Volkswagen Golf Design Vision GTI V6
The only VW Golf GTI to ever receive a V6 engine was a one-off concept car that you won’t find at the dealer’s anytime soon, despite its impressive specs.
Written by Jasmine Kanter
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Can you imagine a Golf GTI with a twin-turbocharged V6 engine, 500 horsepower, and 413 pound-feet of torque? Volkswagen could and did, to the delight of fans in 2013.
The stage at the 2013 Wörthersee car show in Austria was set like a rock concert: a live band, flashing lights, and crowds of VW fanatics greeted the car that slid out from behind closed doors with a scream. It was the first and last appearance of the Golf GTI concept car known as the Design Vision.
Building on the super-flexible MQB platform, the GTI’s 2.0L inline-four engine had been traded for a 3.0L V6 capable of reaching up to 190 mph. For one thrilling day, VW led competitors in speed trials around the track, much like the car’s delightfully bold and exaggerated lines lead the eye around its body. Unluckily for consumers (but luckily for your
car insurance
premiums) this souped-up GTI won’t be hitting the market.Let’s dive into the brief but spectacular appearance of Volkswagen’s Golf Design Vision GTI.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers2013 Volkswagen Golf Design Vision GTI
Starting price: N/A
Engine: Twin-turbocharged 3.0L VR6 TSI
Horsepower: 503 horsepower
Torque: 413 pound-feet
0 to 60: 3.9 seconds
So what is a VR6? It’s basically a V6 engine with its cylinders pitched at an angle in order to make the whole thing narrower. The last time that a GTI received a VR6 was in 1997 and it was not well-received—with 172-hp, the MK3 Golf GTI is where some say Volkswagen lost its way, failing to wow buyers with its doughy handling and cheap interior. It didn’t offer the best of what the Golf GTI had originally offered, and what helped it eventually endure: great power and great design compacted into a practical yet stylish hatchback.
With the 2013 Golf Design Vision GTI, Volkswagen finally delivered the potential of fitting a V6 engine into an MK5 body. Lower and wider than the standard GTI, it was built to honor the VW tuning and modification community—particularly that madman, Sbarro, who once
slammed a Porsche 928 V8 engine into a GTI in 1983
.The complete specifications were never released, but here’s what we know about the Golf Design Vision GTI:
- Six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox (DSG)
- Multi-plate all-wheel drive
- Strong, durable 235mm-wide front tires, extra-wide 275mm in the rear
- Bespoke 20-inch wheels
Which Volkswagen Golf GTI models have the V6?
Sadly, only the promotional concept MK5 Golf GTI—dubbed the Design Vision—ever received a V6 engine. After driving around the track for press and fans at Wörthersee, its likely fate is to be parked forever behind museum glass. You can check out the
show-stopping premiere online
.How fast is the Volkswagen Golf Design Vision GTI?
Ludicrously powerful, the Golf Design Vision GTI reached 62 mph in 3.9 seconds. Among those lucky enough to drive it,
Autoexpress
called the sprint "spine-tingling".See how it stacks up against contemporaries (and descendants):
As you can see, the Design Vision was quite spectacular for its day, and could still run laps around the GTI of today. We can only hope it becomes a reality in the future.
Key Takeaway With an overpowered V6 engine and a powerful lunge to 62 mph in less than four seconds, the 2013 Golf Design Vision GTI was built to wow fans, but not to join the wider market.
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FAQs
Does the Volkswagen Golf GTI come in V6?
No. A promotional concept car with a V6—dubbed the Golf Design Vision GTI—premiered in 2013 but was not made available to consumers.
Will the Volkswagen Golf Design Vision GTI ever be released to the public?
At this point, Volkswagen has not unveiled any plans to mass manufacture the Design Vision.
Does the 2013 Volkswagen Golf Design Vision GTI have AWD?
Yes, the Design Vision replaces the Golf GTI’s front-wheel drive with a multi-plate all-wheel-drive system.
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