Volkswagen unveiled a unique model for a visit by the president of Brazil, Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, at one of their factories. In order to accommodate the president’s visit, the carmaker went through the trouble of transforming a sedan into a convertible, even though it would likely only be used once.
On February 2, the head of state visited the factory in Sao Bernardo do Campo in Sao Paulo after the latest round of governmental investments. This was the first time da Silva had the opportunity to ride in the Virtus with the top down. The president was chauffeured around the facility in the specially modified blue convertible.
Around 30 workers from Volkswagen’s Sao Bernardo do Campo plant were involved in this unconventional project. They had a tight deadline of six weeks to complete the conversion.
Originally, the vehicle was a Volkswagen Virtus, a budget sedan that has recently undergone a facelift. This sedan is sold by the Germans in South America, India, and China.
To ensure the comfort of the presidential guest, the team extended the wheelbase of the sedan. They also addressed the issue of headroom. In order to accommodate these modifications, Volkswagen had to relocate the fuel tank and door latches, as well as make adjustments to the electronics.
Since this is a one-off model that is unlikely to be driven in daylight, the convertible Virtus does not have a roof at all. The exterior features a Biscay Blue color, while the interior is all-black. It rides on 18-inch wheels with a silver finish.
Volkswagen did not make any changes to the powertrain, so the convertible is powered by the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine, which delivers 148 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The power is transmitted through a six-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission to the front wheels.
After the president’s visit, Volkswagen will store this unique convertible alongside other special builds at the Volkswagen Garage collection in Brazil.
Interestingly, Toyota also introduced their own one-off convertible just the day before. The Toyota Crown, with its roof chopped off, was initially proposed as a parade car for the Sumo Association in Japan. However, the executives of the association ultimately chose the Century SUV instead.