Update - 5 days to go!

Online advance ticket ordering is now closed, with record sales this year of tickets at the reduced advance booking rates.

You can still buy your tickets on the gate, of course, and we hope to see many more of you coming along on the day. This year’s GTI International is an event not to be missed!

We are pleased to announce that Volkswagen (UK) is having a major presence at GTI International this year.

Volkswagen Racing will be running the handling course, with visitors able to sign on to enjoy an exciting passenger ride around the slalom circuit in either a Mk 5 Golf GTI or the new Polo GTI. There will also be Volkswagen Racing merchandise on sale, as well as a spectacular display of the latest models in the Volkswagen range, including the new Eos.

You'll also be able to go for a passenger ride around the Bruntingthorpe off-road course in one of Volkswagen’s Touaregs – an experience not to be missed!

There are still places available in the Show 'n' Shine. We suspect that many of you will see what the weather will do and turn up on the day, but if you are interested, please do come along and enter. The Show 'n' Shine is one of the main focal points of the event and we know of a few cars which will be making their show debut at Inters this year...

Make sure you check out the 'Undesirables' retro line-up too. Also, Performance VW magazine is having a stand within the main display area this year. As well as he usual line-up of
feature cars and staff rides, there will also be a special display of cover cars.

Finally, come along to the GTI International shop over the weekend, to buy the brand-new issue of Volkswagen Driver – a special GTI issue. You can also buy bargain books, manuals and magazines and this year's limited edition GTI International T-shirt. Available in a range of sizes, be sure to get yours quick as they sold out on the first day last year!

The latest...

With the club display area filling up, and the trade area close behind, things are moving very fast. It will not be long before the show is upon us once again! Here are some snippets to keep you up to date.

SHOW 'N' SHINE
The classes for the Show 'n' shine have finally been announced (here) and this year we will be having only two concours classes, for standard and modified vehicles. This is mainly due to its decline over previous years.

We still hope to attract the best of the best though! Previous class, and show-winners are being invited to enter, and although the cars are not being divided into separate classes, the judging criterior will reflect this. So for those who have previously won, or those who feel their car is worthy of some close inspection and able to 'compete with the elite', the concours classes are for you.

We can also announce a new class especially for the Caddy this year. Normally part of the Mk 1 Golf or 'other' class, the Caddy has increased in popularity over the last few years. So if you own a Caddy (early or late), then you will be more than welcome to roll up and show off with the other owners!

We are also planning a display of vehicles sporting hydraulic and air-ride suspension. There are mixed feelings about this method of slamming your ride, but whether you love it or hate it, there is no denying the fun in seeing a car drop and lift 'to order'. If you have such a vehicle, we would be very pleased to hear from you. Email here for more info.

TYRE-TESTING
We will once again be staging a special Tyre Test track, where Fulda will be enabling visitors to try out its high-performance Exelero tyres on their own cars. With a pit crew provided to change wheels and tyres between runs, you’ll be able to record your times against the clock and see for yourself just how good the new tyres are. One of our expert drivers will also be on hand to give passenger rides around the circuit in a new GTI.

THE SPRINT
This year, visitors will be able to spectate along the whole length of the track, so you’ll be able to see the cars as they cross the finish line at well over 100 mph – a sight not to be missed. There are also some pretty spectacular cars rumoured to be coming this year, including the awesome Dubweiser quattro-engined Mk 1 Golf, a 550 bhp twin-turbo Beetle RSi, several turbo-charged R32s, a 650 bhp hillclimb quattro and a nitrous-injected TT, to name but a few of the fastest.

THE TOUAREG EXPERIENCE
If off-roading is your thing, this year’s event will host the Touareg Experience. Professional drivers will be giving passenger rides around Bruntingthorpe’s purpose-built off-road course in Volkswagen's mighty Touareg SUV, guaranteed to be a thrilling experience! A special shuttle will take visitors to and from the course throughout the day. For more information, visit the Information Centre on the day.


DYNO-TEST
There will also be the opportunity to measure your car’s power on a mobile rolling-road dynamometer. With expert analysis on hand, you’ll be able to check just how much ‘bhp’ you really have, before blasting off down the track!

Inters sound-off confirmed...

We are pleased to announce that db drag will be staging a sound-off competition at GTI International 2006. The main event will take place on Saturday (17th). The competition will be in the popular new 'Bass race' format, which is open to both experienced SPL competitors and beginners alike. The db drag crew will also be attending on Sunday (18th) for an informal 'Tweak and Tune' workshop, where you can have your system metered and get some valuable advice.

This will be an official date on the db drag calendar so there may be some competitors from outside the VW scene to attend. We also know there are plenty of audio enthusiasts within the VW scene too, so be sure to attend and show 'em what for!

If you are interested in competing, please email us here for an entry form and further details.

Sound is back at GTI International!

The Clarion Sound Court

Clarion is sponsoring one of the main trade courts at GTI International this year. With their huge sound truck and amazing demo vehicles, there will be plenty to see and, if you want expert advice, Clarion experts will carry out an appraisal of your own audio system. Other specialists in the Clarion Sound Court will be offering audio bargains.

We are still in discussion with db drag with regards to a sound-off competition. Watch this space!

Special advance ticket offer and free draw!

Whether you are a club, or just a group of friends, you can take advantage of our special ticket offer. Simply book 10 advance tickets and get one free! These can be single day or weekend tickets.

Book online to take advantage of our special advance ticket prices. Click here to book using our secure server.

All advance bookings will automatically be entered into a monthly draw to win a free pair of weekend tickets!

Accommodation at Inters 2006

As airfields tend to be in the middle of nowhere, people attending for the weekend will normally require somewhere to stay. With this in mind, there are two options. You can camp, or lord-it-up in a local Hotel, B&B or guest house.

If you decide to camp (which we feel would be ideal for clubs this year), there is a GTI International camp site. It is not run or organised by ourselves, but by a company called Lutterworth Event Services, a team of fellow GTI enthusiasts. The charges are great value, especially if you stay for 2 (or more) nights. For more information and bookings, check out their website here.

Alternatively, if you value your creature comforts, we have compiled a list of local accommodation, including hotels, motels, B&B and self-catering establishments in the area, giving contact addresses and details of their distance from the event.

These are all establishments which (currently) have vacancies over the weekend of GTI International, so you can save yourself a lot of time and effort by using our list rather than trawling through travel brochures and other websites for addresses which might be many miles away.

Don't delay, though – previous experience is that all accommodation in the area soon becomes fully booked.

You can find the list here.

Advance ticket bookings

We are now able to take advance bookings for GTI International 2006. The website is still in progress and will be up and running very soon. Until then, all those wishing to book up early and make a saving can do so by clicking on the link below.

Click here to book in advance

You will be taken to a secure server, where you can book in confidence.

• Trade spaces are being booked up fairly quickly and Premium spots are going fast. These take the form of a large indoor exhibition hall and premium track-side units – allowing display space and easy access to the Sprint. For more information on these, and the outdoor trade areas, please call Christa on 01525 750504 or alternatively, email us at gti@autometrix.co.uk for a trade pack.

• Several of the traders who have already booked are looking into the prospect of arranging special driving activities as part of their presence at GTI International 2006. Nothing has been organised just yet, but we will let you know if anything is made firm.

• We are throwing the doors open to clubs this year. In the past, the emphasis has been on offering clubs a premium space amongst the trade to promote themselves – partly as a reaction to comments regarding previous years, where the club display area has taken the form of a giant car park. This year, however, we have a massive area of grass next to the main trade area and opposite the main display areas. Clubs are welcome to book a space – free of charge :) – and fill it however they wish. In fact, this year, club displays will be judged! We are running several inter-club activities, the results of which will all be taken into account when judging the 'best club display' award. To find out more, contact the Club Display Manager, Shane by calling him on: 07944 490 431 or emailing: shanechung@autometrix.co.uk

A full itinerary of inter-club events will appear on the GTI International website very soon.

• New for this year is the Cover Cars display. With the co-operation of Performance VW and Golf+ magazines, we are organising a special line-up of ex-cover cars and previous show winners. In conversation with Performance VW's editor, Elliott Roberts, it seems that many cars which get built, shown, and featured seem to disappear and are rarely seen again. We aim to rectify that this year, with a display of cars many will recognise and hopefully a few surprises thrown in!

Keep checking back for more news!

GTI International – June 17/18 2006

Welcome to the GTI International 2006 blog. Here you can catch up with all the latest news, important announcements and also leave your comments.

As you will no doubt be aware by now, the event is moving to a new home, one which we hope will be more ideally located. Right in the centre of the country, Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground will be well known to many as the high-speed test facility and playground for magazines and TV shows. You can read a little about the site's history here.

Planning is in full swing for this year's event. We have revised the layout to try and bring the show back into a more central area. There will be trade plots running alongside part of the sprint, this will also enable spectators to see more of the sprint action. We are also re-introducing an indoor trade area. As well as this we are planning the following attractions:

• We are offering clubs free space for displaying cars. There is plenty of space available, but if you want a good spot, book early! A prize for the best display is up for grabs, so make an effort to impress
• There will be inter-club competitions, as well as a Miss GTI International contest (for political reasons, there will also be a Mister GTI International!).
• We are actively encouraging more European attendance, inviting many clubs from abroad. We hope to attract a wider variety of foreign show cars this year too. As well as this, we will be inviting special show and demonstration vehicles from abroad.
  
• A sound-off is being considered. We are currently looking for a reputable firm to help run this aspect of the show. (If you can help – please email us here).
  
• A special display of former cover cars is being organised in conjunction with Performance VW and Golf+ magazines. We will also be trying to get together a display of previous show-winners.
• The Undesirables return for 2006 and we are hoping for a much larger attendance this year.

There is a special camp site set up for 2006. The site is large and there will be running water and showers available, as well as evening entertainment. It is run independently by Lutterworth Event Services and more information and online booking can be found here.

This is just a taster of things to come. Keep checking back to find out what else is happening and to see how things are progressing.