Volkswagen GTI Roadster shown at Goodwood 2014
Open-top 496bhp Volkswagen GTI Roadster has had an outing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Volkswagen has blurred the boundaries between the virtual and real worlds with the unveiling of the GTI Roadster. Originally created for the PlayStation 3 game Gran Turismo 6, the radical concept was brought to life at the famous GTI meet in Worthersee, Germany. Now it's been shown to UK fans at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Created purely as a design showcase, engineers we able to able to overcome common production model constraints in terms of design. The wheelbase of two-seat open-top roadster is significantly shorter and lower than the production GTI at 2,494mm and 1,090mm respectively.
Classic Golf GTI design cues remain with the honeycomb grille and headlamps but aggressive carbon fibre blades and gaping air intake emphasise the concepts low and wide stance. Viewed in profile and from the rear the design turns into pure fantasy with a huge rear wing, carbon sills and oversized 20-inch alloy wheels, wrapped in a slither of low-profile rubber. Another prominent feature is the floating C-pillars, which also double up as a roll-over protection bar.
Under the skin, a 3.0-litre V6 Biturbo engine developing 496bhp and 560Nm has been fitted. When coupled with the seven-speed DSG gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive system, the GTI Roadster is capable of 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds. The top speed is 192mph.
Inside, passengers are cocooned in a dual carbon fibre monocoque and sit low in hip-hugging racing seats. A fire extinguisher has also been fitted to give full race car feel. Carbon fibre and Alcantara trim decorate the interior, while black and red accents give a nod to its GTI heritage. Gran Turismo 6 gamers can download the GTI Roadster for the PlayStation 3 now.
