Volkswagen invited us to the 37th GTI Volkswagen Treffen where they presented a new milestone in the history of the cult compact car to Golf GTI fans: the Golf GTI TCR. The first leg of our journey started in Munich where we picked up our car at the Airport. From Munich we drive towards the Wörthersee in Austria where we will spend the night at the Volkswagen GTI Camp. We are lucky to be one of the first ones to arrive in Munich, which means we have the first pick for a car to drive towards The Wörthersee. We decide to go for the 310hp 2017 Golf R in Lapiz Blue. A nice bonus is that this specific car comes with the performance package, meaning the car has an Akrapovic exhaust and performance braking system.
The 380km drive was very fun and comfortable at the same time. In between driving we take some photos of the car. Upon arriving at the GTI Camp we are greeted by a unique Twin-engine Golf Prototype from 1986 on display. This specific car has two 1.3-litre four cylinder engines producing 500hp combined. With a weight of just 1.050 kg the car does 0-100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. Very impressive!
After a warm welcome and briefing by the Volkswagen team we enjoy a nice barbeque and decide to call it a day to rest up for the world premiere of the Volkswagen TCR Concept the next day.
The next morning, we have a boat trip towards the GTI Meeting at the Wörthersee. All the cars from the current GTI-range are on display, waiting for the TCR Concept to join the family. At 12:30pm the car is revealed to thousands of fans and GTI enthusiasts. Read below for all the headlines you should know about the car
Pure sports car doctrine
The GTI TCR TSI is the road version of the 350hp Golf GTI in the TCR race series and delivers 290hp and 370Nm. The power is transmitted to the front wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) and locking differential. The factory set maximum is 250 km/h, but this can be increased to 264 km/h by opting to remove the electronic Vmax limiter. To ensure sufficient cooling for the high engine performance, the Golf GTI TCR features two extra radiators in the front, as in the Golf R2/3. The stainless steel exhaust system and end pipes are also tuned for higher performance. Optionally, the Golf GTI TCR exhales with a titanium exhaust system from Akrapovič, which is currently only available for the all-wheel drive Golf R.
A high performance braking system comes as a standard. The new bumper design – splitter in the front and diffuser at the rear – is a hallmark of the racing gene.
Numerous individual features add to the Golf GTI TCR’s sporty character and robust look. The new top Golf GTI model has 18-inch “Belvedere” forged wheels from the Wolfsburg plant as standard. The newly designed 19-inch alloy wheels are optionally available. Lurking behind the large alloy wheels are perforated brake discs together with special brake calipers and pads to slow racing fans down just as confidently as the role model on the racetrack.
Volkswagen has developed the new colour “Pure Grey” exclusively for the Golf GTI TCR. The other colours have been GTI classics from the start: “Pure White”, “Tornado Red”, “Deep Black Pearl Effect” and “Oryx White Pearl Effect”.
The GTI TCR will be available at the end of the year in Europe. Prices are not available yet. Volkswagen is planning to offer the new GTI top model on other continents as well, giving the super-fast series version of the TCR racing car an international presence on par with the eponymous touring car category.
After the world premiere we head back to the camp to rest up a little and enjoy a nice dinner with the Volkswagen family and press team.
Homebound
The next morning we have another nice 380km drive back from the GTI Camp back to Münich. This time we have the pleasure of driving the route in a Ruben Black Golf GTI. We create some last content along the way and finally hand back the keys at the airport. It’s been a great couple of days with the Volkswagen team. We would like to thank the Volkswagen for once again hosting a great event and taking such good care of us. Until next time!
