VW Jetta GLI Blue Lagoon Concept Is A Swimming Ode To The Past

Not all concept cars feature space-age styling and fictional power sources. Sometimes, they are merely cooler versions of a car you can buy right now. That's what Volkswagen offers with its handsome Jetta GLI Blue Lagoon concept, and though you can't buy this tweaked car from a dealership, you could build it yourself if you really wanted to.

VW fans will likely recognize the Blue Lagoon tie-in. 2004 saw the sporty Mk4 Jetta GLI enter the US market, and it arrived wearing an eye-popping exterior shade of blue called Blue Lagoon. This 2021 concept honors that classic GLI, though curiously, it's not painted the same color. Instead of simply heading to a paint booth with the old hue in-hand, the team behind the concept turned to aftermarket body wraps until a near-match for Blue Lagoon was found. As such, the 2021 Jetta GLI seen here is actually a black car wrapped in ORAFOL Midnight Blue Metallic.

Obviously, there's more to the concept than just the color. VW's team turned to Air Design for aftermarket side skirts and the subtle rear spoiler, with Fifteen52 handling the Critical Aero Design front spoiler. The GLI sits a bit lower courtesy of H&R coil-overs, and 20-inch BBS wheels fill the arches. Inside, the Blue Lagoon GLI gets a golf ball shift knob and leather Recaro front seats.

The rest of the car is standard-issue Jetta GLI, which isn't a bad thing. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, sending 228 horsepower (170 kilowatts) to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. It's a lively machine in a declining sports sedan segment, so it's nice to see VW giving the car some extra love, if only in concept form.

"The Jetta GLI has been an enthusiast favorite throughout its 37-year history," said Sean Maynard, VW enthusiast and motorsport marketing specialist. "Paying tribute to the Mk4 with this build concept celebrates the passion that goes into these vehicles."

This one-off Jetta will tour with the Volkswagen Enthusiast Fleet at events throughout the US.