Volkswagen’s new Golf VI GTI is now available for order in Europe, with German deliveries to commence in the coming days. The rest of Europe has to wait until after Easter before GTI orders start being filled. For Australian readers, nothing concrete yet from Volkswagen Australia, other than a tease that the car might be here before the year is out.
The production car remains faithful the show car presented at last year’s Paris Motor Show. The sixth generation GTI is powered by a revised 2-litre TSI turbo charged four cylinder engine. Volkswagen claims this is the fastest, sharpest and greenest standard GTI model yet.
Engine power is rated at 155kW, a modest increase of 8kW from the Mk5 GTI. Torque is still rated at 280Nm, although engine tweaks including modified pistons and piston rings, an improved oil pump, new induction system and a high-pressure fuel pump, mean peak torque is now available from as low as 1700rpm. VW claim the new GTI, with 6 speed manual transmission, can accelerate from rest to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds, or 0.3 seconds faster than the previous model.
Also new in the Mk6 GTI is an electronic differential called XDS. In short this system adapts the car’s ESP system to reduce wheelspin. Electronic limited slip diffs are not always so successful, so it will be interesting to see what Volkwagen’s engineers have come up with.
The new GTI rides 22mm lower and the front and 15mm lower at the rear than its more conservative cousins in the the Golf range. The GTI’s model specific suspension set up employs a familiar multi-link from the previous generation. However, the addition of a new Adaptive Chassis Control system gives the driver more flexibility with the ability to choose from three settings; normal, comfort or sport mode. The system uses pneumatically controlled damper units and as well as altering suspension behaviour it can also controls sharpen steering and improve throttle response.
Apart from that, and the GTI-specific body kit, of course, the rest of the GTI’s features are similar to the entry level Golfs. That means seven airbags as standard and a five star Euro NCAP crash rating.
Autocar.co.uk have published an initial drive review of the GTI and here are a few of their comments:
“The first thing that hits you is just how flexible this latest Golf GTi engine is; it’s as happy on the autoroute behind Nice as it is screaming up the snaking roads leading into the surrounding mountains.
“At lower speeds the electro-mechanical steering can sometimes feel over-assisted; the apparent lightness is aimed at aiding manoeuvrability around town. Where it really shines is out on the open road, where it weights up progressively and proves impressively direct as you tip in to tightening corners.
“A good part of the precision within the steering can be traced to the adoption of an optional electronic differential for the first time, for Volkswagen has done an excellent job of quelling torque steer without resorting to a mechanical limited-slip diff.â€
The full report can be read HERE. Volkswagen UK press release, pricing and more images available after the jump.
Pioneering motoring journalist Peter Wherrett has died of cancer. He was 72.
