While every sci-fi movie buff knows what a Wookie is, only a tiny fraction of automotive enthusiasts can tell you how the mighty VW Golf R32 earned its furry nickname. It all began in 2007 with a modest gathering of Volkswagen Golf R cars at the legendary Tail of the Dragon mountain course. That event kicked off the Wookies in the Woods (WITW) phenomenon.
(Photos: Justin Petrovay)
The WITW website sheds light on the mystery:
The term ‘Wookie’ began as a reference to the sweet rumble of the R32 exhaust note echoing through the Great Smoky Mountains on a dark, desolate night.
The 2022 event marks the 16th Wookies in the Woods pilgrimage. YouTube’s Humble Mechanic calls WITW his “absolute favorite event of the year.”
When it comes to twisty American roads, there’s nothing quite like the Tail of the Dragon. The legendary route slithers south through the Smoky Mountains from NC-28 in North Carolina, across the state line to the Tabcat Creek Bridge in Tennessee.
With 318 curves on this notorious stretch of US Route 129, the Dragon is a magnet for sports car drivers and motorcyclists. Car and Driver’s 12 Best American Roads list refers to the Tail of the Dragon as “likely the curviest 11 miles in all of North America.”
Volkswagen’s Spektrum Program
Volkswagen offered its vehicles in many unique colors over the years. In 2017, the company rolled out the Spektrum program to pay homage to these colors. VW offered the e-Golfs, the electric Golf, in 30 different colors in Canada. While the e-Golf lacks the range for easy cross-country travel, you have to wonder how the hum of its electric drivetrain harmonizes with a flock of Wookies.
In 2018, the Spektrum program expanded to the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R. The following year, it hopped across the border to include the USA, with a remarkable 40 colors.
The 2022 Wookies in the Woods event hosted over two dozen Spektrum Golfs. That’s remarkable, considering that only 199 Spektrums were made for the US market.
The rarest of the rare Spektrum Golf are one-of-one examples:
- Terra Brown e-Golf (Canada)
- Star Blue Golf R (Canada)
- Caribbean Green Golf R (USA)
- Dark Burgundy Pearl Golf R (USA)
Rainbow on the lake
The Wookies in the Woods event supports the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin and the Blount County Rescue Squad.
