VW Unveils Golf GTI Show Car

Volkswagen unveils a performance-hybrid special-edition 2-seater Golf GTI show car boasting a combined power output of 418 hp at its annual gathering of the brand faithful in Wörthersee, Austria.

The car is the 10th special-edition GTI produced by apprentices from the “Wolfsburg talent factory” showcasing potential technology developed by Volkswagen engineers. Dubbed the Golf GTI First Decade, it combines a 402-hp gasoline engine to drive the front wheels with a 48V electric motor powering the rear wheels with a maximum output of 16 hp.

The two drive systems can be used separately but also work hand-in-hand when required. The car can be operated conventionally (front-wheel drive), in purely electric mode (rear-wheel drive) and in combined mode (all-wheel drive).  Its drive modes can be selected and controlled from a tablet PC using an app or from the infotainment display via Mirror Link.

The 2-door GTI features a special Atlantic Blue Metallic paint job with rally stripes along the hood and roof. There’s also a high-gloss black honeycomb radiator grille, Clubsport rear spoiler and 20-in. alloy wheels.

Inside, the two sport seats are handmade in a titanium black Nappa leather/Alcantara combination with blue stitching. The driver’s seat can be adjusted electrically using an app on a smartphone or tablet, and it also offers several back massage profiles with a memory function. Punched Alcantara sections have a blue background, and the central section is decorated by an embroidered “10” at the top.

The dark blue trim above the glove compartment bears the “First Decade” logo in Satin Ocean Shimmer. Instead of rear seats and trunk space, the rear of the vehicle houses a sound system with 1,690 watts from 11 loudspeakers and a subwoofer.