The recent enthusiasts meeting for all things built by the Volkswagen Group in Reifnitz at Lake Worthersee in Austria had many highlights, but the unveiling of a GTI by VW bigwigs must have aroused some suspicion – especially its 370 kW power output.
Enter the Design Vision GTI, a racing concept based on the seventh generation Golf GTI, which will be released in South African before year-end. But unlike the road-going GTI, the Design Vision isn’t constricted by production costs and budget limitations.
Styled by a team led by VW Head of Design Klaus Bischoff, the Design Vision features oversized fenders side sills and dramatically enhanced C-pillar for the 235 and 275 wide 20-inch rubber front and rear. Inside the theme is undoubtedly racing, as the Design Vision GTI has been equipped with bucket seats, racing harnesses, extra bracing, and lots of alcantara. Three driving modes are accessible at the touch of a button, namely “Street”, “Track” and “Race”.
The concept is powered by a twin-turbocharged, direct injection V6 that develops 370 kW at 6 500 r/min and 560 N.m of torque at 4 000 r/min. All four wheels are tasked with putting the figures down to terra firma via a dual-clutch transmission. A sub four-second zero to 100 km/h sprint should be achievable according to VW, with a top whack of 300 km/h.
With such promising performance figures, it’s only fitting that the Design Vision GTI be equipped with the appropriate braking power. The front axle boasts 380 mm brake discs, while 356 mm pieces do the job at the rear. The 20-inch wheels are wrapped in 235/35 tyres up front and 275/30 in the rear.
There will certainly be elements from the Design Vision GTI used on upcoming products, but could Volkswagen be planning a model to slot in above the R? The Design Vision GTI could be just that.
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