight in front of a large audience - right in time for the 35th anniversary of the GTI," said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen in the press release.

The 24-hr race at Nurburgring takes place between June 23 to and June 26, 2011.



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