Volkswagen Golf VI GTD: Sporty gazolee
Besides the desirable gasoline GTi, Volkswagen shows a version of the Golf GTD sixth generation. An acronym that has had its little hour of glory there nearly 30 years, today associated with 2-liter TDI of 170 hp. Nearly 2,000 miles of testing have allowed us to form an opinion on the most dynamic Golf Diesel.
On sale since late 2008, the Golf VI has been waiting the start of the next summer in France to offer its sports versions, or at least dynamic: the iconic GTi gasoline, diesel and GTD. If the GTi has a tremendous engine of 210 horsepower (155 kW) fully reviewed in relation to that of previous generation, the GTD includes the 2-liter TDi 170 horsepower of the Golf V, but now abandoning the injectors in common benefit of the train, as under the hood of the Seat Leon FR models Autès and many of the group.
GTD stands for TDi 140 sport chassis lowered by 15 mm, its wheels 17 “light alloy and its tires in 225 width. The front shield design incorporating fog lights are common to the GTI . Ditto for the headlights and grille (except red piping on the grid for the GTI, chrome on the GTD). At the rear, it also sports a broadcaster, but the Golf Diesel is distinguished by its dual output chrome exhaust diffuser combined left. Last thing in common, the taillights of the two golf are dark.
Inside, the cabin is different versions of Commons seats Sporting insufficient to maintain lateral-inherited from the GTI with tartan, by black and gray (black and red on the GTi), the three sports steering wheel spoke leather black, just like the handbrake lever and gear lever gaiter. Decorative applications of color adorn the glossy black dashboard and door linings.
Diesel sport? The Golf GTD develops 170 hp (125 kW), 100 better than when the three letters GTD have appeared, 27 years ago, with the first diesel Golf Supercharged. This common rail TDI engine delivers 350 Nm of torque between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. He bursts in health between 1800 and 4500 rpm. Not bad, but the range is much lower than the GTi, even the Golf 1.4 TSi 160 horsepower. The sound engine is not quite the same either. That of GTD has been working with some raucous intonations not unpleasant, but still quite far from the range of the GTi. And if the sound is good, the diesel still lacks discretion to idle.
With the 6-speed manual gearbox, the GTD reached the 0-100 km / h in 8.1 s and a top speed of 222 km / h, it emits only 139 g / km CO2 and merely 5.3 l/100 standard combined cycle. Cons extra € 1 700, the 6-speed DSG dual clutch may like our test model fit the Golf GTD instead of the manual transmission. The DSG is a success, which fits both casting and dynamic driving. With it, the Golf GTD reaches a speed of 220 km / h, also going from 0 to 100 km / h in 8.1 s, but loses 2 km / h in top speed, it achieves 29 seconds on the 1,000 m standing start chrono much closer to the Golf VI 1.4 TSi 160 than the GTI (27.3 seconds). It is true that the mass to be moved is greater than fifty pounds compared to the GTi and its hearty torque does not fill the power deficit of 40 horses. The GTD is still evidence in all circumstances a pretty dynamic, well above the 2.0 TDi 140 contiguous to the DSG6 (207 km / h peak, 9.3 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h and a consolidated Joint normed 5.4 liters per hundred) or BVM6 (209 km / h, an identical time on the 0 to 100 km / h at the box DSG6 and 4.9 l/100 km). The acceleration of the GTD are slightly worse than the Golf V GT 2.0 TDi 170 to piezo injectors marketed in spring 2006, but consumption of the new moving down slightly. The GTD equipped with DSG consumes 5.6 l/100 km of diesel averaged normalized (147 g / km CO2).
On our test, we measured an average of 7.2 l/100 abusing the free speed for a few hundred kilometers of motorways in Germany. Irrespective of this trip Teutonia, the 2.0 TDi 170 DSG6 consumption averaging 6.9 l/100. What seems very reasonable, below 1.5 to 2.5 l/100 as usual in front of the GTi.
Comfort sportier than the behavior the Golf GTD has a sports chassis lowered by 15 mm. The springs and dampers have been redefined, as the rear stabilizer. Unlike the GTI, it does not have the XDS acting somewhat like a limited slip differential, which really helps the motor driving force. Furthermore, the nose gear more heavily weighted slightly worse behavior. The worst thing is that with conventional suspensions, serial GTi appears more conciliatory to the vertebrae of its occupants as the GTD, too firm for most of the irregularities, especially on corrugations (painfully collected) without maintaining better the wheel contact with the pavement.
The balance between comfort and performance improved significantly with the optional dynamic chassis control (DCC adaptive chassis control). The system constantly reacts to road conditions and driving style to change the suspension characteristics through the electrically adjustable damping in three programs: “Normal”, “Sport” and “Comfort” . Three modes well differentiated the two most “soft” provide comfort far superior to the standard depreciation. We highly recommend this damping control optional charged € 980. In addition, ESP regulates late, which participates in a driving pleasure.Just as the electric power steering, which remains one of the best of its kind.Braking is also shown impeccable.
Question budget, GTD starts at € 28 230. It’s € 730 more than the GTi, but it does not escape a penalty of 750 €, while the TTF is in the neutral zone with 139 g / km CO2. The price is pretty much the Iberian cousin who enjoys the same mechanics as the GTD, the Seat Leon FR. Without being much better off in terms of equipment.
Compared to the level of equipment Trendline, that of the Golf GTD includes dual-zone automatic climate control (Climatronic), the reading lights front and rear, the multifunction display “more” with computer edge, the central armrest in the front and rear cupholders in the rear hatch on skis, an additional storage compartment in the trunk and radio system RCD 510 touch screen.
Outside, standard equipment has features such as lowering the passenger side door mirror in reverse, fog lights, surrounded by chrome and other trinkets Optional bi-xenon headlights with dynamic directional lighting, the Parking Guidance System “Park Assist” second-generation (which automates maneuvers niche, at least for the wheel) and different navigation systems are available.
