VW unveils new Golf GTI concept

Volkswagen has revealed a 496bhp version of the seventh-generation Golf GTi. Dubbed the Volkswagen Design Vision GTI, the radical concept showcases a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre VR6 engine developed for use in upcoming models that, like the Golf GTI, are based around Volkswagen’s MQB platform structure.

Set to find its way into selected new Volkswagen models in future years, the direct injection engine replaces the Golf GTI’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit and is mounted transversely in the engine bay.

Power is up by 279bhp, or almost 129 percent, rising from 217bhp to a Porsche 911 GT3-beating 496bhp. Torque also increases by 21.4kgm, going from 35.7kgm to 57.1kgm – some 50.9kgm of which is claimed to be on tap at just 2000rpm.

No specific details of the VR6’s block and head architecture have been revealed, although rumours suggest that it is a new design and is not linked to the new Porsche V6 turbo developed for the upcoming Macan Turbo. Unlike the standard Golf GTI, which has traditionally boasted a front-wheel drive layout, the Vision GTI uses a multi-plate clutch four-wheel-drive system to apportion drive to each corner.

The result, according to Volkswagen’s official performance claims, is a 0-100kph time of just 3.9sec – an improvement of 2.6sec over the standard Golf GTI. Top speed increases by 61kph, extending to 306kph.Styled by a team of in-house designers overseen by Volkswagen brand design boss Klaus Bischoff, the Design Vision GTI builds on the look of the standard Golf GTI with a heavily reworked body that takes full advantage of a modified chassis boasting wholesale increases in track width and the inclusion of 20-inch wheels to give the hatch a truly aggressive stance.

The styling is said to include elements destined for a limited-edition 40th anniversary celebratory Golf GTI model due in 2014, while providing hints to the look of an upcoming track version of the iconic hatchback set to be sold through Volkswagen’s increasingly active motorsport department, which is responsible for the German car maker’s World Rally Championship campaign.

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