Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car

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VW and the new Volks sports car

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-Source Volkswagen Source Volkswagen Source

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The Golf GTI still has the evil eye, underlined by a red decorative stripe on the radiator grille as always. In the current model, this stripe even extends into the …Headlights.

Source: VW

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-Audi brings first sports model

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The rear window is framed in black, GTI-style, and the roof spoiler is larger than on the standard Golf.

Source: VW

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-golf

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The car is 15 millimeters lower and is therefore richer on the road. The GTI comes with 17-inch wheels as standard, but 18- and 19-inch wheels are also available for a surcharge.

Source: VW

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-golf

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There is more than a class difference when you put the Golf I GTI from 1976 and the Golf VII GTI from 2013 next to each other. Here 3.71 meet 4.26 meters, …

Source: Volkswagen

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-Source Volkswagen Source Volkswagen Source

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… 810 to 1351 kilograms and 110 to 220 or 230 hp. In addition, windows were built in the past, and now loopholes are made.

Source: Volkswagen

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-golf

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In 2013, VW does not want to do without the golf ball as a gear knob and the checked pattern on the fabric seats in the Golf GTI. The current design is called Clark, and if you don’t m…ag, has to order leather seats for 1690 euros.

Source: VW

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-golf

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The navigation system can also put data from Google Earth under the desired route, and with…

Source: Volkswagen

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-volks

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… Google Street View allows you to get an idea of ​​the target area beforehand.

Source: Volkswagen

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-Source Volkswagen Source Volkswagen Source

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The only colors that don’t cost anything extra are plain black, tornado red and pure white. Metallic and pearl effect cost 525 euros each, the special color oryx white Per is the most expensive…lmutteffekt for 970 euros.

Source: Volkswagen

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-sports

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On the racetrack, the GTI Performance with front axle differential lock shows its qualities especially in corners.

Source: Volkswagen

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-golf

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The two-liter engine with 230 PS and 350 Newton meters of torque brings the Golf GTI Performance from 0 to 100 km / h in 6.4 seconds (Golf GTI, 220 PS: 6.5 seconds).

Source: Volkswagen

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-Audi brings first sports model

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The GTI lettering is on the right in the honeycomb radiator grille today, on the Golf I it was still visible on the left.

Source: Volkswagen

Golf GTI: VW and the new Volks sports car-sports

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For connoisseurs, a glance at the brake calipers is enough to distinguish the two current GTI variants: the components are always red, but the G is only available in the GTI Performance…TI lettering on it.

Source: Volkswagen

At first the Golf GTI was a surprise success, then it became a cult, and now it is at the top of its category. Because VW works with similar means as Germany’s best football club.

M.it VW is like with Bayern Munich: Both succeed in a lot, and both are far from satisfied with what they have achieved. So it was not enough for the makers in Wolfsburg to launch a new Golf GTI, with 220 instead of the previous 210 hp and of course with all the advantages that the Golf VII already has over the sixth generation: more space, more comfort, less weight (minus 42 Kilograms) and cheaper standard consumption. No, it had to be the performance package.

When Ulrich Hackenberg, VW’s Chief Development Officer, talks about this special optional equipment, which costs 1125 euros extra, one moment his eyes shine and the other moment a worry line forms on his forehead. “Our marketing found the 220 hp already difficult,” says Hackenberg, “because performance has to be priced too. And a higher price means a lower number of items. "

And when the GTI Performance even had 230 hp, the sales strategists could only convey that by adding something to the extra power. Bigger brakes, for example. And a so far unique differential lock. It makes Hackenberg’s eyes shine.

More grip with the performance package

This 20 kilogram piece of technology deep down on the front axle tries something like squaring the circle, and it gets pretty far with it. Anyone who chases a GTI with a performance package around the corner will find that it behaves very differently from what cars with front-wheel drive usually do.

They tend to slide straight towards the outer edge of the bend when the tires at some point can no longer withstand the driver’s desire for a tight radius and at the same time high speed.

With the GTI Performance, the new differential can distribute the engine power at lightning speed in such a way that it is mainly or completely directed to the front wheel that runs on the outside. In right turns, the left front wheel receives more power and vice versa.

Because the centrifugal force always puts more weight on the side of the car on the outside of the curve, which is why the contact pressure of the tire on the road increases, and the GTI can use this advantage in terms of grip with the performance package.

Test drive on the Formula 1 test track

The "world" was able to drive this GTI on the Paul Ricard Formula 1 test track in France. If you got the hang of it after a few test laps, the difference was easy to notice: A small jolt from the front of the car reported the use of the differential, and the Golf swerved around the curve at high speed without deviating from the course.

Board member Hackenberg even let himself be carried away to the phrase "as if on rails", although everyone knows that this is impossible. Otherwise you could whiz around corners at any speed.

But that doesn’t even work with the best of all GTIs. If you go too far, the ESP kicks in as usual and regulates the speed down by automatic braking on individual wheels or by automatically releasing the accelerator. But you want to avoid that on the racetrack, so the secret of effective cornering lies in not stabbing too impetuously into the corner.

"At first I was too fast," says Ulrich Hackenberg, "then I had an instructor show me again." to step on the accelerator earlier before exiting the curve.

70 Newton meters more torque

This is how the torque plus (350 instead of 280 Newton meters) can be used most convincingly. On the Nordschleife of the Nurburgring, it is said at VW, the new lock makes a difference of eight seconds.

And on the autobahn, the ten extra horsepower are responsible for the GTI’s inclusion in Club 250. The standard GTI has a top speed of 246 km / h, the GTI Performance comes to exactly 250 (but only if you didn’t buy the six-speed dual clutch transmission for 1900 euros, so the propulsion ends at 248 km / h).

You can argue about whether such details are the most important considerations in a street legal car, but you might as well want to forbid FC Bayern from equipping themselves with better and better players.

In addition, the differential lock does not represent the end of GTI development; it only marks a turning point for the future. Ulrich Hackenberg doesn’t say anything concrete yet, but his hints and the subtle smile suggest that the Golf GTI won’t stay at 230 hp forever.

Mercedes sets the bar very high

But he shouldn’t switch to all-wheel drive, that wouldn’t be GTI-compliant, the Golf R runs on all fours. It starts later in the year initially with 280 hp, but could soon also exceed the 300 hp mark – after all, Mercedes adds all-wheel-drive A 45 AMG with 360 hp set the bar quite high.

These things can be discussed forever while working with the Golf GTI – because its sportiness is so credible. On the other hand, it offers the same practical benefits as every Golf, high processing quality, start-stop system, a standard fuel consumption of 6.0 l / 100 km and good driving comfort despite a sports chassis with a 15 millimeter lower body.

Head of Development Hackenberg describes the GTI as an "approachable sports car". It gets its covetousness from the fact that one can easily imagine the race track and the city motorway with it.

You can easily get 40,000 euros

And from the at least ostensibly achievable price. The standard equipment in the basic GTI for 28,350 euros (which is 850 euros more expensive than its predecessor) includes xenon headlights, sports seats (of course with a check pattern), 17-inch light-alloy wheels, automatic air conditioning, on-board computer, CD radio.

But you already pay 900 euros for the rear doors, and with cornering lights, automatic parking, reversing camera, navigation system, traffic sign recognition and many other available extras, you quickly hit the 40,000 euros mark. The Bayern-Munich principle applies: More is always possible.

Do you already know BigBlog?? This is the new car blog from "world"-Reporter Stefan Anker. He also regularly tweets spontaneous car news and observations from everyday driving and testing and is happy to have you here click and follow him. Or check out his Facebook page past.

The trip to the presentation of the Golf GTI was supported by VW. You can find our standards of transparency and journalistic independence at www.axelspringer.de/unabhaengigkeit

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