Volkswagen GX3 Concept
What planet鈥檚 this from? This is Volkswagen鈥檚 GX3 - a minimalist three wheeler that combines a superbike鈥檚 blistering acceleration with a sports car鈥檚 flat-out cornering ability. 15,000 has ever been this much fun. After four hours of non-stop carving, skating and gliding up and down twisting alpine roads, the broad grin on my face is now frozen stiff - and it鈥檚 nothing to do with the temperature. Every corner enhances the sticky roadholding and sweet handling balance of this insect-eyed street machine. With every climb, the mix of instant grip and eager acceleration gets ever more addictive. And with each descent, the subtle weight transfer, aggressive brake bite and the quite physical downshifts challenge the man at the wheel. Had we not run out of fuel, it would have taken a chainsaw to separate me from the GX3. This trike performs like a drug. Sounds amazing - and nothing like the VW norm. How the hell did they come up with the GX3?
It鈥檚 the out of this world-work of Team Moonraker, a task force charged with finding initiatives to boost VW鈥檚 faltering image in North America. Founded in spring 2005, and led by Stefan Liske, the 23-member Moonraker team was based in Los Angeles and reported directly to VW brand chief Wolfgang Bernhard. Currently, the Volkswagen brand has a strong female bias - something the uber-macho GX3 seeks to redress. The GX3 was unveiled at the Los Angeles auto show in January 2006. After a stellar reception, Volkswagen鈥檚 suits began to wrangle over whether to sell it exclusively to US punters. The GX3 is actually quite close to a Lotus Elise in length, although it鈥檚 wider and taller thanks to the big front track and roll-over hoops. Lotus was heavily involved in the project, supplying engineering support and components for the mule we thrashed. The steering is from the Elise and Lotus also had a hand in the double wishbone front suspension.
VW lifted the brakes from the Golf up front and the Polo at the rear. The mule runs on bespoke soft-shoulder Bridgestones. The front boots are a familiar 215/45 R17 in size, but the massive asymmetrical-compound rear semi-slick tyre wears an uncommon 315/30 R18 size index. For smoother breakaway characteristics and a less edgy handling at the limit. The black 14-spoke aluminium wheel is located on a lightweight mono swing-arm with compact coil-over damper. Without crew, the GX3 tips the scales at a commendably fit 570 kilos. Mounted in the rear of the tubular steel frame is a 125bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine which is mated to six-speed manual transmission. On tap at 3000rpm, the maximum torque of 112lb ft is relayed to its single taker via a duplex chain. A driveshaft would have been classier and a belt would have been quieter, but for cost reasons VW opted for the chain which needs regular lubrication and tensioning.
VW planned to classify the GX3 as a motorbike, and it delivers the same sense of freedom and thrills. We climbed to 2000 metres, where the temperature dipped to a frosty 4deg C. VW recommended a helmet, but I opted for gloves, a headband and glasses. Nonetheless, my eyes filled with tears beyond 50kph, the cold wind pounded my cheeks, occasional drizzle threw a thousand needles against chin and forehead, and plenty of loose chippings ricocheted through the crystal clear air. Some bullets were also triggered by the odd oncoming vehicle, but most came flying off my own back wheel. On paper, the 125bhp GX3 can crack 0-62mph in 5.7sec and hit 125mph, although the mule we tried only mustered 80bhp. This tarmac-hugging street spider feels as intimate and pure as a Ducati. Every road texture, every seam, every puddle is transmitted back to the driver. Longitudinal grooves can bounce you off-course without warning, and crests are liable to seriously deflect the flight path. All these encounters tend to happen at sports car speeds, and since this VW can pull up to 1.25g of lateral force, even eight-tenth efforts will make your heart thump and your cheeks go wobbly.
