phaeton

Here it is: our exclusive look at Volkswagen's SEMA 2006 concept car, the R GTI.

By Greg Emmerson
Photography: Sam Du



Last month we showed you exclusive design illustrations of VW's newest concept car headed for SEMA 2006, the R GTI. We had scant details at the time, but pleaded with the design team to gain access to the actual car. Through a combination of good luck and strategic bribery, we managed to pull off the impossible and get access ahead of everybody - even before VW had taken its own promotional photos.


We needed this head start because our publishing deadlines mean you won't see this until a few weeks after the car has been unveiled at SEMA, and yet we photographed it almost a month prior to that.
One of the reasons the car was finished so early was in order to compete in VW's SEMA Challenge - a track day and beauty show in which this R GTI will go head to head with a handful of tuner cars selected by VWoA to represent the brand at the SEMA show. Along with several of our sister publications, we've been invited to judge the cars based on performance and quality of modifications. You can read all about the Challenge next month and see how the R GTI stacked up against the tuners.

continue reading article - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Curb Zone