With the sixth-generation of the Volkswagen Golf GTI being launched in Germany in just a few days, Volkswagen have released more pictures and finally announced the detailed specs of the eagerly awaited hot hatch.
Check out footage of the Golf GTI around the hills of St.Tropez
Powered by a new 2.0-litre TSI engine, the Golf GTI VI produces 210bhp between 5,300 and 6,200 rpm and 280Nm of torque between 1,700 and 5,200 rpm. Despite having the same displacement as the MkV GTI this is actually a development of the engine that appeared in the 230bhp Anniversary Edition. With various modifications, including new pistons and rings and a high-pressure fuel pump, the engine in the Golf GTI VI produces an exra 13bhp over the old model yet returns better fuel economy.
As before, the new GTI will come with a six-speed manual gearbox fitted as standard but the 6-speed dual clutch transmission (DSG) will be an optional extra. Volkswagen expects around 30 percent of all GTI buyers will choose for the DSG option, although I wouldn’t be one of them … for £1305 you get no improvement in the quoted 0-62 time (6.9 seconds) and 1mph less on the top speed (149mph for the manual gearbox, 148mph for the DSG). So while it’s technically great, the DSG box doesn’t even give you bragging rights down the pub anymore.
The quoted fuel consumption of the manual gearbox on the EU cycle is 32.2mpg and it just falls into new tax band H (£175 with 170 g/CO2) while the DSG returns 31.8mpg and 173 g/CO2 (meaning band I and £205 in road tax). So DSG is a costly option to start with and also makes the car more expensive to run … interesting.
The Golf GTI VI will be arriving in the rest of Europe in April, and after the success of the MkV GTI you can expect to see quite a few of them on the roads. Expect the reviews to start pouring in soon.
