Volkswagen's Builds The GTI Roadster From 'Gran Turismo 6'
As a gesture of gratitude towards its adoring fans, the German auto giant unveiled its videogame-derived GTI Roadster, the Vision Gran Turismo, at this year's event. Originally created for Playstation 3's blockbuster "Gran Turismo 6" video game, the two-seat roadster features a bevy of Volkswagen's most advanced performance trickery wrapped in some of the most seductively stylish body work to ever come out of Wolfsburg. All of this power and technology translates into a claimed top speed of 192mph and a 0-60 mph sprint of just 3.5 seconds. In addition to the powerful motor, the GTI Roadster's performance figures are boosted by its sleek aerodynamic body and light carbon fiber construction. The minimalist interior is dominated by the pair of carbon fiber tubs that hold the driver and passenger seats along with a driver-centric cockpit display. As a concept, it is very unlikely the GTI Roadster, Vision Gran Turismo will every make it to the showroom. However, according to the Daily Mail, enthusiasts interested in the concept will be able to download and drive the car in their "Gran Turismo 6" video games in June.
As far as space in the cabin goes, there's more than enough head- and legroom for my 5ft 8in frame. Moving to the rear, with the MQB, VW has been able to build the Polo bigger and it's quite telling here; there's more than enough legroom for those seated here, even if there's a slightly tall driver at the front. What鈥檚 it like to drive? There is also an electronic diff, what VW calls XDS, which on a turn, brakes the inside wheel tricking the regular differential into sending more power to the outer wheels; the result is a crisper turn-in. Also, thanks to the MQB platform, the chassis is now 28 percent stiffer than before, and aids handling stability. Driving it out of the airport and in and around the village we were put up at, the car was very drivable, unlike other hot hatches that can feel a tad over eager.
VW claims a 0-100kph time of 6.7sec, and while we couldn't test that, it did feel sufficiently fast out on the motorway and the track. One aspect of hot hatches that has bothered me is the harsh ride. Remember, these cars also live everyday lives; in cars like the Abarth 595 and the Mini Cooper S, the ride is harsh enough to convince you that you鈥檝e broken something going over rough surfaces. In the Polo, however, it is different. Of course, compared to everyday hatches, it鈥檚 still hard, but among its peers, it鈥檚 very compliant. This is the one I'd pick from the three to handle our rough roads. The car offers drive modes too. Comfort setting keeps things fairly light and easy, while Sport quickens the pace, firms up the steering and the dampers just a bit, the exhaust crackles too, but it isn鈥檛 very dramatic. Going through the gears is very quick and smooth, typical of a VW DSG, but again without any drama; you can鈥檛 hold high revs even in manual mode, as the 'box will shift up a gear.
Handling is sharp but pretty unexciting; run wide through a turn (I did a lot of that on the track), and all you need to do is lift off the throttle to bring things back in order. This then is the driving character of the Polo GTI - it's pretty fast and fun but not extroverted like a Mini. Should I buy one? Actually, the question is 鈥榃ill you be able to buy one? 鈥?VW India is in a conundrum about launching the car here. The new GTI certainly has enough to justify a premium, compared to the current one, and it鈥檚 safe to say that it will certainly enjoy more attention. But with the Polo (and the GTI) now based on the new MQB platform, the question is: Do they import it, which would mean a high price, or delay the launch until the local MQB platform (MQB A0-IN) is developed?
To maintain the continuity of the brand, VW could do both - begin with an import and then move to local assembly later. So, if and when the Polo GTI does make it here, assuming it鈥檚 sensibly priced or you have really deep pockets, should you look at it? Yes, this is a hot hatch that deserves serious consideration. While it may look all too familiar, the interior is a step ahead of the previous one, it drives fast, the gearbox is super-quick and the handling is fun enough. This isn鈥檛 to say it鈥檚 a thrill-your- pants-off kind of ride; it鈥檚 actually quite rounded off to serve as a daily driver and the ample interior space, comfortable seats and decent equipment list will be a further draw. So as things stand, the new Polo GTI's got a lot going for it. VW just has to make sure it gets the pricing right, and, going by the brisk sales of the reduced price GTI, there's a handy marker for that.
