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You may be aware of the Gran Turismo series of 'vision' concept cars, virtual creations by the car makers to be raced in the iconic Sony PlayStation game. Well, Volkswagen has only gone and built its version, the rather spectacular GTI Roadster Vision Gran Turismo - or GTIRVGT for short...

Exterior

With the design team free to overlook such constraints as production and selling price they were able to get a little bit wild with the design of the GTI Roadster - think of all the doodling you used to do of your dream car and you might be along the right lines. Similarities between the Gran Turismo car and the Design Vision GTI (unveiled at Wörthersee last year) include the carried over independent C-pillars and side sills. The flared pillars feed air to the rear brakes in much the same way as the ducts on an F1 car do while also serving as a roll-over hoop should the worst happen.

The mention of motorsport is not a flippant one as Volkswagen envisages the GTI Roadster as a track car with the entire body wind tunnel tested to ensure optimum aerodynamic efficiency. Well to an extent; anything that rolls on custom built 20-inch alloy wheels is probably not going to be battling with Lotus Elises on a circuit, but the concept does roll on a significantly revised platform that is shorter than a regular GTI's yet with a much wider track. This, along with an overall height of under a metre and a half, gives the car a very squat look, yet one with an unmistakably GTI front end. A front end that would appear to have been force-fed steroids with vertical LEDs framing the traditional GTI honeycomb grille. That is offset by a carbon fibre splitter at the bottom and a vented bonnet up top.

Interior

For all the hype and drama promised by the exterior the inside seems remarkably reserved with all creature comforts and decorative elements omitted. Instead there are two race seats fitted to a carbon fibre monocoque, a fire extinguisher that can be reached by both driver and passenger - and not a lot else. The seats themselves are fitted very low down mimicking the seating position of a race car and are covered in Alcantara for extra grip. As too is the four-spoke steering wheel. The column of the steering wheel has been left exposed (as is the way in race cars) and fitted to a V-shaped wing where you would expect to find a dashboard.

Mechanicals

What would a race car inspired concept be without a great big lumping engine? And that is exactly what the GTI Roadster has - a bi-turbo 3.0-litre V6 unit to be exact churning out 503hp and 560Nm of torque. Mated to a seven-speed DSG transmission and Volkswagen's 4Motion four-wheel drive system, the GTI Roadster is said to be capable of hitting 62mph in 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 192mph. With all that power it is a good thing the engineers fitted proper stoppers in the guise of ceramic brake discs measuring 380mm up front and 356mm out back.

Anything else?

Like the rest of the GT Vision cars the GTI Roadster was built to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Gran Turismo and come mid-June you will be able to drive the car yourself when the DLC becomes available on GT6 for PlayStation 3. Meanwhile we'll be pestering Volkswagen for a go in the real thing...

Paul Healy - 30 May 2014