Autoblog

Volkswagen interns roll into Worthersee with GTI Black Dynamic show car

Noah Joseph — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

Slammed Skodas, Seats, Audis and Polos are all well and nice, but at the end of the day, the annual gathering of Volkswagen performance enthusiasts at Lake Wörthersee in Austria is about the GTI. That much isn't lost on Volkswagen, so in addition to bringing the new GTI Cabrio along with all the aforementioned corporate cousins, the German automaker has rolled into the lakeside expo with the tricked-out concept car you see here.

Called the GTI Black Dynamic, the show car is the work of nine lucky (and apparently talented) student interns at Volkswagen. The team dropped the suspension 35 mm lower than stock, bumped the output up by 150 horsepower to a prodigious 360, upgraded the gearbox and brakes to cope with the extra power and fitted an 1,800-watt sound system.

Of course all that kit couldn't go unnoticed, so the Black Dynamic GTI was also treated to a deep black paint job with matte anthracite trim and red detailing. The team even went so far as to hand-craft the GTI letters on the lift-gate and gave the car a custom interior, too. You can read more about it in the pair of press releases below, or better yet see it from all the angles in the high-res image gallery above.

Continue reading Volkswagen interns roll into Worthersee with GTI Black Dynamic show car

Volkswagen interns roll into Worthersee with GTI Black Dynamic show car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seat bringing boatload of hot hatches to Lake Worthersee

Noah Joseph — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Misc. Auto Shows, SEAT, Racing

GTI Treffen may have started out as a gathering for owners of Volkswagen pocket rockets, but by now it's blown into a full-on celebration of everything related to hot hatches and more. And though it remains a grassroots event by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, Volkswagen is wise not to ignore it. These days, it comes to the annual lakeside gathering in Austria with a handful of show cars in tow, and brings its sister-brands along for the ride, too.

Audi has already announced the Q3 Red Track concept destined for Wörthersee, and Skoda is coming with a pair of Citigo concepts - one made up as a DJ booth and the other as a rally car. Now their Spanish cousins at Seat have revealed the veritable motorcade of show cars it's bringing to the meet-up.

Seat will be showcasing the Ibiza Cupra Concept it unveiled in Beijing, but that's not all. It'll also display a customized Ibiza FR and Leon Cupra R, a Mii city car (that's the Spanish version of the Volkswagen Up!) imagined in sporty FR trim and, most enticing of all, a pair of racing models that are ready to hit the track.

The Ibiza SC Trophy packs a 180-horsepower turbo four with DSG, locking differential, upgraded brakes, modified oil sump and competition-spec suspension, available to aspiring racers for 31,500 euros (before taxes, or about $40K). The Leon Super Copa, meanwhile, is closely mirrored on the car that Seat ran in the World Touring Car Championship and packs a 300-horse 2.0-liter turbo four with all the trimmings, available for 63,000 euros (about $80K). Both can be fielded in spec-racing series across Europe and arrive at Wörthersee in grey with fluorescent orange accents.

Check out the full spread in the high-res image gallery above and the press release below.

Continue reading Seat bringing boatload of hot hatches to Lake Worthersee

Seat bringing boatload of hot hatches to Lake Worthersee originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skoda racing Up! to Worthersee with Citigo Rally concept

Noah Joseph — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hatchback, Skoda, Racing

If you thought the Volkswagen Group was about to wind down the endless stream of concept cars based on the new Up! city car, think again. Because not only is the Volkswagen brand itself keeping the train a-moving, so are its sister brands.

Skoda has its own version of the Up called the Citigo. But what racing fans know the Czech subsidiary for best is its rally program that has become a dominant force in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the basis for VW's own foray into the World Rally Championship. Now Skoda is bringing the two together with an exciting concept car previewed by the rendering above and confirmed in the press release below.

Following in the footsteps of the tantalizing Fabia roadster unveiled last year, the Citigo Rally concept is to be the centerpiece of the Skoda display at the Volkswagen Group's annual hot-hatch gathering at Lake Wörthersee in Austria. Details are scarce, but the show car will feature rally-inspired bodywork complete with 18-inch white alloys packed into aggressively flared wheel arches, a substantial rear wing and vents aplenty.

It will be joined by a second Citigo converted into a mobile DJ booth with a 100,000-watt sound system that will be scoring the Skoda booth at Wörthersee, but our eyes will be on the rally concept.

Continue reading Skoda racing Up! to Worthersee with Citigo Rally concept

Skoda racing Up! to Worthersee with Citigo Rally concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen previews 220-hp Polo WRC Street special ahead of Wörthersee debut

Noah Joseph — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

The annual GTI festival at Lake Wörthersee in Austria has exploded over the years into a celebration of all things hot-hatch in the Volkswagen Group - including concept cars and new debuts from Audi, Seat and Skoda - but the event has always been about VWs at heart. And the brand central to the empire isn't about to sit it out.

At the heart of VW's motorcade for this year's pocket-rocket fest is the Polo WRC Street, a preview of a special edition modeled on the actual rally car which Volkswagen Motorsport will be fielding in the top-level rally series next year. The street version features a 220-horsepower 2.0-liter TSI four-cylinder - significantly more than the existing 180-hp Polo GTI and a whole lot of muscle for such a little car - with an aggressive aero package and of course the requisite decals. In other words, it is, for all intents and purposes, a Polo R with some stripes.

VW will also be showcasing the competition-spec Polo R-WRC. And Wörthersee being centered around the Golf GTI, is also bringing the GTI Cabriolet that debuted in concept form at the same location last year and in production form at the Geneva Motor Show just a couple of months ago, plus a pair of black and white GTI concepts. Keep reading for the full press release and scope out the trio of images previewing the Polo WRC Street for a closer look at what Wolfsburg is driving eastwards.

Continue reading Volkswagen previews 220-hp Polo WRC Street special ahead of Wörthersee debut

Volkswagen previews 220-hp Polo WRC Street special ahead of Wörthersee debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen rolls out 370-hp GTI Reifnitz at Wörthersee

Noah Joseph — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

Volkswagen GTI Reifnitz - Click above for high-res image gallery

It wasn't all about cabrios at this year's GTI festival at Wörthersee, where Volkswagen also rolled out this hot GTI show car built by its own apprentices.

For the GTI Reifnitz (bearing the name of the lakeside town where the festival is held), the VW boffins borrowed a Stage III turbo kit and intercooler from APR and fitted an RSC performance exhaust. The result: a whopping 370 metric horsepower from an engine that normally produces 210. Nice work, boys.

Of course they didn't stop there. The body's been fitted with an aggressive wide-bod aero kit and a hood with twin vents, out of which the offset racing stripe protrudes and runs over the top of the red, white and blue car. The color scheme extends to the interior, which has been stripped out and fitted with a roll cage and racing buckets, all swathed in grippy Alcantara.

For the GTI faithful assembled at the Austrian lakeshore, the Reifnitz concept could very well be the hottest interpretation of the classic yet. Have a closer look in the gallery below.

Volkswagen rolls out 370-hp GTI Reifnitz at Wörthersee originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen brings GTI Cabriolet to join Golf R Cabrio at Wörthersee [w/poll]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

There's no doubt about it. Summer is here, and Volkswagen has gone crazy with open-air motoring. The German auto giant rolled in to its 30th-annual hot-hatch festival at Lake Wörthersee in Austria with the Skoda Fabia RS 2000 roadster. Then it dropped the top on a Golf R Cabriolet concept. But just in case that wasn't enough, VW also brought out a second Golf GTI Cabriolet.

Like the Golf R Cabrio, the formula for the GTI Cabrio is simplicity itself: take one new Golf Cabrio and one GTI, mix 'em together and this is what you get: 207 turbocharged horsepower to redo your coif in the open air. Just for good measure, VW also outfitted the show car with a full body kit, dropped suspension and special 19-inch wheels. The Firespark Metallic paint is offset by the high-gloss black trim, a color combo continued into the cabin decked out in black leather - Wörthersee is, after all, in the Austrian province of Corinthia - with red and grey top-stitching.

Unfortunately, like the Golf R cabrio and the Skoda roadster, this is strictly a show car for the time being, but if enough fans demand it, the GTI Cabrio could become a reality. So which would you rather drive home from your local dealership? Check out the images in the high-res gallery, scope out the full press release after the jump, and cast your vote below.

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Continue reading Volkswagen brings GTI Cabriolet to join Golf R Cabrio at Wörthersee [w/poll]

Volkswagen brings GTI Cabriolet to join Golf R Cabrio at Wörthersee [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen drops Golf R Cabriolet concept at Wörthersee

Noah Joseph — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

The annual Volkswagen hot-hatch gathering at Lake Wörthersee has been packed so far with enticing show cars. Audi came with a 500hp A1 concept, and Skoda rolled in with a radical rally roadster. But you didn't think the VW brand itself would let its sister companies have all the fun, now did you?

Of course not. So feast your eyes on the Golf R Cabriolet concept. The recipe is as simple as can be: take one Golf Cabrio, and one Golf R. Put 'em in a blender to extract the best parts of both, and voilà! The fastest droptop VW ever.

Along with fitting the Golf R's 265-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo four, the show car's suspension has been dropped by an inch and fitted with 19-inch alloys shrouding massive 17-inch brakes. The interior has likewise been upgraded to Golf R specifications, all decked out in blue and gray with piano black and carbon-fiber trim.

Like the production Golf R tin-top, VW says the Golf R Cabriolet concept can reach 62 mph in under six seconds and power on to a top speed of 155 mph.

While the car you see here is strictly for show for the time being, if public reaction among its most dedicated fans and customers at the Austrian lakeside expo proves sufficient, there's no telling what might ensue. In the meantime, you can check out the trio of images in our high-resolution gallery below and the official press release after the jump.

Continue reading Volkswagen drops Golf R Cabriolet concept at Wörthersee

Volkswagen drops Golf R Cabriolet concept at Wörthersee originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skoda unveils dramatic Fabia RS 2000 roadster concept at Wörthersee

Noah Joseph — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Skoda, Design/Style

Skoda Fabia RS 2000 concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Volkswagen Group's annual GTI-Treffen festival on the shores of Lake Wörthersee in Austria may be named for VW's iconic tuned Golf, but by now - in its 30th rendition - it's turned into a multi-marque celebration of the hot hatch. Case in point: the A1 Clubsport Quattro concept unveiled there this year by Audi. And now Skoda has joined in on the action with a hatch-based custom of its own.

To create the dramatic Fabia RS 2000 concept you see here, Skoda has taken its existing Fabia RS hot hatch, lopped off the roof and fitted a widebody kit housing 18-inch powder-coated alloys for a stance similar to its S2000 rally counterpart. The brightwork has also been blacked out, the open-air cabin fitted with four individual buckets with racing harnesses and carbon-fiber trim, and the hood louvered to vent the 200+hp 2.0-liter twin-turbo four.

All in all, a rather dramatic take on a bread-and-butter hatchback that blends the best of a road-going rally car with a four-door convertible. But while its occupants may enjoy the wind in their hair, the Wörthersee show stand is about probably as much daylight as this concept will ever see. Have a closer look in the high-res image gallery and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Skoda unveils dramatic Fabia RS 2000 roadster concept at Wörthersee

Skoda unveils dramatic Fabia RS 2000 roadster concept at Wörthersee originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at Wörthersee

Noah Joseph — Tue, 31 May 2011 08:56:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Hatchback, Audi, Misc. Auto Shows

Audi A1 clubsport quattro concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi and all-wheel drive go together like mothers and apple pie. The German automaker has cultivated its Quattro systems as emblematic of its raison d'etre, incorporating it into its rapidly expanding range... with one exception: the A1. But that's about to change.

After launching the diminutive hatchback in front-wheel-drive only, Audi is working on extending the traction to the rear wheels as well. And to give us an idea of what to expect, the company has launched the A1 Clubsport Quattro concept among the 18 vehicles on display at its annual celebration in Wörthersee.

The little beast is built around an extensively tuned 2.5-liter turbo five with just under 500 horsepower. Optimized by direct injection and channeled to all four wheels through a six-speed manual, Audi claims the concept can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in a scant 3.7 seconds, doubling that speed in 10.9 en route to an electronically limited, Autobahn-crunching top end of 250 km/h (155 mph).

The package is rounded out by an aggressive wide-body aerodynamic kit, decked out in matte white paint with a carbon-fiber roof, with a side-exit exhaust and 19-inch alloys. While the production A1 Quattro and the S1 or RS1 to follow isn't likely to pack the 500 horses of the show car, gamers can check it out in Need for Speed World for a limited time.

Audi has also released a series of visual mods - including decals and aero kits - for the existing A1 at the show. Want to read more? We've got the full press blast after the jump along, with an extensive batch of images in our high-resolution gallery.

Continue reading Audi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at Wörthersee

Audi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at Wörthersee originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen Golf GTI Adidas and Excessive unveiled at Wörthersee 2010 [UPDATE]

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 13 May 2010 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen

Volkswagen Golf GTI Adidas - Click above for high-res image gallery

As usual, Volkswagen has used this year's annual GTI meetup in Wörthersee, Austria to unveil new special variants of the sporty Golf. Of the two cars revealed today, the Golf GTI Adidas (above) will go on sale in Europe next month while the GTI Excessive shall remain a concept.

The Adidas is a three-door GTI that carries the name of the famous German sportswear brand. The only exterior differences are small Adidas badges on the B-pillars and unique 10-spoke alloy wheels. On the inside, the usual GTI plaid upholstery has been supplanted by a black finish with red side bolsters and the Adidas triple stripe down the middle. Cars equipped with the DSG dual-clutch gearbox also get an old-school shift knob with golf ball texturing.

The GTI Excessive (of which no images are available yet, we're working on it) features a series of new motorsports inspired exterior parts all finished in a high-gloss piano black. The distinguishing feature of these components, which may yet find their way into the automaker's aftermarket catalog, is razor edge creases.

UPDATE: We've added some photos of the GTI Excessive in the gallery below.

Gallery: Worthersee 2010: Volkswagen Golf GTI Adidas

Gallery: Worthersee 2010: Volkswagen Golf GTI Excessive

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen Golf GTI Adidas and Excessive unveiled at Wörthersee 2010 [UPDATE]

Volkswagen Golf GTI Adidas and Excessive unveiled at Wörthersee 2010 [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 May 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi pushing the new A1 at Wörthersee Tour 2010

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hatchback, Audi, Misc. Auto Shows

Audi A1 low-rider - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Audi R8 GT may be making its first official public appearance at the Wörthersee Tour 2010 this week, but the big push for Audi is unarguably the new A1. Of the 19 cars that Audi is showing, nine are the new A1 mini-car. Seven of those have been customized with special wraps and interior treatments running the gamut from an Austrian police car to an airport guide vehicle.

Of special note is the white-walled, flame-sprouting low-rider riding on black steelies. With this display, it's clear that Audi wants to go after the same audience that has been applying personalized finishes to modern Minis for the past decade. To help that effort, Audi will be offering a variety of "competition kits" of interior and exterior bits that will be available when the A1 goes on sale later this year.

Take a look at the customs in our high-res image gallery below. Have a favorite?

Gallery: Wörthersee Tour 2010: Audi A1 customs

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi pushing the new A1 at Wörthersee Tour 2010

Audi pushing the new A1 at Wörthersee Tour 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 May 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All Hail Wolfsburg! VW GTI W12-650 struts its stuff for Autocar

Alex Nunez — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:33:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Supercars, Volkswagen

Click image for photo gallery

The fabulous VW GTI W12-650 show car that was built in just 8 weeks for the 2007 Wörthersee meet is no show pony. We knew that it was a legit runner, as was seen in a video we posted of the car rehearsing its entrance on a grandiose stage setup. What we didn't know at the time was that the GTI W12, despite being a one-off machine, was constructed to really take advantage of the massive power being pumped to its rear wheels. The UK's Autocar got to drive the damned thing on a closed course, and they laid into it pretty well. To keep the car from vaporizing its rear tires, torque is limited to just 50% of max in 1st gear and 60% of max in 2nd. In third, however, it's all there, and when he drops the hammer, the Autocar correspondent sums things up in two words: "Bloody Hell!"

Note to Volkswagen: Build it. A limited run of 650 would seem perfectly appropriate. Follow the jump top watch Autocar put it through its paces, and try not to drool all over yourselves when you hear that wicked exhaust note..

[Source: Autocar via YouTube]

Gallery: VW Golf GTI W12 650 Concept

Continue reading All Hail Wolfsburg! VW GTI W12-650 struts its stuff for Autocar

All Hail Wolfsburg! VW GTI W12-650 struts its stuff for Autocar originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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