Worthersee, Austria - Every year a group of Volkswagen apprentices are tasked with creating a special Golf GTI for the Wörthersee GTI Festival, and this year’s headline concept ticks plenty of excitement boxes.
Created by 15 apprentices from Wolfsburg, the GTI Next Level concept sports a 302kW engine and 2480W sound system.
Standing out is no trouble either, the concept sporting 20-inch ‘Y-Design’ alloys poached from the Audi R8, a lower body kit and a two-tone colour scheme featuring hand-painted tungsten silver metallic foils shaped like forked arrows.
Backing up the meaner looks are a raft of engine and dynamic upgrades. For starters, the GTI’s 2-litre powerplant has been treated to an upgraded turbocharger, larger intercooler, forged pistons and a modified stainless steel exhaust with flap control, among other improvements that raise outputs to an A45 AMG thrashing 302kW and 511Nm.
Its cornering and stopping abilities have been beefed up too, thanks to a Bilstein B16 Damptronic coilover suspension with adaptive chassis control, and a high-performance ceramic braking system.
The GTI’s rear seats were removed to accommodate a high-end sound system, featuring 12 speakers, and boasting a total output of 2480 watts.
The apprentices used various digital technologies in the creation of this concept. For instance, the side trims and the mounts for loudspeakers and subwoofer were created using CAD computers and fabricated using 3D printer technology.
The apprentices also created special apps that allow the user to control the electric-powered opening cargo floor, retractable LED monitor and the LED underfloor lighting via their smartphone.
As VW’s vocational training head Andreas Strutz puts it: “During the creation of their dream Golf, our apprentices learn about the complexity of automobile production and many future-oriented topics. They also gain practical experience in the application of digital technologies, control and systems technology and the networking of vehicles with the Internet.
“For this unique vehicle project, we select especially committed young talents and give them the opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues at an early stage.”
