As well as being a platform for the Volkswagen Group to release some very cool concept metal the annual Wörthersee GTI Treffen is otherwise a very big gathering of petrolheads. In fact, it’s the largest Volkswagen/Audi/etc gathering in Europe.
It’s also a big lake in Austria.
Here’s a video that takes you behind the scenes of 2015 show.
[Thanks to John for the tip]
Next year the Golf GTI will turn 40 and to start the celebrations Volkswagen has revealed this Clubsport concept model at its annual Wörthersee show.
Volkswagen says the Golf GTI Clubsport will go on sale in 2016. The special edition GTI gets a power boost to 195kW and revised model-specific body styling designed to improve downforce.
The images revealed show the wheels filling out the guards nicely, although it remains to be seen if that’s anything more than Photoshop trickery. You’ll also notice the tyres shown are semi-slicks, which is rather interesting. That means you should also expect the Clubsport to boast other mods such as a revised exhaust plus uprated brakes and suspension.
The BMW-like “air curtain” featured in that new front spoiler will also help keep your bigger brakes a bit cooler. Indeed, this looks like being one very cool GTI.
It looks good. It will drive well. And, finally, a Clubsport to which we can say: “I just want one.”
The very damn cool GTI Roadster wasn’t the only fancy pants Golf making waves at the Wörthersee show, the very damn cool Golf R400 was also trotted out by Volkswagen’s top brass. Here’s a couple of amateur videos bringing us a little bit closer the most awesomest Golf ever.
Nice detail on the exhaust tips, too.
[Thanks to John for the tip]
The fearsome GTI Roadster has just been wheeled out at the Wörthersee show and, oh boy, what a beast it is! Just look at the key stats. It’s powered by a 3.0 litre V6 biturbo pumping out a staggering 370kW (503PS). Peak torque is 560Nm and is on tap between 4000–6000rpm. Mind, 500Nm of that torque is all yours from just 2000rpm.
That power is sent through a 7-speed DSG and 4motion all-wheel drive system and Volkswagen says its 1420kg concept can reach 100km/h in 3.6 seconds. Keep your foot planted and you’ll top out at 309km/h.
In a case of life imitating art the GTI Roadster began as nothing more than a virtual creation for the Sony Playstation game Gran Turismo 6. After being asked by Sony to create a car for Gran Turismo’s fifteenth anniversary Volkswagen launched an internal design competition.
Judged by Klaus Bischoff, Volkswagen Head of Design, and Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of Gran Tursimo, the winners were Malte Hammerbeck and Domen Rucigaj (exterior) and Guillermo Mignot (interior). They became informally known as the Vision GTI-GT6 taskforce.
The taskforce was joined by other designers and their visual creation was developed entirely by computer, including the 3D modelling. The press material below doesn’t offer any detail on the production of the model you see in the photos, though. But there are some very cool cutaway images for you after the break.
Freed from the reality of real-world production constraints the GTI Roadster is described by Volkswagen as the “most spectacular GTI ever” and it’s pretty hard to disagree with that claim.
Last year Volkswagen rocked up to Wörthersee with the Design Vision GTI, which was powered by a 370kW (500hp) 3.0 litre turbocharged VR6 engine. Very tasty, indeed. This year, we’re told they’ll be stuffing that engine into a GTI Roadster concept, which first began life as nothing more than a fantasy project for Gran Turismo 6.
A few UK outlets have got the scoop right now, but when we get our mitts on the official details we’ll be sure to pass them on.
[Source: Autocar]
“We have pushed the limits in every respect with this show car: power, dynamics, sound, design.”
They’re the words of the impressively titled Prof Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi’s board member for Technical Development. The concept in question is this balls out A3 clubsport quattro. It will be on public display for the furst time at the annual Wörthersee show. And, yes, Audi has indeed pushed the limits.
It’s based on the S3 Sedan, although with those flared guards, aggressive body kit and growling 2.5 litre engine there’s not much of the S3 Sedan remaining.
As is Audi’s wont with its show cars that engine is far from standard. In this case the 2.5 litre five-pot we came to know and love from the TT RS has been reworked to produce a staggering 386kW (525hp). Five hundred and twenty-five horsepower!
According to Audi the concept weighs in at 1527kg and with its 7-speed S tronic and quattro system it can knock off 100km/h in 3.6 seconds.
This show car is likely to be a massive tease, although we can live in hope that the next RS3 may take some of the styling tweaks, if not a fair portion of its totally corrupting power.
Yep, we want one too.
We expect Volkswagen to jazz up a Golf GTI for Wörthersee, but it’s not everyday they go to town on the Amarok pick-up. But that’s exactly what they’ve done with the Amarok R-Style Concept. It’s had the works thrown at it, including having a 200kW/600Nm 3.0 litre V6 TDI stuffed under the bonnet.
Massive 22″ rims wrapped in 295/35/22 tyres complements those aggressive guards, which have been pumped out by 60mm. The front spoiler has been finished off with a carbon fibre diffuser, which ties in with the cover for the cargo area.
The carbon fibre theme continues inside too, where you’ll also find an 8″ touchscreen and 500w subwoofer in the GTI-inspired interior.
In truth the concept illustrations available after the break look better than the real image you see above. All in all though this would make an awesome workhorse for all those odd jobs you don’t really need to do.
[Source: WCF | Thanks to Tom for the tip]
Now that the annual Wörthersee show is underway Volkswagen has released this short promo video of the 370kW V6 twin turbo Design Vision GTI. That’s nice and all, but we just want to see some real fair dinkum pics. Enough of the com-gen imagery.
[Thanks to Chris for the tip]
A more extreme Mk7 Golf GTI, possibly a preview of a 40th anniversary model, is on its way to the annual Wörthersee show, Car reports. The special GTI to be revealed next week will be labelled as a concept model, but it’s expected it could give us the first look at the 2015 Edition 40 GTI.
While not a lot of detail has been given, Volkswagen’s R&D boss, Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, told Car that the new XDS+ “e-diff” in the new GTI is not at its maximum limit and can handle more power. Hackenberg also mentioned a carbon fibre roof could save 8–9kg over the regular body panel, hinting that this could find its way onto the concept model.
We can live in hope that Volkswagen may follow the path of the Audi TT ultra quattro and strip over 150kg of weight from the regular model. The 228kW engine would be nice too, although that may be more power than the XDS+ diff can handle.
The Wörthersee show kicks off in the middle of next week so we don’t have too long to wait for all to be revealed.
[Source: Car]
In addition to the Golf GTI Black Dynamic and show stopping Polo R WRC “Street” Volkswagen presented a number of other models at the GTI show in Wörthersee.
Not a lot of detail is given on the cars they brought along. Indeed the Scirocco R Concept Blue on show doesn’t even rate a mention in the official press release. But then this a show that’s all about engaging with the fans and not necessarily one for comprehensive model roll outs.
Perhaps the most notable model on display was the Polo R WRC “Race”, kitted out as though it could start a special stage tomorrow. Powered by a 1.6 litre TSI engine Volkswagen Motorsport say it will reach 100km’h in 4.1 seconds. On tarmac, presumably?
Actually, don’t be surprised if Volkswagen Motorsport makes a cheeky late race debut with its Polo R WRC for an event or two in the 2012 WRC season.
Anyway, check out the info Volkswagen has passed on after the break.
Audi will be showcasing their Wörthersee Tour this weekend with seven customised A1 “motto vehicles”. The distinct models include Follow Me, FC Bayern, Competition Kit, Hot Rod, Fashion, Pickerljäger and Wasserwacht.
We got an insight into the Competition Kit motto vehicle back in March thanks to a YouTube clip from Audi tv. The customised vehicles are on show to promote the various ways A1 owners can individualise their cars through special paint schemes and adhesive films.
Images of all seven cars can be seen below, along with a detailed press release outlining Audi’s display at Wörthersee.
Volkswagen will be showing two new special Golf GTI models at the annual Wörthersee Tour in Austria. The first will be known as the Golf GTI adidas and will feature a number of cosmetic tweaks, including unique alloy wheels and adidas styled interior trim.
Also included in its list of standard equipment will be bi-xenon headlights and LED rear tail lights. It’s unlikely that any right hand drive models will be made and a limited run of 4410 will go on sale in Europe later this year. At this stage that’s pretty much all we can tell you. There’s only the one image you see above. Expect more from Wörthersee soon, then.
The next model, the Golf GTI Excessive, has even less info available. There’s no pictures at all. And apart from telling you the car is likely to have a number of modifications, including an extreme body kit I can’t really say much else, except keep an eye out for details. Also expected on the Excessive is uprated suspension, brakes and exhaust.
[via World Car Fans]