The Volkswagen Golf GTI Design Vision concept has made a triumphant debut at the Worthersee tuning meet in Austria, showcasing the performance potential of the new hot-hatch.
Teased earlier this week in a series of tantalising sketches, the Design Vision GTI concept looks no less threatening in the flesh thanks to its widebody stance, sinister headlights, aggressive front and rear bumper blades, and general muscularity.
Powering the Volkswagen Golf GTI Design Vision is a 370kW/560Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine, giving it a whopping 208kW/210Nm advantage over the 2.0-litre turbo four of the new Golf GTI Mk7 on which the concept is based.
A dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission channels drive to all four wheels, helping launch the Design Vision GTI concept from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 300km/h.
Specially designed 20-inch alloys sit at either end of the concept's stretched tracks (+57mm front and +63mm rear). Rubber measuring 235/35 at the front and 275/30 at the rear wraps around the wheels, while ceramic discs spanning 380mm front and 356mm rear are gripped by red calipers.
Carbonfibre encircles the headlights, front blades and lower air intake, and extends to the front splitter, side skirts, rear blades and outlets and the border of the dominant diffuser.
The driver-focused interior is upholstered with carbonfibre, alcantara and nappa leather. The steering wheel features shift paddles for the DSG, which features 'Street', 'Sport' and 'Track' modes, while the central computer includes a race function that supplies track time data and communicates with other vehicles on the course to provide the driver with real-time race information.
While just a concept, Volkswagen brand head of design Klaus Bischoff says the Design Vision GTI gives "a spectacular glance into the future of the GTI".
