The VW Golf GTI First Decade Is A 423bhp Vision Of The Future

The massive Wörthersee GTI Treffen festival is about to kick off in Austria, which means VW has a pair of concepts to show off.

As is the tradition with Wörthersee specials, the cars have each been designed and built by a team of apprentices. Naturally, we’re keen to look at the most powerful one first, and that’s the Golf GTI First Decade.

Built in around nine months by a team of 13 apprentices, the First Decade has a “petrol engine” (it’s not specified, but we’re assuming it’s the EA888 2.0-litre) powering the front wheels, with a 48-volt-powered electric motor sending its thrust rearwards.

Both can run in tandem giving four-wheel drive, but it’s also capable of running exclusively in front-wheel drive or as rear-wheel drive in a pure electric mode. But before you get excited about doing ‘leccy-powered skids, it’s worth pointing out the motor puts out just 16bhp: the petrol engine is responsible for the vast majority (404bhp) of the overall poke.

The electric mode is meant to be used for very short distances in residential areas and during manoeuvring, with the pair of batteries onboard charged via regenerative braking. It’s the kind of mild hybrid system which will become much more common in the next few years, and yes, tech like this will end up on the production Golf GTI at some point.

The exterior is spruced up with a striking Atlantic Blue Metallic/Satin Ocean Shimmer livery, while in the boot you’ll find a massive subwoofer as part of a 1690 watt sound system. This is a Wörthersee concept, after all.

Next up, we have the ‘Golf GTE Estate impulsE’. The work of 14 apprentices, it’s essentially a wagon-ified version of the Golf GTE hatchback currently on sale, with one crucial difference: it’s been fitted with a prototype battery giving 16.8 kWh of juice, up from 8.8.

This doubles the car’s electric range, and gives a handy boost in the combined power of the 1.4-litre petrol engine and motor - 221bhp, up from 201.

Both cars will be on display in Wörthersee from tomorrow.