Volkswagen is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the GTI with a look back at some of its most audacious creations. Among them is the Golf GTI Roadster – a twin-turbo V6, all-wheel-drive performance machine that existed first as a virtual concept for Gran Turismo 6 and then briefly as a real-world prototype. The car is being revisited with a fresh green makeover, hinting at the exclusive Dark Moss Green Metallic finish of the GTI Edition 50.
A Radical Departure From Tradition
The GTI Roadster began as a thought experiment: what if Volkswagen took the iconic Golf GTI and pushed it to extremes? The result was a roofless, two-seater roadster with radical bodywork. The C-pillars were repurposed as a roll bar, and the doors were styled like those of a supercar, swinging upward instead of outward. The design is so far removed from the standard GTI that it barely resembles the production model. VW didn’t hold back, ignoring regulatory compliance to create something truly outlandish.
Power and Performance
Under the hood lies a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine capable of producing 503 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. Unlike typical GTIs, which are front-wheel drive, this concept features an all-wheel-drive system similar to that of the Golf R. It could accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 192 mph. Despite the aggressive design, the Roadster weighs 3,133 pounds.
Why This Matters
The GTI Roadster is a reminder that even mainstream automakers sometimes allow themselves to dream big. The car’s existence proves that Volkswagen isn’t afraid to explore radical ideas, even if they never make it into production. It raises the question of how much further the GTI line could be pushed, and whether fans might see more extreme concepts in the future.
The GTI Roadster remains a one-off, but it showcases Volkswagen’s willingness to break with convention. While the regular hot hatch continues to evolve, the Roadster stands as a testament to what could be.
