Volkswagen supercar goes from virtual to reality

VOLKSWAGEN’S all-wheel-drive, 370kW/560Nm twin-turbo V6 GTI Roadster concept revealed in Austria this week at the annual Woerthersee enthusiasts meeting is a video game brought to life.

Originally developed as a download for the Gran Turismo franchise, Volkswagen evidently liked the bits and bites so much it commissioned the production of a special one-off show car.

That said, you would be forgiven for reading a little more into this outlandish concept when you consider how advanced and – dare we say it – production-ready its underpinnings are.

Familiar from the GTI Design Vision shown this time last year is the 370kW/560Nm (between 4000 and 6000 rpm) 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine matched to a seven-speed DSG with paddles and a 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system with Haldex coupling.

Speculation suggests this engine will replace the current VR6 engine in VW’s stable, meaning it could surface in the next-generation Passat and Passat CC, the CrossBlue seven-seater SUV and maybe even some Audi models.

Weighing in at 1420kg and sitting on a shortened 2494mm wheelbase, the GTI Roadster concept could theoretically reach 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds on its way to a V/max of 309km/h.

Behind the 20-inch wheels (shod with 235/35 front and 275/30 rear tyres) sit 380mm front and 356mm rear disc brakes lifted from the Golf R.

The fact that designers, led by Klaus Bischoff, could avoid the constraints of making the bodyshell even remotely production ready meant they could take some liberties. The car is only 1090mm tall and has a novel wrap-around windscreen, for instance.

Inside the cabin are two shell racing seats covered in Alcantara and fitted with five-point harnesses, and a racing-style steering wheel.

While there are no plans for production, players of Gran Turismo 6 will be able to download the virtual GTI Roadster from mid-June.