volkswagen celebrates 40 years of the golf GTI with three racing editions

volkswagen celebrates 40 years of the golf GTI with three racing editions
all images courtesy of volkswagen

for 2016, volkswagen is celebrating 40 years of it’s iconic ‘golf GTI’ hatchback with three projects at the fan-organized lake wörthersee weekend. the star of the festival is the ‘golf GTI clubsport S’, whose 300 hp crushed the front-wheel drive record on the north loop of the nurburgring. also on hand is the ‘golf GTI TCR’ race car for the TCR international series and a one-of-kind 400 hp ‘golf GTI heartbeat’ designed by volkswage trainees from saxony.

volkswagen ‘golf GTI clubsport S’

volkswagen will build 400 ‘golf GTI clubsport S’ in either red, white or black – which borrows the engine genes of the ‘golf GTI TCR’, with an extensively modified chassis. included in this exclusive model is a nurburgring setting where the driver can select different profiles – comfort, normal and race. the unique configuration switches the sound, engine and steering parameters for race tracks.

the edition will come in three colors: white, red or black

inside, the special edition has racing bucket seats that provide the necessary lateral support while flying over apexes. also on board are ‘GTI’ insignia with ‘alcantra’ trim with red accents and honeycomb decals on the dashboard and doors.

the ‘golf GTI clubsport S’ racing through the nurburgring

the ‘golf GTI clubsport S’ design offers improvements in air supply to the engine, aerodynamics and downforce at the front. At the rear, the roof-edge spoiler that was aerodynamically perfected in the wind tunnel. there is a narrow air gap between the roof area, that is completely black, and the wing-like spoiler placed above it. The two-part roof edge spoiler extends upward above the roof line.

the car has special tuning for race tracks

at the sides, the spoiler merges into the black flaps on the boot lid. multi-part spoilers of this type are complex components that perfectly fulfill the aerodynamic tasks assigned to them: to significantly increase downforce on the rear axle. the result is a car that can go from 0-100 km/h in just 5.8 seconds.

all three generations of racing versions of ‘golf GTI’

the ‘golf GTI TCR’

the 40th anniversary ‘golf GTI heartbeat’

12 trainees from volkswagen also heavily modified the ‘golf GTI’ with an 1,360 watt advanced sound system, a honeycomb design and heartbeat symbols for the 40th anniversary. in less than nine months, they managed to paint a silver metallic roof and front end covered in a contrasting dark grey foil. ‘GTI’ honeycombs in bright tornado red with contrasting dark and light grey provide further design accents on the bonnet, the closed roof and on the wings, marking the transition from dark to light. in addition, an individual high-gloss body kit and 20-inch wheels featuring wide tires on BBS aluminum rims with exclusive paintwork accentuate the car’s sporting presentation.

a silver metallic roof and front end covered in a contrasting dark grey foil