Every year, Volkswagen drops the sheets on a unique, customized Golf at the annual GTI Fest at Lake Worthersee in Austria. As a showcase of the skills of its various apprentices, the custom ride is typically a real jaw-dropper, and this latest example is no different.

Continue reading to learn what makes the Volkswagen Golf GTI Next Level special.

2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI Next Level

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  • Model: 2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI Next Level
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What Makes The Volkswagen Golf GTI Next Level Special

The Golf GTI Next Level will enjoy a debut at Lake Worthersee alongside a second unique Golf, both of which are sure to gain a fair amount of attention from the appreciative crowd set to attend the 37th annual GTI Fest.

Dubbed the Golf GTI Next Level, this unique Golf was built by apprentices from Wolfsburg in just nine months, with each apprentice applying their skills in a variety of areas.

“For the design of the exterior and the interior, the young women and men contributed considerable crafting skills and used digital development and production methods such as CAD and 3D printing technology. They also programmed dedicated applications for the control of special vehicle function from a smartphone or tablet PC,” VW says.

Ranging between 19 and 23 years of age, the apprentices were selected as “especially committed young talents” to receive tutelage from “experienced colleagues at an early stage,” said Volkswagen’s Head of Vocational Education and Further Training Vehicle Construction, Andreas Strutz. That included knowledge regarding automobile production, practical experience in applying digital technology, and several connected feature technologies.

Let’s start with the exterior styling, which enhances the standard Golf GTI’s aesthetic with a number of custom touches that definitely lend it a unique, head-turning look. The body panels were painted in white and silver metallic, while the tail gains a deep black pearl effect. Breaking up the paint are contrasting foils and forked arrows, plus a good amount of red detailing. There’s also a set of enormous forged aluminum wheels in the corners, punctuated with hand-painted red interior strips. The body kit includes a new rear diffuser, which was also hand-painted to an attractive finish.

Further red detailing can be found inside, offsetting the black, grey, and white hues with splashes of color for the steering wheel, contrast stitching, surrounds, and more. The steering wheel gains additional buttons below the standard infotainment controls, looking like something you might find in a Ferrari rather than a German hatchback.

The sound and multimedia system are even more impressive, with a large flatscreen display and powerful speaker set-up in the rear providing the entertainment. The apprentices used CAD software and 3D-printer tech to create the side trim and speaker mounts, while the electrically opening cargo floor, retractable LED monitor, and LED underfloor lighting are all controlled via a tablet or smartphone running custom apps which were also produced by the apprentices. Impressive stuff!

Of course, the performance was also a major consideration. Under the hood is a tuned 2.0-liter gas engine making around 410 horsepower and mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Helping it handle is a lowered suspension set-up, while a ginormous brake package helps it stop.

Extra dress-up can be found under the hood as well, with unique carbon elements like the new air box.

All told, this is one very hot hatchback, and it provides us with a solid reassurance that VW’s future is indeed in good hands.

References

Volkswagen Golf GTI

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Volkswagen Golf

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