[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/golf-gti-gets-500bhp-motorsport-treatment\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/golf-gti-gets-500bhp-motorsport-treatment\/","headline":"Golf GTI gets 500bhp motorsport treatment","name":"Golf GTI gets 500bhp motorsport treatment","description":"It seems that the petrolheads at VW aren\u2019t going to let their Spanish cousins at Seat steal all the motorsport-inspired thunder at this year\u2019s VAG enthusiasts W\u00f6rthersee show in Austria, on Lake W\u00f6rthersee. While the new Seat Leon Cup Racer\u00a0may look pretty darn sweet, it\u2019s blown well into the weeds by this here \u2018Design Vision GTI\u2019 that\u2019s set to go on show at W\u00f6rthersee today. This new Golf GTI-based motorsport monster is wider, meaner and wilder than the really-not-so-shy-Seat, and […]","datePublished":"2013-05-08","dateModified":"2013-05-08","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/New-GTI-Concept.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/New-GTI-Concept.jpg","height":"577","width":"577"},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/golf-gti-gets-500bhp-motorsport-treatment\/","about":["Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS","Modified Cars","Sports \/ Performance & Prestige cars","Sports, Performance & Prestige Cars"],"wordCount":489,"keywords":["Alcantara","Austria","MK7 Golf GTI","Seat","The British Touring Car Championship","Volkswagen Audi Group","vw","VW Golf","W\u00f6rthersee"],"articleBody":"It seems that the petrolheads at VW aren\u2019t going to let their Spanish cousins at Seat steal all the motorsport-inspired thunder at this year\u2019s VAG enthusiasts W\u00f6rthersee show in Austria, on Lake W\u00f6rthersee. While the new  Seat Leon Cup Racer\u00a0may look pretty darn sweet, it\u2019s blown well into the weeds by this here \u2018Design Vision GTI\u2019 that\u2019s set to go on show at W\u00f6rthersee today.This new Golf GTI-based motorsport monster is wider, meaner and wilder than the really-not-so-shy-Seat, and packs a whopping 500bhp and a chunky 560Nm of torque, and four-wheel drive to deliver it. The yearly show at W\u00f6rthersee is just massive with 150,000 VAG (Volkswagen Audi Group) lovers descending onto the shores of the lake to celebrate all things modified VAG. So, every year, the VAG designers make them something mega to look at, and, well, this has got to be the most mega yet.These stunning design sketches show a highly modified MK7 Golf GTI \u2013 the latest GTI has just gone into UK dealers by the way, so if you fancy building one into one of these\u2026 – with super-wide bodywork \u2013 note the \u2018flared\u2019 C-pillars that blend into the rear wide arches and the rear bumper \u2013 and a 500bhp, 3-litre V6 turbocharged motor under the hood, a DSG gearbox and four-wheel drive. All of this VW big-budget-blowing means 62mph in 3.9 seconds for the Design Vision GTI, and surely the most stunning silhouette since Pammy Anderson first slipped into her red Baywatch swimsuit. If this is motorsport, I\u2019m buying a helmet!The vicious-looking Design Vision GTI has a longer wheelbase (for braking stability) and short overhangs (for general coolness); measuring 4,253mm long (15mm less than the production GTI), a mere 1,385mm tall (57mm lower than the road-going car) and 1,870mm wide; a full-fat 71mm wider than standard. Flat and fast circuit cornering should be easily achievable thanks to go-large track-width figures of 1,595mm at the front and 1,579mm at the rear. Sneaking under those monster arches are bespoke 20-inch turbine-style alloys fronting large ceramic brake discs. Track day weaponry just went nuclear.Inside the Design Vision GTI, it\u2019s all about the leather, Alcantara (automotive \u2018suede\u2019) and, of course, lashings of weight-saving carbon fibre, and being a big-budget concept there are neat futuristic tricks like an onboard camera, and a connection to let the driver network with social communities, like Facebook, from the car. The large display to the right of the main instruments cluster shows a graphic of the circuit being driven as well as the lap times achieved so far.VW haven\u2019t clarified what kind of racing \u2013 other than circuit \u2013 the Design Vision GTI is aimed at, or indeed what race series would allows such a high power, four-wheel driving monster to compete. The British Touring Car Championship certainly wouldn\u2019t \u2018cos this thing would maul the lot of them! By Dan Anslow "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Golf GTI gets 500bhp motorsport treatment","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/golf-gti-gets-500bhp-motorsport-treatment\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]