Mad Hatch

2012 VW Golf GTI Reifnitz Concept

If you thought the Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro was the craziest thing to ever come out of VW AG, well, think again. In honor of the German way, VW cooked up this very hot GTI at GTI-Wörthersee. Named after Reifnitz, the lakeside town in which the festival was held, this special concept tuner features a Stage III Turbo Kit and intercooler from APR Performance. Mix that with sport-tuned exhaust from RSC Performance, and you've got the most powerful front-wheel drive Golf GTI ever devised with 370 brake horsepower, 160 more than what the standard GTI puts down. To make this car even cooler, VW added a wide-body aero kit with a twin-vented hood, some Herbie-like Blue and Red racing stripes with some white backdrop in the middle, a race-inspired interior with some Alcantara racing buckets mixed with some blue and red stripes, a racing roll-cage for the race driver's edge, and some iconic 20-inch Alpine White Mesh rims just for the looks. This is by far the coolest Golf GTI I've ever come across. Why didn't EA put this in NFS World along with the A1 Clubsport? 

Drop Top Golf (Part II)

2012 VW Golf R Cabriolet Concept

The Golf madness at Wörthersee continues. First there was the 500 horsepower Compact craze that was the Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro. Now, VW have brought out two new droptop concept cars, both of which are, you guessed it, Golfs. First up, there's the Golf R Cabriolet Concept that, if it gets the green light, will be the fastest droptop Golf of them all. Under the hood is the Golf R standard 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine producing 265 horsepower. Combine this with all-wheel drive and you'll have the car that will do 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 155 MPH. I have to say that as a hatchback, the Golf R looked good, but as a convertible, it looks even better. No word on if this will reach the U.S. but there's a strong chance that it won't.

2012 VW Golf GTI Cabriolet Concept

Next up is the less powerful Golf GTI Cabriolet Concept that might make production as well. It gets the standard Golf GTI 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine producing 200+ horsepower. It will do 0 to 60 in about 6 seconds and hit a top speed of about 150 MPH. This one just looks like a straight brawler. Cabriolets beware! A new Golf is in town. Both these cars are on display at GTI-Wörthersee, so if you're there right now, go ahead and check them out.

Happy 35!

2012 VW Golf GTI Edition 35

It was on this day, 35 years ago, that the best compact car ever created was born: the Golf GTI. Today is its 35th birthday, and VW has decided to celebrate it by giving the current GTI a 35th anniversary overhaul. What's included? How about some restyled leather seats with the number 35 on them. Included in this exclusive package is a new front bumper, a new interior trim, some exclusive rims, and, finally, a much more powerful 232 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine. Pre-orders start this Thursday at €30,425 in Germany. So far, there's no word on this car coming to the U.S., but I hope it does. I think we could go far a much more powerful GTI. But in the mean time, happy birthday Golf GTI!