Volkswagen plans lightweight Golf ‘Carbon GTI’

If the latest report from Autocar is to be believed this humble looking three-door Volkswagen Golf VII is the stuff of GTI fanboi dreams. For now it’s being called the ‘Carbon GTI’ and it will be a limited edition model sitting above the regular GTI.

Actually, more correctly, perhaps, we should say it will sit below the regular GTI. That’s because the use of advanced aluminium and lightweight carbon fibre body panels will contribute to a hefty weight loss in the vicinity of 200kg (compared to a current model Golf GTI). The target weight is said to be 1125kg. Not bad hey.

The technology used to create the lightweight body panels could also be used in frugal hybrid and electric model Golfs. This should also help to amortise development costs.

Driving thrills are expected to be enhanced by the introduction of a VAQ front differential. The VAQ is an adaptation of the next-generation Haldex V technology, usually applied to all-wheel drive models.

According to the report, prototype testing with the VAQ diff at the Nürburgring cuts eight seconds per lap compared to development mules with a standard diff.

Power for the Carbon GTI will be lifted directly from the normal 2.0 litre turbo GTI engine, which is expected to offer around 165kW. But with the VAQ diff for enhanced steering precision and grip, and the drop in weight, 0–100 times should be below six seconds.

Best predictions for timing suggest the Carbon GTI could hit the streets in 2014. Just in time for the Golf’s 40th birthday celebrations (Note: the Mk1 Golf GTI debuted in 1976).

We want this report to be 100% accurate and, with all the goodness of GTI fanboi blood coursing through our veins, we want to see a Carbon GTI in the AUSmotive HQ garage. Volkswagen, please, make it so!

[Source: Autocar]