Geneva Motor Show LIVE: Volkswagen’s new Golf GTI

Volkswagen has unveiled the production version of the new Golf GTI at the Geneva motor show, alongside its diesel sibling, the Golf GTD.

The new Golf GTI’s body is based on that of the Golf VII, but features a range of classic and familiar GTI design cues – first and foremost, the typical decorative red. For the first time, these red stripes not only border the honeycomb-structured radiator grille but reach up into the housings of the standard xenon headlights.

Volkswagen combined the superior new appearance with a premium in performance, as the new Golf GTI is powered by an advanced engine from the EA888 series – a two-liter turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine with 162 kW / 220 PS. And, for the first time in the model’s history, the GTI is optionally available in a performance-enhanced version – the Golf GTI Performance with 169 kW / 230 PS.

Both GTI versions are equipped with a Stop/Start system as standard and, with a 6-speed gearbox, they attain the same fuel consumption of 6.0 l/100 km (CO2: 139 g/km). Compared to the previous model (155 kW / 210 PS), the combined fuel consumption of the Golf GTI has therefore been reduced by 1.3 liters per 100 km, or 18 percent. VW offers a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) as optional for both power levels.