THE GLORY DAYS
In a show calendar which, until this year, was literally awash with various VW events, there’s one that stands head and shoulders above all others for its substantial effect on the performance VW and Audi scene here in the UK. It’s GTI International, of course, the event more commonly known as ‘Inters’, that became a lynchpin of the VW scene throughout its 30-year history, up until its sad demise in 2018.
1988 - KNEBWORTH
Founded in 1988 it grew out of the VW Action event which had been the grand finale to the show season for a great many years, dating back to 1976. Based at Stoneleigh Park for much of its history, VW Action was the mainstay of the VW scene but, established mostly with the air-cooled VWs, it was slow to accept the growing interest in the ‘hot hatch’ VWs. Indeed, there are even stories of visitors with Golfs being jeered as they arrived at the gate.
The organiser of VW Action was Paul Harris, the publisher and editor of Volkswagen Audi Car magazine, which covered the modern VW range. Inspired by the success of the Woerthersee GTI Treffen in Austria, he
