There are plenty of ways to get started racing. Karts, single-seaters, and Spec racers are wonderful and semi-accessible ways to begin, but for those who want a career in touring cars, Volkwagen has designed a cost-effective entrant to the ever-growing TCR series.

This aggressively-styled VW touring car uses big AP Racing brakes, 345 horsepower, a wide track, and DTM-esque bodywork to tantalize any racing fan. The price should be appealing too. Though far from peanuts, the price of running a car like this in a competitive, well-regarded series should be seen as somewhat reasonable. Running in a F3 car will cost far more, and seeing as there are a greater number of big-league touring car seats available out there, it’s not the riskiest way to go about establishing a professional racing career.

Part DTM car, part hot hatch: the GTI TCR is a great way to start racing touring cars. Photo credit: VWVortex.com

The Golf tips the scales at just 2,650 pounds, and with 302 lb-ft of torque and a quick-shifting gearbox—customers are given the option between a DSG auto or a pricier six-speed sequential—it’s able to hit sixty in roughly five seconds, though that’s probably not a great indication of how the car hustles beyond that speed and through the higher gears.

Similarly, the advertised top speed is of 150 mph—obviously dependent on gearing—isn’t going to knock anybody’s socks off. However, the real appeal of the car is the way which it’s able to carry cornering speeds, bang doors, and brake late with the aid of slicks measuring ten inches wide and plenty of wing. Did you see that wing?!