All new Volkswagen Golf GTI to be launched on 6th July

The first Golf GTI, launched 37 years ago, defined a fundamental standard for dynamic performance that was more precise than any other compact car. The affordable Volkswagen also made automotive sportiness more attainable than ever for people. Everything was simply right about it - the safe and taut chassis, the agile and fuel efficient injection engine and the car's styling that was as unmistakable as it was timeless.

To date, some 1.9 million of the Golf GTI have been produced at the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg and sold worldwide. Back in 1976, when the GTI was invented, no one could have predicted such success. It became a phenomenon.

Now, together with its Mk6 Golf GTI Cabriolet sibling which has been launched here, the seventh generation of the sporty icon will make its official local debut on the 6^th of July.

The all new Golf GTI is distinguished from other cars in the model series by numerous additional features and classic GTI insignia. On the exterior, they include the red painted brake calipers, smoked rear lights as well as chrome tailpipes on the left and right. Also standard on board the most powerful, fastest and most fuel efficient Golf GTI ever are the newly designed 18-inch 'Austin' alloy wheels with size 225/40 tyres.

Inside the car, the typical GTI insignia are indispensable as well. The front sport seats offer exceptionally good ergonomic properties. The GTI instrument cluster also makes a strong statement with a colour display and unique instrument graphics. The GTI-specific look in the interior is rounded out by such features as an leather sport steering wheel (with multifunction keys), red ambience lighting (in front, in the trim strips of the doors and the stainless steel door sill guards) and pedals made of brushed stainless steel.

Now, the seventh generation Golf GTI sends 220bhp to the front wheels - which is exactly double the power of the first Golf GTI. The 2.0-litre turbocharged direct injection engine of the GTI is from the third generation of the EA888 engine series and has a completely newly developed cylinder head. It is marked by innovative technical modifications such as exhaust gas cooling integrated in the cylinder head and a dual injection system with both direct injection and multi point injection. In addition, the 1,984cc TSI features variable valve timing with dual camshaft adjustment. The valve lift on the exhaust side is adjustable over two stages.

The GTI, equipped with a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) as standard, attains a low fuel consumption value of 15.1km/L (CO₂: 153g/km). The combined fuel consumption is thus reduced by 0.8 litres or 11 percent compared to the previous model (210bhp).

The low fuel consumption and emission values of the Golf GTI contrast with the car's simply dominating driving performance data. It accelerates to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 244km/h. Based on its performance and handling properties, the new Golf GTI is impressively penetrating into the market segment of high class and considerably more expensive sports cars more than ever before.

The all new Volkswagen Golf GTI will be available at $199,800 including COE (at launch).