share on BufferThe Golf GTE Sport envisions the Volkswagen GT of the future, and is characterized by a powertrain with three motors and a body and structure largely made of carbon fiber composites.
Along with the concept, at the GTI event Volkswagen also debuted theGolf GTI Clubsport, the most powerful production Golf GTI ever thanks to its 265 PS drivetrain, which will go on sale in early 2016.
Exterior Design
The design concept of the Golf GTE Sport evolves the ideas introduced in 2013 with the Volkswagen Design Vision GTI and in particular adopts the detached C-pillars with a two-level design, a styling cue first seen on the 2007 Golf GTI W12-650, and then evolved in several iterations on various concept cars.
According to VW, this evolution has now reached a near-production stage, so we could see the detached C pillars on a next generation of Golf GTs.
Behind the level visible from outside a second one opens up and the airstream flows between these two levels, contributing to the aerodynamic downforce and to the cooling of the rear brake system.
Stylistically, this results into an extremely wide rear section. By contrast, the passenger cell between the A-pillar and the interior part of the C-pillar becomes narrower when viewed from the front to the rear.
The concept car has two gullwing doors that swing forwards. The upper part that extends a long way into the roof is entirely made of dark visible carbon. A large part of the side sill is integrated in the door cutout.
The three-dimensional body of the sill is enhanced at the top in the door section with an area in dark visible carbon.
Additional features on the side profile in visible carbon are the door mirror caps, the door window frames and the lower sill area.
This part of the sill is designed as a splitter, i.e. a thin and sharp aerodynamic element, a common feature in motorsport.
The side sill is framed by the new 20-inch alloy wheels fitted with tyres in format 235 at the front and 275 at the rear.
The front end gives indications on how the Golf GT models could develop in future. On the concept car, the designers removed the blue radiator grille line of the Golf GTE production model from the grille and positioned it below the hood as a blue crossbar running across the whole width of the front.
Below it, three further crossbars in black chrome look extend across the centre air inlet. The high-gloss black air inlet grille itself has the honeycomb structure typical of GT models.
A further air inlet below the crossbars is framed at the top and to the sides by a striking aerodynamic element (also made of carbon). A double spoiler, also designed as a splitter, rounds off the front. Here, too, carbon is used.
Seen from the rear, the Golf GTE Sport shows a very wide and powerful appearance. The extended outer levels of the C-pillars at the rear – like the tail unit of an aeroplane – elongate the car together with the large roof spoiler.
The tailgate with a vertical downward angle at the level of the redesigned LED rear lights is another trademark Golf styling element.
At the top, the tailgate is limited by a black carbon roof spoiler – a wing that seems to hover in front of the tailgate at a distance of a few millimeters to the roof.
The C-pillars that taper at an angle to the rear and the bumper merge into one another, with the latter projecting far above the line of the tailgate.
As an imaginary continuation of the side strip made of visible carbon (above the sill), the top edge of the bumper also features visible carbon.
Below this is an area painted in the body color (with air outlets on the outside). The last level is a large diffuser made of visible carbon with the splitter that is also continued here. The round stainless steel trims of the twin-pipe exhaust system are integrated in the middle of the diffuser.
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