While the Virtus Cabrio is not available for sale, third-party car customization shops can certainly work their magic to create something similar
When Brazilian President Lula da Silva was scheduled to visit the Volkswagen plant in São Bernardo do Campo (SP), the company decided to make it a memorable event. Something unique and exciting was needed, which led to the creation of the Virtus Cabrio. The one-off prototype looks absolutely stunning and seems practical as well.
Customizations needed to create Virtus Convertible
Removing the roof is one of the common approaches used by car modifiers. But the Virtus Cabrio project is a lot more complicated than an attempt to merely chop the top. The team carried out changes to the Virtus sedan, with the goal to enable a comfortable sitting as well as standing position for the guest.
The car had to be fully functional, as it was to be used for a complete tour of the plant. The team had just six weeks’ time to complete the project, which made the task even harder. A total of 30 professionals were involved in the Virtus Cabrio project.
As the B and C pillars were completely removed along with the roof of the sedan, additional reinforced structures were added to ensure rigidity. More space was added to the second row to ensure that guests can easily switch between sitting and standing positions.
This was achieved by increasing the length of the floor, which in turn necessitated the fuel tank to be resized. Stock seats at rear have been replaced with custom build units, as per the requirements of the project. A transverse bar can be seen in the middle, which is there to assist the guests when they are standing.
Virtus Cabrio – Colour and finishing parts
In honour of the Brazilian flag that has the blue disc, Volkswagen Virtus Convertible is painted in Biscay Blue. Other key highlights include 18-inch sporty alloy wheels in dual-tone finish and a black interior theme. Changes have also been introduced to the dashboard and door inserts.
As the roof and pillars were removed, a number of finishing parts had to be developed from scratch. Virtus Cabrio has also undergone modifications to the opening/closing mechanism for the doors, fuel tank and seats. Some of the sedan’s electronic vehicle management systems were also modified.
Virtus Convertible has the 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine
Engine options for Virtus are different in Brazil, as compared to India. Virtus Cabrio gets the 1.4-litre TSI engine that generates 150 PS of max power and 250 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. In India, Virtus has a 1.0-litre TSI petrol generating 115 PS and a 1.5-litre TSI EVO producing 150 PS. Transmission choices include 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic for the 1.0-litre engine and a 6-speed manual and 7-speed DSG for the 1.5-litre engine.
