New Models
New Models

Volkswagen Italdesign Giugiaro Tex Concept at Geneva

The first images of the Volkswagen Italdesign Giugiaro Tex Concept on the floor of the Geneva Motor Show have emerged ahead of the show’s opening this evening.


The Tex will be unveiled alongside the Go! MPV concept on the Volkswagen stand. The two concepts represent the first collaboration between Volkswagen and Italdesign Giugiaro since the German auto giant purchased the famous Italian design house in May 2010.

The vehicles have been developed on the upcoming MQB modular transverse architecture to demonstrate the platform’s versatility. The first Volkswagen Group vehicles based on the MQB platform will be launched next year.

The Tex was named after Italian comic book hero, Tex Willer. Volkswagen and Italdesign wanted the Tex to embody the hero’s characteristics: a legendary ranger, an important figure in popular culture, and one with a strong heart and a gentle soul.

Italdesign’s Giorgetto Giugiaro describes the Tex as his interpretation of “tomorrow’s sporty Volkswagen”. You don’t have to look too hard at the shape of the sharp little hatchback to imagine it as the next generation Polo GTI either.

The Tex is powered by Volkswagen’s plug-in Twin-Drive hybrid system, which drives the front wheels and allows it to run in fully electric mode for up to 35km.

A 1.4-litre turbocharged engine is also put to work at the front, and leads to a combined peak torque figure of 400Nm. Teamed with a seven-speed DSG transmission with paddle-shifters, the Tex accelerates from 0-100km/h in around 6.0 seconds and continues on to a top speed of 220km/h.

Deputy Chairman and style manager of Italdesign Giugiaro, Fabrizio Giugiaro, said the Tex was designed with Volkswagen sports cars of the not-too-distant-future in mind.

“We intentionally kept a family feeling that would immediately identify it as a Wolfsburg product close to production,” Mr Giugiaro said.

“No visionary or futuristic choice was made, but it is rather a natural evolution of today's canons with the addition of a few technologies that will shortly become available on the market.”

The Tex has a classic two-door coupe shape, with an aggressive angular front reminiscent of the Honda Civic Type R, and features 19-inch alloy wheels and two rear spoilers.

The windscreen and roof are a single piece of glass that is electronically darkened at the top to protect passengers from the sun.

The taillights are embedded in the rear windscreen and are invisible when not illuminated.

Italdesign says the interior has been designed for maximum space and ergonomics. The instruments wrap around the driver, targeting the driving experience while leaving the passengers to enjoy the open cabin.

The leather interior, large gear knob, flat-bottomed steering wheel and traditional analogue speed and rev counters are all designed to emphasise the simplicity of the modern day sports coupe.

Despite this, all the controls and indicators are housed in LCD screens, and the central infotainment console is a touchscreen unit, aimed to fully utilise the technology available today.

The Volkswagen Italdesign Giugiaro Tex and Go! concepts will be officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this evening. Stay tuned for all of the Geneva updates later on tonight.

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