VW has officially opened the order book for its new mark VI Golf GTI. We'll be driving it
later this week, so we'll spare you all the gory details until then, but suffice to say we'll be surprised if it's anything other than cracking. Its 2.0-litre T-FSI engine is the same basic unit as the
outgoing GTI's, though it's had a thorough makeover to produce an extra 10bhp (now 207bhp) and simultaneously better fuel economy and lower emissions. So, despite achieving 38.7mpg and 170g/km, it still rocks up to 62mph in 6.9 seconds. Bravo.
It also gets a lower ride height than the
standard car, as you'd expect, and a new exhaust configuration with tailpipes at either side of a rear diffuser. Of course, prices have risen compared to the outgoing car, so it'll now cost £22,410 for a manual three-door GTI, up to £24,300 for a DSG-equipped five-door. That seems like quite a lot to us, but there's every chance it'll be well worth it. We'll let you know shortly.
Mark Nichol - 23 Mar 2009