The new-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI will get a price hike but gain extra equipment, according to leaked information obtained by CarAdvice.
VW’s hot-hatch has made a name for itself since the 1970s for delivering affordable performance, though the seventh-generation version that launches on 1st October will be less attainable.
The latest VW Golf GTI is set to cost $47,900 drive-away for a six-speed manual version or $50,700 drive-away for a GTI with a six-speed DSG dual-clutch auto.
With a starting RRP of $40,490 for the previous five-door VW Golf GTI and Volkswagen currently adding about $1500 to the regular Golf models for drive-away pricing, it suggests the GTI Mark VII will priced a few thousand dollars higher.
VW Australia, however, has added more equipment, the most notable of which is adaptive dampers that were previously a $1500 option for owners who wanted the option to switch between a softer and firmer ride.
The new GTI will also sit on 18-inch alloy wheels rather than 17s, adds satellite navigation, and features parking sensors with optical guide and rear view camera are now standard rather than costly extras. Bluetooth connectivity is also properly integrated rather than a being a dealer accessory.
Options shrink to just five items: metallic paint, bi-xenon headlights, Vienna leather uphostery, panoramic electric sunroof, and a Drive Assistance package that includes adaptive cruise control, semi-automatic parking system and low-speed automatic braking.
Other standard items of note include Sports suspension 15mm lower than regular Golfs, driver fatigue monitoring, rain-sensing wipers, leather multi-function steering wheel.
Six colours are available for the new Golf GTI. No-cost colours are red and white, while optional metallics include ‘carbon steel’, ‘reflex silver’, ‘night blue’ and ‘deep black’.
The VW Golf GTI will be available in two power outputs for the first time. A ‘standard’ version launches on 1st October with a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder producing 162kW of power and 350Nm of torque.
Following a bit later is a Performance Pack that boosts power to 169kW, broadens the engine’s torque plateau, and quickens the GTI’s 0-100km/h acceleration run from 6.5 to 6.4 seconds. Top speed also increases by 4km/h to a nicely round 250km/h.
The GTI has been the best-selling variant of the Golf in recent years, typically accounting for about a quarter of the hatch’s sales in Australia.
