Volkswagen Golf GTI: Fast, Sportier Mk VI

Motoring Channel Staff - 2/February/2009

Wolfsburg, Germany – Volkswagen's new Golf, the Mk VI, was officially launched at the Paris Motor Show in October 2008 but the hot hatch that has had everyone on tenterhooks has finally emerged.

This is the new sixth generation Volkswagen Golf GTI and it's a faster, more powerful proposition.

The new Volkswagen Golf GTI will be unveiled at 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March, where it will no doubt be one of the stars of the auto salon.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI has one of the longest histories of any performance hatch in the world - the original Golf GTI was built in Germany in 1976  and ever since it has managed to build up one of the most fervent followings in the world.

Golf GTI fans are known to be some of the most one-eyed enthusiasts and the new model will be a cause for celebration.

The heart and soul of the Golf GTI, the 4-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo engine, has been given a few more herbs, up 7 kilowatts (10hp) to 154kW (207hp), which will give the vehicle a slightly better zero to 100km/h sprint time.

The current Golf GTI achieves this benchmark sprint in 6.9 seconds, so the new model may shed one tenth of the second, taking the penultimate sprint time to 6.8 seconds or possibly lower.

The current Mk V Golf GTI's stats are as follows:

Max Power: 147kW @ 5100 - 6000rpm
Max Torque: 280Nm @ 1800 - 5000rpm
0-100km/h: 6.9 seconds

Volkswagen will release the detailed specs of the new model at the Geneva motor show, but they are expected to look something like this:

Max Power: 154kW @ 4300 - 6000rpm
Max Torque: 320Nm @ 1600 - 4200rpm
0-100km/h: 6.7 seconds

A new 7-speed twin clutch DSG (direct shift gearbox) will be offered and this is expected to improve performance as well as economy.

Early reports are suggesting the new model has a top speed of 238km/h (148mph), but despite the power increase the engine will more efficient and deliver improved fuel economy on both the city and highway cycles.

Some other new features of the Mk VI Golf GTI will include an advanced chassis system - though it's likely to be an optional extra rather than a standard feature.

This adaptive chassis control is expected to bind three systems together to change the handling feel of the car on the run.

Electronically adjustable damping rates, an XDS limited slip diff and the electronic stability control systems will all be tied together to offer 'sport' and 'comfort' modes that allow drivers to use the car everyday yet still have fun on the weekend.

How this system will work, and the effectiveness of it, is still not clear but we'll bring you more details when we get them.

The overall design of the new model has been updated as well and is fairly close to the GTI concept car revealed last year at the Paris Motor Show.

Like all Golf GTI models the front end features red pinstripes on the grille and traditional GTI badging, but overall the front end looks quite different to its predecessor, particularly the headlight design.

The lower front air dam is also substantially different and creates a wider optic, giving the car a sporty appeal.

The GTI rides on larger 18-inch wheels that feature the highly-recognisable design of the previous model and the flared wheel arches give the car a more powerful grounding.

There are also some new-look black accents on the cars lower front apron and the side skirts, while at the rear of the car a blacked-out quasi diffuser adds a subtle motor sport look as do the new widely spaced twin exhaust outlets.

Stay tuned for the more details on the Mk VI 2010 model Volkswagen Golf GTI as we near the '09 Geneva Auto Salon.

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