In case you are a Volkswagen enthusiast, it’s highly likely that you’ve come across Worthersee. Officially known as GTI-Treffen, it swiftly evolved into one of the most significant VW-focused exhibitions after its establishment in 1982. The Maria Worth local community in Austria, which used to be the official host of the event, recently chose to end it due to concerns about climate impact and overcrowding. This move left nearly 200,000 attendees without a gathering place for the first time in four decades.
Fortunately, Volkswagen has stepped in to continue the tradition where Maria Worth left off. The automaker has officially declared that it will organize the exhibition near the Autostadt museum, situated close to the company’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany.
via Volkswagen
Volkswagen has a history of involvement with Worthersee. The manufacturer has been supporting the exhibition since 2006, using it as a platform to unveil new production models and prototypes in the previous years. It was during Worthersee that VW’s CEO Martin Winterkorn, during the Dieselgate era, encouraged engineers to install Ferdinand Piëch’s W12 engine into a MK5 GTI.
Now, the manufacturer is officially organizing the exhibition under the new name GTI Coming Home, which gives the impression of a more familial gathering rather than a car meet-up, but who are we to pass judgment?
“Our loyal GTI fans hold significant value for Volkswagen, and thus, engaging with them is crucial to us,” stated Imelda Labbe, a member of VW’s board, in a press release. “Hence, following the unfortunate cancellation of the GTI Meeting at Lake Worthersee, we promptly decided to provide the GTI enthusiast community in Wolfsburg with a new venue for the exhibition.”
“Consequently, we are confident that we will introduce several exciting highlights and surprises in the upcoming year,” Labbe added.
Despite its prior sponsorship involvement, VW faces a significant challenge in promoting and managing an exhibition as immense as Worthersee. However, the automaker seems unfazed by this, considering that Wolfsburg is more suitable to accommodate tens of thousands of visitors. Moreover, VW claims to have “other intriguing events and surprises” planned to entice attendees.
The inaugural GTI Coming Home exhibition will take place in 2024. Those eager to experience what could have been at Worthersee this year can still participate in a scheduled interim event in Klagenfurt, located a few kilometers outside Maria Worth.
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