GTI Meet at Wörthersee: Volkswagen presents first GTI Cabriolet Concept
Wolfsburg / Reifnitz, 03 June 2011 - Volkswagen has now presented the Golf GTI Cabriolet Concept in a world debut at Wörthersee – it is the first officially built open-top version of the icon. There are plenty of good reasons for introducing this extremely dynamic concept in 2011: this year, the Golf GTI celebrates its 35th anniversary, and the legendary GTI Meet at Wörthersee is taking place for the 30th time. 2011 is also the year of the new Golf Cabriolet. While the production Golf cabriolet can already be ordered, the Golf GTI Cabriolet Concept is still a concept. And what a concept!
Visually, the fire red “Firespark Metallic“ open-top GTI shows independent ways: especially noteworthy here are the add-on parts designed in shiny black piano paint. The concept’s styling focuses on extreme precision with lines that appear as if cut by a razor. The add-on parts themselves are on the one hand delicate and light, but at the same time sturdy and integrally designed. A look at the front and rear spoilers or the side sills designed in the style of splitters used in motorsport shows this impressively.
Visual highlights: the front fog lights of the GTI gave way to air guides for ventilating the high-performance brake system that is used in the cabriolet. In side profile, the open-top GTI’s look is characterised by black-silver 19-inch “Glendale” alloy wheels with 235 tyres. They fill out the wheel housings completely, since the Golf’s ride height was lowered with a coilover suspension. Another feature that stands out in side profile are the brake callipers painted “Tornado Red” with black GTI logos.
The concept car’s interior was upgraded with “Black Stripe” pattern accents and Nappa leather seats with red GTI logos in the head restraints. The seams between the individual leather surfaces provide a sporty contrast; they are styled in “Flash Red” and “Crystal Grey”. Two-tone door inserts were coordinated with the seat pattern. As on the interior door panels, fine red decorative seams also customise the leather-trimmed steering wheel and the trim of the gear shift and parking brake levers. This colour is repeated in the red borders of the black safety belts and the black-red piping of the floor mats. Classic effects are achieved by aluminium door sill plates with worked-in GTI logo. By the way, the cabriolet’s driving performance – with its 155 kW / 210 PS GTI engine – fully matches that of the closed-top GTI – i.e. right around 240 km/h and seven seconds for the sprint to 100 km/h. A genuine GTI!
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GTI Meet at Wörthersee: Volkswagen celebrates 35 years of the GTI!
Volkswagen reveals the new Golf GTI Edition 35 at Wörthersee
Motorsport shows superlative Golf for 24-hour race
Wolfsburg / Reifnitz, 31 May 2011 - They are on the road again: at Wörthersee, fans of sporty Volkswagens are assembling for the biggest Golf GTI Meet in the world (1 to 4 June). Yet, this time everything is different, because the festival of superlatives is taking place for the 30th time in 2011. And that is not all: the Golf GTI itself – the icon of sporty compacts – has just turned 35! 30 years of the GTI Meet and 35 years of the Golf GTI – a double anniversary. And it is being celebrated in a special way. The highlight: the Golf GTI Edition 35, specially developed for the anniversary – at 173 kW / 235 PS the most powerful GTI ever! The “anniversary GTI” can be ordered now.
In addition, car racing is taking special honours at Wörthersee: Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH is bringing the Golf24 – the 324 kW / 440 PS all-wheel drive Golf that will compete in this year’s 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (23 to 26 June). Because the GTI is celebrating a birthday, a second Golf race car, presented to fans in a debut at Wörthersee too, will enter the competition at the ring as well. It is: a freshly restored Golf GTI 16S Group 4 of the year 1977. From just 1,600 cm3 displacement, its Oettinger engine transfers a remarkable 158 kW / 215 PS to the crankshaft – without turbocharger breathing. This GTI classic will race in the 24-hour Classic (3-hours for distance) that is held before the main event.
Golf GTI Edition 35: The most powerful Golf GTI outputs the cited 235 PS (25 PS more than the “normal” GTI) and can move at 247 km/h; 6 kg/PS power density speak a sporty language. Volkswagen was by no means satisfied with simply increasing the power of the production engine. Rather, the Golf GTI Edition 35 utilises the engine of the all-wheel drive Golf R, its power adapted to the front-wheel drive. What a success story! Back in the summer of 1976 – when the very first production GTI was launched – no one ever would have surmised what Volkswagen had just unleashed: that there would still be a Golf GTI 35 years later; that the power would handily exceed 200 PS; and that nearly two million Golf GTI would be sold by today. That is because icons cannot be planned – and the GTI certainly is one.
Now, in 2011, the new Golf GTI Edition 35 is proving the potential of the GTI idea. The car offers nonstop road grip thanks to its XDS electronic differential lock. An optional 6-speed DSG handles gear-shifting in fractions of a second. The Volkswagen converts each and every one of its maximum of 300 Newton metres of torque into forward propulsion. After just 6.6 seconds, the GTI passes the 100 km/h mark. Sporty performance and fuel economy are not contradictions here – and that is how it has always been with the GTI. The standard fuel consumption of the exclusive Golf GTI Edition 35 is just 8.1 l/100 km; shifted by DSG, fuel consumption even improves to 8.0 l/100 km. This makes the Golf GTI Edition 35 one of the most fuel-efficient sports cars in its power class. Starting price: 30,425 euros.
Golf GTI 16S: The key facts about this car show that it is in a league of its own, and not just in the realm of classic cars: 1,600 cm3 of displacement generates 158 kW / 215 PS; that represents a power per litre displacement figure of 134 PS! With Volkswagen support, the specialists at KWL Motorsport of Burscheid have rebuilt the GTI. It is equipped with such features as a Bilstein chassis, sequential 5-speed racing gearbox from Volkswagen Motorsport and an 80-litre fuel tank. Over the past two years, KWL Motorsport has created quite a stir with two class victories at the 24h classic at the Nürburgring – in the first generation Scirocco. This time, motorsport experts are entering the Golf GTI 16S of the year 1977 in Group 4 competition for engines with up to 2.0 litres displacement – once again with the driver duo Patrick Simon and Heinz Stüber who were victorious in 2009 and 2010. Their clear goal: a third consecutive class victory for Volkswagen!
Golf24: In the Golf24, Volkswagen is bringing a legend back to the 24-hour race. The 324 kW / 440 PS all-wheel drive car is a new design from the ground up that was developed right on time for the anniversary of the production GTI. Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen: “What our engineers and technicians have put on wheels for the 24-hour race is best described by the word Super Golf.” In fact: the Golf24 is powered by a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine.” Dr. Donatus Wichelhaus, Director of Engine Development at Volkswagen Motorsport: “We scrutinised every detail of the base engine and re-engineered it.” When it came to the running gear, Volkswagen engineers called back on the layout of the Scirocco GT24-CNG and radically developed it further; Volkswagen Motorsport 2010 scored a three-fold victory with the Scirocco. The chances are good that this year the Golf24 will continue this string of successes: three Golf24 race cars will start – with top-class drivers such as Volkswagen drivers René Rast and Peter Terting, DTM veteran Edoardo Mortara and Formula-1 legends Johnny Herbert and Mark Blundel. 35 years ago, no one would have guessed that a Golf GTI would be driven by Formula-1 professionals. Those who want to see the Golf24 up close before the 24-hour race should head out to Wörthersee. But they will have to hurry – about 200,000 fans are already on their way...
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Volkswagen News at Wörthersee: Powerful 270 PS Golf R revealed as cabriolet concept!
Cruiser: open-top Golf R at full strength even in lowest speed range
Strong look: debut of Golf R Concept at Wörthersee
Wolfsburg / Reifnitz, 02 June 2011 - Volkswagen has travelled to the largest GTI Meet in the world at Wörthersee with an entire fleet of new models, concept cars and accessory highlights. After revealing the new Golf GTI Edition 35 in a world debut, the company that invented the GTI will be pulling the veils off some other secret projects of a sporty nature: Volkswagen is presenting the Golf R Cabriolet as a concept car with 270 PS of power and a top speed of 250 km/h; it is a fascinating thought experiment in cabrio dynamics. This “power cabrio” also demonstrates the inexhaustible potential of the Golf. But there is more news as well: other concept cars such as the Golf R Concept and the latest original accessories will make the GTI Meet (until June 4th) a mecca for every Volkswagen fan.
Golf R Cabriolet concept: Volkswagen just recently introduced the new Golf Cabriolet, and the designers and engineers of Volkswagen R GmbH have already come up with an extremely sporty variant of this model: the Golf R Cabriolet Concept. Like its closed top counterpart, the 199 kW / 270 PS Cabriolet concept races to the 100 km/h mark in less than six seconds. Their top speeds are also identical at 250 km/h. This makes the R Cabriolet the fastest open-top Golf ever. Even more impressive, however, is the engine’s tremendous torque – 350 Newton metres from a low 2,500 rpm make this cabriolet an ideal cruiser.
Like the closed-top Golf R, the cabriolet was lowered by 25 mm via a sport chassis. A 17-inch brake system with internally ventilated discs at all wheels and blue painted high-performance brake callipers (including R-logo) enables impressive deceleration values. Making contact to the road surface on the Golf R Cabriolet Concept are 19-inch “Talladega” alloy wheels with size 235 tyres.
Naturally, the Golf R Cabriolet Concept also presents an especially sporty interior concept. Motorsport shell seats in dark blue carbon leather, combined with high-end Nappa leather in “Pure Grey”, set the tone here. The backs of the shell seats are painted in luxurious black piano paint. Upholstery piping and decorative seams provide for colour contrast. Carbon accents emphasise the concept’s technical-sporty character. The sand-blasted aluminium door sill plates with black piano paint inlays display finely crafted workmanship.
Golf R Concept: Two variations of the Golf R Concept are also making strong visual statements at Wörthersee. Like the classic Golf R and the R Cabriolet on display at Wörthersee, the two Golf R Concepts are also powered by a 2.0-litre turbo engine with the mentioned 199 kW / 270 PS, which is as powerful as it is efficient.
The first version of the Golf R Concept attracts attention with mid-tone “Velvet Grey Metallic” exterior, polished 19-inch “Talladega” alloy wheels, orange painted brake callipers and carbon mirror caps.
The driver and front passenger have the pleasure of sitting on perfectly ergonomic motorsport shell seats. Their outer segments are upholstered in black Nappa leather; anthracite-coloured Nappa leather (“Light Anthracite”) is used towards the inner surfaces in the area of the lateral seat supports and towards the head section. The cross-stitched centre panels of the seat and seatback gets an even lighter Nappa leather (“Pure Grey”). The back shell glistens in black piano paint. The piping on the side sections of the seat and head section provide a fine contrast: the orange of the brake callipers is repeated here. Meanwhile, interior accents match the look of the mirror caps: carbon. The same material is also used for the steering wheel, gear shift lever and the door sill plates. Black piano paint characterises the panels behind the inside door handles, the trim of the window controls and the trim of the gear shift grip.
The second model of the Golf R Concept is painted in the sophisticated “Aplomb Blue”. The 19-inch “Glendale” wheels that are new to the Golf line-up shine in “Brilliant Silver”. Once again, the exterior mirror caps, various interior accents and the door sill plates are made of carbon.
Parts of the back shells of the motorsport shell seats also feature carbon. Black Nappa leather covers the outer areas of the seat and seatback surfaces. Meanwhile, the ridge of the seats – a continuous stripe that runs along the lateral seat and back supports – consists of blue leather. The sport leather steering wheel’s inner segments and grip recesses were upholstered in “carbon leather”; characteristic of this lightweight material is its woven structure. Even the floor mats have a carbon look. The decorative seams here, as in the area of the parking brake lever, are styled in blue.
Volkswagen Zubehör GmbH: At the 30th GTI Meet, the accessories company is not only showing complete vehicles, but also lifestyle articles and vehicle accessories. Available in the “GTI Shop” at the Volkswagen exhibit is the entire new “GTI Collection” of sporty shirts, coats, jeans, children’s articles and accessories. And that is not all: the 35th anniversary of the Golf GTI was reason enough to design a commemorative series: the “GTI Edition 35 T-Shirt Collection” with the best advertising motifs over the 35 years of the GTI.
Classic accessories on display at Wörthersee include various alloy wheels (up to 21-inch in size). Also being presented by Volkswagen Zubehör GmbH is a customised Polo with features that can be ordered individually such as interior accents and door mirror caps in carbon look, special tailpipe trim, rear apron with diffuser and 17-inch “Motorsport” alloy wheels – all with affordable sports appeal. And that is how it should be. Because Volkswagen democratised the sports car with the GTI back in 1976. 35 years later, this also means that the accessories line-up offers enhanced sports appeal for every budget.
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APR Presents GTI Treffen am Worthersee 2011 VW GTI Reifnitz
Volkswagen Coaching GmbH unveiled a specially prepared GTI MK6 at the GTI Treffen show in Worthersee, Austria to mark the joint anniversary of the 35th birthday of the VW GTI and the 30th GTI Treffen at Worthersee. VW Coaching marked this very special joint anniversary with a truly unique and extensively individualized GTI MK6 created by their apprentices and training staff.
Intricately detailed, it is safe to say the GTI Reifnitz is the most individualized VW on display at Volkswagen AG’s main display. The exterior received a special paint design and areo styling by the VW Coaching team and the interior is extremely detailed as well. Not to be left untouched, the engine was reengineered to 370 PS and 480Nm of torque with a production APR Stage III Turbocharger System, APR Intercooler and APR RSC Performance Exhaust.
VW Coaching staff was available throughout the day to answer questions and when asked about power, a quick reach in the glove box brings a dynamometer certification chart of the power and torque delivered by APR’s Stage III Turbocharger System. In typical show fashion and by request, VW Coaching staff were starting the 2.0 TSI engine and revving for the public producing an exotic, yet reserved exhaust note that only an APR RSC Performance Exhaust System can deliver.
APR is proud to be a part of one of the most beautifully crafted individualized GTI’s to be presented on the Main VW Display at GTI Treffen am Worthersee. You may not be able to purchase this unique GTI MK6 at your local VW dealership but you can prepare yours to same level of engine performance through APR’s extensive product line for VW’s 2.0 TSI engine no matter the chassis you choose.
For more information please visit www.goapr.com.
About APR: APR LLC is an automotive engineering firm operating a 36,000 sq. ft. performance campus in Opelika, AL. APR was founded in 1997 with a corporate philosophy of Integrity, Excellence and Innovation. APR’s Sole Mission is to provide the highest quality and most highly engineered aftermarket performance products available for Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen vehicles.