Golf Obsession
The right hand is shaken by an earthquake unstoppable when she took the ball at the sight of rubber. Stopped at a red light, the Golf GTI over 30 years shows us cheerfully that the heart of an injection engine experienced bat in the wild under the hood. Mechanics slap just above the threshold of extinction in a thin stream of gas. Still, the four-cylinder defends every inch like a person exhausted just before yielding to sleep. Our journey back in time aboard the historic GTI particularly sharpens our senses to the idea of our next walk in the sixth generation of the GTI.
Under a contemporary look, the Golf I is almost good to go into a museum. The sheet has a profound resonance mass management requires strong arms and brakes should be much earlier than usual in today. One easily finds that even though the GTI at the time was a dream machine for many drivers who wanted to run a tad faster than others.
It is precisely this increased driving pleasure offered to turn the 2009 vintage of the GTI. The cult sports highlights his peculiar ambition from the appearance. The front grille in honeycomb is barred red cross and the inscription GTI, the headlights are housed on a black background. The shield bearing a lower air intake is largely drawn further flanked by small chrome fog light boxes.
Refinement to the outside and inside
Rims aluminum 17 inches, a spoiler on the edge of the roof and rear bumper in the style of a broadcaster which enthroned two large tailpipes round off the aesthetic GTI. The new model with a length of 4.20 meters exudes power and exudes quality.
This level of quality is also found inside. The cockpit of the famous VW Golf seduced by its relaxed atmosphere and high functionality. In the GTI, it is further enhanced with a standard sport steering wheel in a circle truncated, sport seats with strongly marked contours bear a seal and a Scottish design specific shifter. In fact, the cockpit only copy suffers from the wide center console, on which is rubbing the knee of the driver, at least in the twisty roads.
A nice melody
Before putting on the turns, however, we must remove the two-liter TSI engine from its lethargy at the stop, it is barely audible, leaving even assuming the existence of a system start / stop. But the turbo booster pack is here and there. In a short press on the accelerator pedal, the needle of the rev counter jumps up and the four-cylinder acoustic shows his presence.
Once in motion, sounding pleasantly sporty adds. From about 2000 rpm and a rumbling sound, which as the speed increases, is harsher and rougher, while remaining relatively still melodious. In conjunction with a buzzing art, the gasoline engine is similar to a final high-tech mechanical aggressive.
Starting on the Bleeding Edge
This sporty sound goes along with sporting behavior. The 210 hp and 280 newton-meters (1700 to 5200 revolutions) propel the five seats a little over 1.3 tons from 0 to 100 km / h in 7 seconds and can barely hoist it up to 240 km / h maximum. In terms of linear dynamics, the GTI is well fitter than ever and its potential requires only a little over 7 gallons of gasoline per 100 kilometers, which is also a record.
In terms of cross-curricular skills, the meteor luxuriously equipped also demonstrates an unprecedented agility. The new GTI is firmly planted on the asphalt and leaves carelessly away from a straight line with a direction to direct action, all with a low roll. The body is stiff and the brakes rather mordant. You have to take unnecessary risks for the Golf in wild-turns on curves and passes through a boundary zone, announced by the screeching tires and the regulatory intervention of the ESP.
Differential lock front
The paddles on the steering wheel of the six-speed DSG are assessed on the winding roads hectic. Reports undertake both hands on the wheel, and the appropriate ratio can be selected to safely accelerate again with a maximum pulse at the exit of each turn. In this context, it is especially surprising that the influence of training on management remains limited. Properties particularly remarkable traction can be attributed to the control system XDS series. The electronic differential lock secures the front wheel on the inside of the curve when the throttle the maximum would skate.
The DCC adaptive chassis can also promote a style of driving ambition. Between settings Comfort, Normal and Sport, the differences are very noticeable. Besides the substantial tightening of the chassis, the steering is also more rigid in a sporting manner. If in this configuration, the car seems to cause excessive jitter, the Comfort mode can be switched on to enjoy a much more relaxed ride. The ride is quiet indeed a discipline of choice for the GTI. Even drivers with insatiable whims could fall under the spell of its low noise level and comfort of its sinking.
Economic
However, the term ‘high level’ also applies to price. The manual transmission model costs about 27,000 euros, the DSG six-speed, more comfortable, requires about 2,000 euros more, but less brilliant display performance and consumption slightly higher (7.4 instead of 7.3 liters ). In both cases, consumption is still remarkably moderate.
In contrast, the equipment level of the GTI is considerable. It may be mentioned in particular among its strengths, sports seats, CD radio, automatic air conditioning, fog lamps directional, heating of seats, parking assist, 17-inch wheels and aluminum steering wheel sport. Equipped with the DSG over and DCC, the price of the Golf GTI rises to about 30,000 euros. This is a particularly compact sporty and luxurious.
Technical Data
Make and model VW Golf GTI
Range Equipment Two-door, six-speed gearbox
Dimensions and weight
Length / Width / Height (mm) 4,213 / 1,779 / 1,501
Wheelbase (mm) 2.578
Turning radius (m) 10,9
Curb Weight (kg) 1.317
Cargo capacity (liters) 350-1305
Golf did not blush in a price comparison against its direct competitors. Only the Ford Focus ST shows a base price less some 1,000 euros, but the standard equipment of the GTI is much more complete and comparable ST would cost even more expensive than the Golf.
In brief
A world of difference between the first and sixth Golf GTI. The 2009 generation embodies both sportier and more comfortable. Efficiency and safety, the concentrated muscle Wolfsburg occupies a leading position common to all versions of the model. In addition, the Golf offers a healthy dose of high technology – in part as an option, but to a large extent to the generous standard equipment. And with this wealth of accessories, the new GTI is also a particularly attractive choice in terms of price.
