Agile drive, the running gear of dreams, unmistakeable design, perfect ergonomics, unadulterated driving pleasure – that’s the DNA of a true sports car. At Volkswagen, there are three letters: GTI. Now the eighth generation of the sporty golf is coming. The new Golf GTI is more digital, more connected, sharper and more active than ever. The turbo engine develops 180 kW (245 hp). A new driving dynamics manager intelligently mixes the electromechanical gear systems. Maximum dynamics, maximum comfort – this Golf GTI combines both.
Perfected front-wheel drive
Generation 8 of the Golf GTI reflects a new status quo for front-wheel drive. The new driving dynamics manager plays a decisive role in this. “The system coordinates the electromechanical gear functions centrally and at a higher level,” explains Karsten Schebsdat, Head of Driving Dynamics, Steering and Control Systems. “With the combination of a newly tuned gear plus front axle locking differential and driving dynamics manager, we were able to bring the excellent overall performance of the Golf GTI to an even higher level. That applies all the more if the DCC running gear with adjustable dampers, which is equipped with a new software application, is also on board.”
The GTI driver can choose their own individual set-up via the standard driving profile selection and the optional adaptive DCC suspension. The sharpened driving dynamic properties ensure an even more precise driving experience: The understeer typical of front-wheel drive vehicles – the tendency to push over the front wheels in very fast corners – has been practically eliminated.
New Design combines supreme sportiness with functionality
The new design corresponds to the noticeable plus in dynamics. Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Group Design: “The new Golf GTI has a very low visual focus, which we achieve through the wide air intakes at the front and the distinctive shoulder line. This confident sportiness aesthetically expresses the potential of the car. ”
The standard LED headlights are arranged low; “IQ.LIGHT – LED matrix headlights” are optional. Together with the grille, they form a distinctive cross bar. Up to the bonnet there is the typical red GTI line that spans the front section. For the first time, the radiator grille can be illuminated with a narrow LED strip that extends to the left and right into the LED daytime running lights of the headlight modules – an unmistakable light signature. In the side section, the standard 17-inch alloy wheels (“Richmond”) fit perfectly into the picture. At the rear, a GTI roof spoiler pulled far back increases the contact pressure on the rear axle. The icon’s new edition is distinguished from the weaker versions of the series by a sporty diffuser. Another typical GTI feature.
Digital interior systems meet classic GTI tartan
As early as 1976, Volkswagen created a distinctive style in the interior of the first Golf GTI. This flair is retained in the consistently digitized new edition with numerous GTI-typical details. There is no longer an ignition lock in the new Golf GTI; it was replaced by a standard “Engine Start / Stop” button. Completely new: After opening the doors, it pulsates red until the GTI engine is started. The three-spoke sports steering wheel of yore became a new multifunction sports leather steering wheel with touch controls and optionally integrated “Travel Assist” button to assist the Golf GTI up to 210 km/h. The three silver spokes have been preserved; the middle one is finished in the GTI with a red inner surface.
When the doors are opened, the digital displays start up. It is a fusion of the standard “Digital Cockpit” (new: individually enabled GTI design with rev counter in the middle) and the infotainment system. The “Composition” with an 8.25-inch screen is used as standard, and the 10-inch “Discover Pro” system is available as an optional extra. No matter which infotainment is ordered for the Golf GTI, the optical and functional fusion of the systems creates a new, consistently digital architecture. The standard ambient light immerses the displays and many other illuminated areas of the interior in a spectrum of 30 freely configurable colors.
