WORTHERSEE: VW's 375kW Golf concept

Volkswagen has released official images of a radical new virtual concept dubbed the Golf GTI Vision Gran Turismo, which will be revealed at the Worthersee Festival in Austria on May 28.

Like the BMW Vision Gran Turismo concept and the Mercedes-AMG Vision Gran Turismo concept the hot Golf concept has been designed exclusively for the digital world of Gran Turismo 6.

The low-slung two-seat sports car was first created as a three-dimensional computer model as part of a joint project between Volkswagen and Sony, but has proved so popular among VW's design team that it decided to turn it into a full-size concept to celebrate the iconic GTI nameplate.

The wild Gran Turismo concept takes the Golf into an unorthodox direction, however, by removing the roof entirely and resculpting several key design elements to give a more aggressive, angular aesthetic.

Riding on huge 20-inch wheels shod with 235/35 front and 275/30 rear tyres and housing massive 380mm front and 356mm carbon-ceramic brake discs, the dramatic super-Golf concept features a ground-hugging stance, super-low windscreen and giant rear wing, all of which are expected to deliver high levels of grip and slippery aerodynamics within the GT6 game on Playstation 3.

Power comes courtesy of a 375kW/665Nm version of VW's narrow-angle VR6 engine, driving all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

That's more than Audi's A3 clubsport quattro concept, which produces 368kW/600Nm from a turbocharged five-cylinder engine and will also be revealed at Worthersee.

While the latter will provide at least a visual preview of Audi's upcoming RS 3 sedan, the Golf GTI Vision Gran Turismo combines styling elements being considered for a range of future VW models and provides the first official taste of a new twin-turbo direct-injection of VW's 3.0-litre V6.