Volkswagen released today the first official shots of the hotly anticipated Golf GTI TCR Concept. Set for debut at this year’s Worthersee event, the near-production concept previews an upcoming road-going version of the Golf TCR race car. 

So this is the car for those who are not satisfied with the performance of the standard GTI, but find the R versions a bit much. The Golf GTI TCR Concept hits a real sweet spot in terms of design and power output, featuring a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine with 290 PS/286 horsepower and peak torque of 273 pound-feet. THe power stillgoes to the front wheels via a standard 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential.

In terms of speed, VW says Golf GTI TCR Concept can hit 164 mph flat out, even though they have limited it to 155. Fans will be happy to know that this potentially expensive Golf is also sufficiently cooler to look at than the regular GTI, thanks mainly to 18-inch “Belvedere” forged aluminum rims wiht 19 inchers available, perforated brake discs, revised front bumper with a splitter, new side skirt extension, unique rear diffuser and tailpipes, and TCR lettering as well as GTI-style honeycomb trim.

Inside the cabin the main highlights include sports seats with microfiber and fabric upholstery, contrast stitching on the steering wheel and shifter, and TCR logo projector inside the doors. There is also an optional performance package for this car which includes a sports chassis setting and DCC adaptive damping as well as 19 inch wheels as standard.