VW's WRC-Engined Hybrid GTE Sport Is The Golf GTI Of The Future

If the likes of the Focus RS and Megane RS Trophy are anything to go by, the days of the humble hot hatch are coming to an end; the classic traits of subdued styling and lightly fettled engines providing enough poke to get you in trouble with the local constabulary, as well as enough practicality to keep your family happy, are slowly dying. While the supercar horsepower race appears to be reaching its natural pinnacle, manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible from a humble hatchback more than ever.

It appears the future of the Golf GTI involves Volkswagen pushing the boundaries of what can even be called a ‘hatchback’. The GTE Sport concept, unveiled ahead of this year’s Wörthersee event in Austria, apparently foreshadows what we can expect to see in the ‘medium-term’ future.

The headline power figure of 395bhp and 494lb ft of torque come courtesy of a hybrid performance system, which powers all four wheels. On the internal combustion engine side of things is a lightly adapted version of the 1.6-litre TSI motor found in the current Polo R WRC car, which makes 295bhp and 295lb ft. On top of the WRC Championship-winning four-pot, the GTE Sport gets a pair of electric motors to help things along; the first sits at the front inside the housing of the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, making 113bhp and 243lb ft of torque, while the second has been plonked on the rear, making the same power but less torque, at 199lb ft.

It’ll cruise along in EV mode as a priority, but when you’re driving properly the trio combine for blistering performance. We’re talking 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 174mph (280kph).

In a move that’d surely upset James May, this car has been honed on the Nurburgring to help stretch the ‘race car for the road’ ethos to its limits. It’s got a lightweight carbonfibre shell like the Bugatti Veyron and XL1, as Volkswagen loves the material and is working to make it more feasible for use in mass manufacture. VW is similarly proud of the two-tier C-pillar design you see here, which it has been trying to perfect for a few years now. This concept’s pillars demonstrate the finality of that project, which can now “leave the show car stage”… these will almost certainly be on the next Golf GTI.

The interior is pure concept car acid trip, though. It’s a strict two-seater, mounted further back for better weight distribution, with XL1-esque doors that swing upwards on entry. The bucket seats, five-point racing harnesses and steering wheel wouldn’t look out of place on a Lamborghini concept, though the digital dials across different layers could have practical applications.

For purists, the idea of such an impractical hot hatch might not be appealing, but for the rest of us this concept is mighty exciting. The wonderful thing about electric is that it allows manufacturers to hit ever more stringent emmissions rules, and at the same time allows mind-blowing performance. The good old days might be over, but in my opinion the future’s looking bright. Bring on the 400bhp hot hatches!