Festival at VW-Headquarters - Wolfsburg instead of Woërthersee - 15,000 visitors at GTI meeting
The event for fans of the sporty VW Golf GTI attracted thousands to Wolfsburg over the weekend. The scene gathered not, as it had for many years, at the Austrian Wörthersee, but directly at the VW factory, to behold tuned Golf, Polo and Scirocco. At the conclusion, around 200 vehicles paraded through the VW works grounds on Sunday in an Autokorso.
Approximately 15,000 visitors came to the three-day premiere of the meeting in Lower Saxony, according to the organizers. Previously, VW had expected up to 35,000 visitors. "We are satisfied, as was expected the first time," said a spokeswoman.
At Wörthersee, where the GTI meetings have taken place annually since 1982, there were at times up to 200,000 visitors - also to party. The community of Wörth am See announced in 2023 that it would end the event after more than 40 years due to overload. The event pushed the limits of the community's capacity and no longer fits with the pursuit of sustainability. VW relocated the event to Wolfsburg and renamed it GTI-Fanfest.
Children's program among tuned Cars
Approximately 1500 visitors came in their own GTI and presented their partially tuned and individually customized cars. 700 parking spaces were reserved for this purpose alone on the parking lot right in front of the Volkswagen Arena. In addition to GTI enthusiasts with tuned Vehicles, VW wanted to appeal to families with children as well.
Due to criticism of a lack of sustainability, VW showed not only classic GTI gasoline engines but also the sporty GTX models of its electric cars and the ID. GTI Concept study, which was unveiled in Munich in 2023, hinted at a possible electric GTI that could go into series production as early as 2027.
Wolfsburg hopes for long-term benefit
VW had already invited to GTI meetings in Wolfsburg several times in the past years, but back then it was much smaller and mostly in addition to Wörthersee, not as a replacement. Now Wolfsburg hopes to permanently attract the event to Lower Saxony. "That's a huge opportunity for the city," said Mayor Dennis Weilmann (CDU).
The event was overshadowed by an incident on Saturday evening: A visitor and a security guard got into a fight, during which both allegedly injured each other according to the police.
- The VW Golf GTI, renowned for its sportiness, drew thousands to Wolfsburg for a leisurely weekend event.
- The GTI-Meeting, historically held at Wörthersee in Austria, shifted its location to Wolfsburg, the hometown of VW.
- On Sunday, around 200 Tuned VW Golf, Polo, and Scirocco vehicles showcased their prowess in an Autokorso within the VW factory grounds.
- Despite initially expecting up to 35,000 visitors, the three-day GTI-Fanfest in Lower Saxony welcomed approximately 15,000 enthusiasts.
- At the event, 1500 GTI owners presented their partially tuned and personalized automobiles, with dedicated parking spaces reserved for them.
- Seeking to appeal to families, VW showcased electric GTX models, hinting at a possible electric GTI that could enter series production in 2027.
- The city of Wolfsburg, with its mayor Dennis Weilmann, sees this as a valuable opportunity for long-term benefits for Lower Saxony's automobile industry.
- Regrettably, the event faced a slight disturbance on Saturday evening when a visitor and a security guard had an altercation, resulting in injuries for both parties.
