Volkswagen is going in an interesting direction with the new Golf and has created a high-performance diesel car. Instead of GTI, this one will be called the GTD. It should get much of the appearance and suspension packages that comes on the GTI, but it will just have to fuel up at a different pump.
Powering the GTD will be a 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI engine making 170 hp. While this is the quickest diesel Golf, the 0 - 60 mph time of 8.2 seconds put it a least a second behind the 207 hp GTI. But fuel economy is the GTD’s savior. It’s 40 mpg will be a noticeable increase over the GTI’s 31 mpg.
We’ll get out first official glimpse at this performance oil burner at the Auto Mobil International (AMI) show in Leipzig, Germany (March 28 to April 5) and sales should begin in Europe later this summer. Because VW is choosing the very European AMI show to debut the GTD, it may be a clear indication that the North America will not get a version.
Since the first generation was launched and until now, Volkswagen sold more than 1.7 million GTI worldwide. Now this success history will go even further with the debut of the sixth generation GTI at the Paris Auto Show. Sales will begin in spring 2009.
With a top speed of 148 mph and 207 hp turbo engine, the new GTI offers even more fun to drive, but with a fuel consumption of only 7.5 liters per 100 kilometers.
The Golf GTI comes with an unique combination of agile and athletic engine. At 1800 rpm the engine develops a maximum torque of 280 Nm. After only 7,2 seconds the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) is completed.
The GTI features an electronic limited-slip differential called XDS and the Scirocco’s adaptive chassis. At the exterior the new GTi is inspired by the Golf GTI W12 concept, there’s a wide, one-piece lower-grille which is far more aggressive than the three-piece design on the fifth-generation GTI. It features foglights, a narrow upper-grille featuring red-banding and a rear diffuser which features twin exhausts.
We could bore you with all the new changes to the changes to the EuroNCAP crash test rules, but instead let’s just watch some car crashes. Just so we can claim this is educational, the Volkswagen Golf VI did receive a five star rating, the highest possible.
Unfortunately Volkswagen has absolutely no plans of bringing the W12 650 concept to market, however the Dutch tuners Exclusive Tuning Worldwide feel that everyone should have the right to drive a Golf that looks this wild. The W12 650 body kit is priced at 12,000 Euros (about $15,600), and even though the drivetrain is untouched the look of a W12 650 is sure to draw a crowd.
Instead of sticking with the large 3.2 liter V6 currently found in the R32, the GTi-R will receive a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine that produces 266 HP. This is believed to be the same engine that is slated to go in the upcoming Scirocco R20T and is currently in the GTi’s cousin the Audi S3. The GTi-R will also receive some form of Volkswagen’s all wheel drive system to help get the power to the ground. With a little more power the GTi-R would compete nicely against the Japanese all wheel drive turbo cars like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru Impreza WRX Sti. What is not clear at this point is the extent to which VW will lighten up the R version, dropping the V6 for a smaller equally powerful engine is a start, but will it be enough?
We might just have to wait until the Frankfurt Auto Show in September to find out, because that is when the GTi-R should make its official debut.
One thing is certain, lowering CO2 emission and improving fuel economy is one of the main concerns of today’s auto makers. According to Volkswagen’s research and development Chief Dr Ulrich Hackenburg, “we can make a connection between fun, performance and low consumption”.
According to Hackenburg, Volkswagen will most likely come out with BlueMotion versions of their sport compacts the Scirocco and the GTI. However if these versions come to market it will not be before 2011, and like the concept in Geneva, they would wear the BlueSport badge, creating the perfect blend of fuel economy and fun.
Besides the Scirocco BlueSport and GTI Bluesport, Volkswagen is also working on producing even more economical R models. The Scirocco R20T concept has already been shown and it is almost certain that VW will replace the 3.2 liter VR6 in the Golf R32 with something less thirsty.
Dr Hackenburg said that the two models may not get a V6 engine, but "what we [VW] are able to do is to make a Golf with the same performance but a smaller engine, which is anyway better for handling."
So whether Volkswagen decides to turn up the boost on some diesel motors or downsize and turbocharge what they already have, one thing is certain. Volkswagen is committed to building automobiles that are fun to drive and at the same time environmentally conscious.
Over three decades more than 1.7 million buyers have made the Volkswagen Golf GTI a best-seller. Now the sixth generation GTI returns with an improved design and performance. The pricing for the German market has just been announced and are taking orders; the new GTI can be yours for only 26,650 euro (or $33,700 at the current exchange rates). The new GTI is recommended for drivers that look for both dynamism and practicality.
With a 10 hp improvement, the new GTI now produces 210 HP and can hit a top speed of 148 MPH. The engine is mated to either a manual or a DSG gearbox, both with six forward gears. As an option, clients can choose the adaptive chassis control DCC.
The "wolf in sheep’s clothing", as Volkswagen calls it, comes with some unique pieces that set it apart from the regular Golf. Such as the grill, additional air intakes, painted bumpers, fog lamps and a larger rear spoiler.
ABT Sportsline has released information about their upgrade packages for the sixth generationVolkswagenGolf. The German tuners have given the people’s car a full body kit complimented by 18 or 19 inch wheels and integrated quad exhaust tips, transforming the car into an aggressive little hatchback.
Performance is starting to be about weight. BMW, Audi and Mercedes performance divisions have all announced that their next generation of high-performance cars will shed weight by dropping a few cylinders and instead use turbochargers to achieve go-fast status. Now one of Germany’s less premium brands is about to go down the same path, and this road leads to the U.S.
We’ve already seen the first images of the new Vokswagen GTI. Now the folks over at Car and Driver are saying that an even hotter version will make it to these shores. The U.S. already had its shot at the R32, but it was a tough sell. The R32 had a 3.2-liter V6 that yielded 50 more horsepower and had all-wheel, but the added weight and hefty price did not attract enough buyers. So the next generation will take a simpler formula.
VW is rumored to be taking the 2.0-liter turbo four that’s already going into the GTI and increase the boost to yield 270 hp (20 more than the R32.) The technology for this one (tentatively called the R20) should be plenty cheep, too. The car will likely using mechanics already at work in the Audi S3, which means all-wheel drive is still on the table. Just like the R32, the largest visual distinctions between the GTI and the R20 will likely be a special body kit.
So less weight, better performance, and possibly lower price (or at least better value for money), the R-series Golf/Rabbit may finally find many good homes in North America when it arrives by the end of 2009.
VW’s UK site has the new GTI already up on its site. According to the webpage, the GTI will make the 0 to 62 mph (100 kmh) sprint in 7.2 seconds and will hit a top speed of 148 mph. According to VW the GTI VI will be "available for ordering soon".
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