This Totally Stock-Looking VW Golf Is Actually V8-Powered And RWD

The humble VW Golf is one of the most capable vehicles on the road and thanks to its hatchback design and offers a level of practically few cars can match. As we know the VW Golf takes to performance applications very well with the GTI and Golf R as living proof of how capable the Golf platform is. So, what if you want a rear-wheel-drive Golf to go drifting? Well, now that exists too thanks to a team of drift car builders in Finland covered in a recent Road and Track article.

Building a drift car is not an exact science, but usually, it starts with an affordable rear-wheel-drive car that has an engine bay capable of housing a powerful engine. A longer wheelbase is also helpful as this setup allows for more stable drifts. The VW Golf has none of these qualities which is exactly why we love this build so much.

The VW Golf featured in this video was built by Maailmanlopun a drift team based in Finland who clearly has some impressive skills and a great sense of humor. The VW Golf looks virtually stock on the exterior except for a set of aftermarket wheels. Then you hear the rumble of the 4.0-liter M60B40 BMW V8 engine and everything changes.

Thanks to some handpicked BMW parts from numerous different vehicles, this VW Golf is now a Frankenstein BMW underneath its unassuming exterior skin. The BMW V8 is stock, but it has more than enough power to drift the tiny Golf. The rear suspension is a custom inboard setup using BC Coilovers.

This unique sleeper may look like a normal VW Golf, but its performance is truly impressive. There’s something so satisfying about seeing smoke pour off the rear tires of a VW Golf that’s drifting around a track.