While road testing the 2011 VW GTI, I tweeted Auto123 followers, asking if the GTI could be the poor man’s (or woman’s) Panamera. They’re both German performance machines available with dual-clutch automatic transmissions and four passenger-accommodating doors but they’re miles apart in cost.
The GTI was freshened for the 2010 model year, so don’t look for major changes for 2011—there aren’t any, but that’s because none were needed. The GTI, especially in 4-door configuration, remains a highly practical sports car that stimulates the senses of the performance-minded driver as much as the day-to-day commuter simply looking for economy and versatility.
I know this because my sedate motoring wife used the GTI one morning for errands and returned raving about its power and responsiveness. Of course, her regular ride is a Land Rover Discovery, so by contrast a Yugo is likely to feel sporty. Seriously though, her comments validate my assertion that the GTI inspires all that find their way behind its leather-wrapped wheel.
The parts that make it happen
A vehicle’s powertrain is akin to its heart and soul, and in the GTI’s case, there’s plenty of both produced by its turbocharged I-4 powerplant. The stout little mill displaces 2.0-litres while utilizing intercooler and direct injection technology to send plenty of hostility to the VW’s front wheels.
A maximum horsepower rating of 200 is achieved at 5,100 rpm while the engine is capable of delivering its maximum torque output of 207 pound-feet at only 1,700 rpm. It’s that low-end burst of torque that is infinitely satisfying when departing a light. But it’s not the engine alone that provided me with such joy.
VW’s 6-speed DSG gearbox provides flawless cog interaction
Dual clutch automatic gearboxes are becoming more common these days, as many VW products attest to. VW refers to its application as a Direct-Shift Gearbox, or DSG for short. Essentially, two gearboxes exist within a single housing, thus enabling ultra-rapid gear activation without inflicting a loss of momentum the way conventional autoboxes do.
The GTI was freshened for the 2010 model year, so don’t look for major changes for 2011—there aren’t any, but that’s because none were needed. The GTI, especially in 4-door configuration, remains a highly practical sports car that stimulates the senses of the performance-minded driver as much as the day-to-day commuter simply looking for economy and versatility.
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| The GTI was freshened for the 2010 model year, so don’t look for major changes for 2011—there aren’t any, but that’s because none were needed. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com) |
I know this because my sedate motoring wife used the GTI one morning for errands and returned raving about its power and responsiveness. Of course, her regular ride is a Land Rover Discovery, so by contrast a Yugo is likely to feel sporty. Seriously though, her comments validate my assertion that the GTI inspires all that find their way behind its leather-wrapped wheel.
The parts that make it happen
A vehicle’s powertrain is akin to its heart and soul, and in the GTI’s case, there’s plenty of both produced by its turbocharged I-4 powerplant. The stout little mill displaces 2.0-litres while utilizing intercooler and direct injection technology to send plenty of hostility to the VW’s front wheels.
A maximum horsepower rating of 200 is achieved at 5,100 rpm while the engine is capable of delivering its maximum torque output of 207 pound-feet at only 1,700 rpm. It’s that low-end burst of torque that is infinitely satisfying when departing a light. But it’s not the engine alone that provided me with such joy.
VW’s 6-speed DSG gearbox provides flawless cog interaction
Dual clutch automatic gearboxes are becoming more common these days, as many VW products attest to. VW refers to its application as a Direct-Shift Gearbox, or DSG for short. Essentially, two gearboxes exist within a single housing, thus enabling ultra-rapid gear activation without inflicting a loss of momentum the way conventional autoboxes do.
 |
| A maximum horsepower rating of 200 is achieved at 5,100 rpm while the engine is capable of delivering its maximum torque output of 207 pound-feet at only 1,700 rpm. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com) |