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By EWAN
KENNEDY
2 November 2009
The
Volkswagen Golf GTI is one of the most iconic hot hatches on the
European market. Since the first generation was introduced almost
25 years ago it has been the one the others have tried to imitate.
Sometimes successfully, at other times with pale reflections of
the VW original.
Though the performance car buyer is Australia still tends to lean
in the direction of big V8s, that situation is showing signs of
changing. There's an increasing leaning in the European and
Japanese direction of having relatively small and nimble hatches
with strong engines. Not engines that can run sub-six second zero
to 100s as do the Aussie V8s, but acceleration that's still most
satisfying. All the more so when the acceleration is combined with
slicing out of tight corners on mountain roads during a quiet
period of the day.
We have just spent a great day in the Snowy Mountains region in
Victoria enjoying the new sixth-generation 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Before talking about that delicious day of driving, let's look at
the new GTI in detail. Because the new looks may turn out to be
controversial. While there plenty of oomph in the shape of the new
front end, which focuses on a big lower grille with a mesh finish,
vertical foglights, and red horizontal details in the upper
grille, it seems to have lost some of the standout aggression of
the old GTI.
That huge single-frame grille on the gen-five appealed to a lot of
buyers and certainly made the hot variant of the Golf stand out
visually from the others in the range.
As well as the aforementioned frontal features, the latest Golf
GTI also sports extended side sills, a roof-mounted spoiler, a
diffuser finished in matte black, and twin exhaust tips finished
in chrome and squeezed all the way out to the edges of the rear to
give a neat wide effect.
Lowered suspension and 17-inch alloy wheels (18s are optional)
complete the appearance package.
Inside, the Golf GTI 6 has sports seats done in an interesting
tartan pattern and with GTI badges in the headrests. There's a
sports steering wheel and the styling of the instruments also
carries a sporting note.
This time around the Golf GTI is being sold in three- and
five-door format, making it useful for the single guy or gal, as
well as the couple with children who don’t want to lose out on
fun motoring just to make life easier for the junior travellers.
The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine has been lifted from 200
horsepower to 210 bhp (147 to 155 kW in non-performance car
terms). Peak torque is generated over a huge spread of the rev
band, running at 280 Newton metres all the way from 1700 to 5200
rpm.
All that torque was much appreciated during our drive up, down and
around the Snowy ski fields, with the engine generating plenty of
punch for safe overtaking and sheer driving pleasure. There's only
minimal turbo lag and the engine is happy to rev to big numbers,
while also coping very well in the mid range.
Torque delivery through the front wheels is greatly assisted by a
new type of electronic differential that really gives the Golf an
amazingly neutral feel for a front-driver.
On one section of the drive program arranged by Volkswagen I had
the pleasure of sitting beside Hans-Joachim Stuck. A topline
racing driver for many years, seven of them in Formula One, and
twice a winner at the Le Mans 24-hour, Stuck was taught to drive
on the famed Nurburgring by his father, also a topline racing
driver.
I got the feeling that the Aussie Snowys were rather tame when
compared to the Ring, but watching the smoothness and precision of
his driving as he left the hotshot amongst the local motoring
journos lagging a long behind was a real pleasure.
The complete Volkswagen Golf GTi range, with prices (excluding
government and dealer charges) is:
Golf GTI 2.0-litre TSI three-door hatch: $38,990 (manual), $41,490
(DSG)
Golf GTI 2.0-litre TSI five-door hatch: $40,490 (manual), $42,990
(DSG)
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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