The new Golf GTI is coming. Dealers have been taking advance orders since 30 September. Customers can look forward to a GTI of the first order, a real sports Golf, a GTI with the character of the first generation launched in the mid-seventies. Murat Günak, Volkswagen design chief, sums it up: “This Golf GTI comes full circle - it unites the origins and future of an ingenious idea.”
- The Original is Back
- Fast: The Turbo FSI used in the Golf GTI allows it to reach up to 235km/h.
- Unique: GTI nose, GTI sports seats, GTI wheels, GTI cockpit.
GTI Roots. In June 1976, a 182km/h Volkswagen ruffled a few feathers in the establishment because it democratised Germany’s autobahnen. This compact, wild young racer loomed up the rear-view mirrors of fast sports cars and big saloons cruising in the fast lane. The first Golf GTI was originally planned as a limited series of 5,000 cars. However, the GTI was simply destined to be a best-seller and quickly became synonymous with nifty sporty compacts. Now the abbreviation GTI no longer denotes a model, but instead a marque. Today 93.2 percent of all Europeans know the GTI. GTI is the Golf for them and the Golf is Volkswagen. Indeed GTI is Volkswagen. The success of these so-called product brands is still a phenomenon despite the simple formula. Its myth seems to be revered. That makes it valuable, fascinating and unique. If you drive a GTI, you do not have to explain anything as you drive the statement, the original, the icon of all sporty compacts that sold over 1.5 million times.
GTI Fascination. The Golf GTI has therefore long become a cult object. GTI stands for driving fun, dynamics and vehicle perfection. Just like in 1976, this applies more than ever with regard to the new GTI. The new model is striking, delivers 147kW/200hp, provides powerful propulsion in low rev ranges (280Nm from 1,800rpm), has a growling engine noise and a chassis that keeps it on track without electronic gimmicks.
GTI Performance. Take one look at the main performance figures and you will soon realise how vehemently the turbo engine breathes GTI fire into this Golf. Equipped with the standard six-speed gear box, the front-driven Golf GTI accelerates to 100km/h in just 7.2 seconds. Furthermore the 235km/h GTI just needs 7.5 seconds to accelerate from 60 to 100km/h in 5th gear. The average consumption is an economic 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres. The version with automatic double-clutch gearbox allows the Golf GTI to sprint from 0 to 100km/h even faster.
The decisive fact is that the Golf GTI vehemently moves forward in virtually any situation. The car responds immediately to the accelerator pedal. It can, of course, be easily dosed to avoid fast starts when driving through towns and in slow-moving traffic. The clutch is light and the double-clutch gearbox is available as an option if you prefer an automatic. TCS helps the car pull away, the respective six-speed gearbox distributes the power and the electro/mechanical steering keeps the car on course.
The only hectic component on board the new Golf GTI is the rev counter needle when you accelerate because it has to indicate the camshaft speed for a new gear every few seconds. At the same time, the speedo needle stoically follows its path towards the top speed. In second gear, the needle advances to 100km/h. Third gear pushes the Golf GTI up to 140 km/h, fourth is active up to 180 km/h, fifth up to 220 km/h and sixth takes care of the rest.
Things are swifter if you chose the DSG instead of the manual gearbox. Free of any traction interruptions, it forms a drive package with the FSI turbo engine that is unmatched outside Volkswagen Group. The Golf GTI is also an excellent cruiser. If you prefer a quiet drive, leave the Volkswagen in sixth gear at the recommended autobahn speed of 130km/h and at 3,000 rpm.
In any case, the harmonious interaction of engine, gearbox and chassis make the GTI particularly exciting. In addition, there are the components that originally defined the first generation of the car, i.e. the stylish sporty exterior and interior. Both have taken a new direction on the new Golf GTI.
Body
Any child will immediately recognise this Golf as being a GTI from almost any angle. This applies in particular to the front. For the first time in the almost 30-year history of the GTI, the nose is different to the other Golf models as it has its own radiator grille design. The front features a distinctive GTI look. That means a black radiator grille with a red frame.
GTI Front. The new radiator grille is made up of a honeycomb structure. The same applies to the lower right-hand and left-hand radiator grille sections and fog light mountings that resemble extra air intakes. The bottom and top parts of the radiator grille are divided by a gloss black U-shaped section that forms a smooth connection. The Golf GTI stands firmly on the asphalt with this all-new, powerful design, the integrated front spoiler and the suspension lowered by 15 millimetres. Further GTI styling features include the darkened headlight bezels (bright chrome for Xenon) and, of course, the GTI badge integrated in the radiator grille.
GTI Rear. The striking roof spoiler, the twin exhaust tail pipes (diameter: 2 x 70 millimetres), newly designed lower bumper section and again the GTI badge show that this Golf is a real sports car. The larger rear spoiler in comparison with the Golf Trendline, Comfortline and Highline has (like the front spoiler) a clear aerodynamic function as it increases the downward pressure of the 235km/h Golf GTI on the road.
GTI Profile. GTI trim and design elements also characterise the profile of the car. The standard 17-inch alloy wheels (type “Denver”) with 225/45 tyres (optionally available with similar design: 18-inch “Detroit” wheels), the aforementioned 15-millimetre lower chassis, the red brake callipers on the 16-inch brake system combined with ESP, the black widened sill panels and the black high-gloss B-pillar trim all convey the GTI flair when you look at the car from the side.
GTI Colours. The Golf GTI comes in ten colours. “Tornado Red”, “Black” and “Diamond Black(Pearl)” as well as “Candy White” are very special. Of course, it is a matter of taste. White was very popular for the first Golf GTI. The new Golf GTI is also available in the colours “Coastal Blue (Pearl)”, “Reflex Silver (Metallic)”, “Ink Blue”, “Steel Grey (Metallic)”, “Shadow Blue metallic” and “Laser Blue (Pearl)”.
GTI Dimensions. The GTI is a Golf. Therefore it is almost the same length, height and width as all Golfs. There are, of course, differences due to the new nose design and the lowered suspension. While the Trendline, Comfortline and Sportline versions of the Golf are 1.759 metres wide, 1.485 metres tall and 4.204 metres long the Golf GTI has the following dimensions: the width is the same, the height has been reduced 19 millimetres to 1.466 metres and the length has been increased 10 millimetres to 4.216 metres.
GTI Safety and Quality. A millimetre here, a millimetre there: The Golf GTI body has exactly the same safety features as all Golfs. One important aspect of this “five-star car” (EuroNCAP crash test) is the considerable improvement in stiffness compared with the previous GTI model. The dynamic stiffness of the body has been increased 15 percent in terms of torsion and 35 percent in terms of stiffness under flexure. The static torsional stiffness (25,000Nm/°) has even been improved by 80 percent (!) and therefore represents the top value in the segment. On every metre of road, you can feel that the body is not subject to any form of intrinsic movement.
Furthermore, despite the comparatively hard suspension, there is no unpleasant noise or movement in the body. The innovative body-in-white structure also sets new standards in terms of the noise level. Only the resonant sound of the GTI exhaust can be heard. Also the high body stiffness - in addition to the reconfigured sports chassis - forms the basis for the balanced and agile handling characteristics of the Golf GTI.
Chassis
GTI Chassis Configuration: The Golf chassis with front strut and rear multi-link axles has been made even more dynamic for use in the new GTI and thus guarantees a new level of extremely agile handling. The sports chassis that has been lowered 15 millimetres forms the basis. True to the character of the Golf GTI, harder springs and dampers have been chosen for both axles and the stiffness rate of the rear stabilizers has been increased 20 percent (from 25N/mm to 30N/mm). The electro/mechanical power steering has also been “programmed” with a sporty GTI map. Amongst other things, it allows higher return moments as well as higher steering forces giving the driver a more direct feel of the road. The new chassis and steering configurations both add noticeably to the agility. It is simply fun to drive as the sporty set-up does not come at the cost of long-distance comfort. Even though the suspension is admittedly hard, the Golf GTI chassis does also smooth out short bumps excellently.
GTI Handling: Generally the new GTI is extremely agile, but still very easy to control. Without having to resort to ESP intervention, the Volkswagen will, for example, even stay on track if you approach corners too fast. It does, however, push out slightly over the front axle without noticeable unpleasant understeering. On the other hand, if you suddenly take your foot off the accelerator on curves, the tail never swings out. This kind of load alteration simply causes a pleasant (as the driver feels it early) oversteer which automatically slows the car down by turning slightly inward.
GTI Brakes: The brakes have also, of course, been adapted to the high performance of the Golf GTI. Firstly, excellent a 16-inch brake system slows down the GTI and secondly the ESP has also been set up for the GTI. It will not intervene too early and intensively or too late and vaguely. The shoes on the red brake callipers clamp onto vented brake discs with a diameter of 312 millimetres at the front and 286 millimetres at the rear. Combined with the standard Golf dual-brake assist, you get braking values that provide just as much enjoyment as accelerating.
Engine
GTI Turbo. The new Golf GTI features an innovative FSI petrol engine boosted by a turbocharger and intercooler. The engine is mounted at the front transversely and is connected to a manual six-speed gearbox as standard. The four-valve four-cylinder 1,984cm3 power plant delivers a maximum output of 147kW/200hp at 5,100rpm. The 2.0 T-FSI in the Golf GTI has a high compression ratio of 10.5:1. Its broad torque band (280 Newton metres between 1,800 and 5,000rpm) makes it an ideal sports car engine. The use of an FSI petrol engine with turbocharger is a novelty for Volkswagen and is unique in this class outside the group.
In detail, the 2.0 T-FSI uses the advantages of homogeneous direct injection and combines it for the first time with the powerful advantages of a turbocharger. This enhances the dynamics - it has an outstanding torque band, excellent response, provides pure driving fun and does not have a hint of turbo lag.
GTI Basic Engine. The new engine is based on the 110kW/150hp 2.0 FSI with direct injection as already used in the Golf. The main aim during the development of the turbo-charged FSI with homogeneous combustion was increasing performance considerably to reach GTI core values while keeping consumption and emissions down. Thanks to the core technologies “Direct Injection” + “Turbo Charger” + “Continuous Inlet Camshaft Adjustment” + “Plastic Variable Intake Manifold” + other internal engine features, a very high degree of efficiency could be achieved. Like all Golf engines, the 2.0 T-FSI fulfils the EU4 norm.
GTI Consumption. Apart from all the technical qualities, the new four-valve four-cylinder engine needed to match the sporty agile character of the GTI exactly without in any way affecting the comfort and economy that have always made the GTI very suitable for everyday driving. In conjunction with the manual six-speed gearbox, the engine consumes 8 litres per one hundred kilometres on average (EU total consumption). The optional double-clutch gearbox trims this figure to 7.9 litres. The economy of the engine is underlined by the long service intervals. The oil only needs to be changed after 30,000 kilometres at the latest or after two years. The maintenance intervals for the engine and car are identical.
Double-clutch Gearbox
The DSG double-clutch gearbox has started a revolution in terms of automatic gearboxes. That is simple to explain. It combines the advantages of a manual gearbox with those of an automatic and is simply loads of fun. The gear changes are so unbelievably fast that even trained drivers using a manual gearbox cannot keep up. Each shift point is so slick and also comfortable that it’s easy to get addicted. Particularly in the manual Tiptronic mode, in which the gears are changed using paddles on the steering wheel or the plus-minus gate for the selector lever, the automatic gearbox is sportier than any previous automatic gearbox.
GTI Perfect Shifting. There is one essential difference on the double-clutch gearbox compared with previous automatic gearboxes: A hydraulic torque converter is not used as a starting element in the gearbox available for the Golf GTI. This rules out the “elastic band effect” that mainly occurs in conjunction with smaller engines.
The double clutch comprises two wet clutches whose pressure is regulated electro-hydraulically. Clutch 1 (C1) operates the odd gears (plus reverse) and clutch 2 (C2) the even gears. We could basically describe it as two parallel gearboxes in one. As a result of this complex clutch management, there is no interruption in traction upon gear changes as is usual with automated manual gearboxes. An incomparably dynamic shifting feel is combined with simple operation. The very high effectiveness of the gearbox comes very close to the classic manual.
Interior
The first Golf GTI from 1976 was also a classic in terms of its interior. The interior of the new Golf GTI also has an individual character thanks to the latest technology and styling.
GTI Sports Seats. The all-new GTI seats offer maximum comfort with the best possible side support and sporty looks. The high seatbacks with integrated, but adjustable (and active) head restraints highlight the feel of high sporting functionality. The front seats also have lumbar support adjustment as standard. The breathable upholstery cloth called Interlagos is also brand new. Its checked pattern pays tribute to the first GTI seat generation. Leather versions in “Anthracite” and “Beige” are also optionally available. The GTI logo stitched into the front head restraints also shows the attention to detail. You can certainly feel the excellent ergonomics of the seats. The special upright seat position along with the distance from the GTI steering wheel and GTI gear knob are what you would expect of perfect sports seats.
GTI Steering Wheel. Just like the first Golf GTI, the new generation is steered with a three-spoke steering wheel. Today it is covered with leather as standard, however. A special breathable perforated leather has been added to the left-hand and right-hand grip areas. The bottom of the steering wheel has been straightened slightly. Compared with the Golf steering wheels, the GTI wheel is slightly smaller in diameter and its more dynamic holding position allows for optimum control of the car. The GTI logo has been added to the brushed aluminium vertical spoke of the steering wheel. As usual in the Golf, the steering column is height and reach adjustable.
GTI Gearstick Knob and Instruments. Aluminium is a major feature of the new GTI gearstick knob, the trim inserts on the dashboard, centre console and door panels (brushed aluminium) and the pedal cluster. Another typical GTI hallmark is the black headliner. The instruments have been newly designed and are exclusive to the GTI. The rev counter goes up to 8,000 rpm and the speedo has also been given a greater range. The individual gauges are framed in smart aluminium for the GTI.
GTI Comfort and Safety. The standard equipment in the GTI includes a multifunction computer, the front footwell lighting, the automatic anti-dazzle interior mirror with light and rain sensors, the coming home/leaving home lighting function, “Climatic” air conditioning and a tyre pressure monitor. Like the whole series, the GTI will also be launched with a safety package that leaves nothing to be desired. It includes the electronic stabilisation programme ESP, active front head restraints, three head restraints in the back and six airbags.
Standard Equipment
Exterior
- Red brake callipers
- Twin exhaust tail pipes (2 x 70 mm Ø) on left
- Chrome GTI badging at front right and rear left
- Rear roof spoiler, larger and unique
- High-gloss B-pillar trim
- Exclusive honeycomb radiator grille, black gloss paint with red frame
- “Denver” 7 1/2 J x 17 alloy wheels , tyres 225/45 R 17
- Darkened headlight housing
- Black widened sill panels
- Standard red or black paint without extra cost (eight other colours also available)
- Sports chassis lowered approx. 15mm, with GTI configuration
- Exclusive front bumper and rear bumper lower section
- Body-coloured bump strips and door handles
- Blue heat insulated tinted glass
Interior
- Luggage net in boot
- Black headliner
- “Brushed Aluminium” trim inserts
- Aluminium-look pedals and footrest
- Leather handbrake grip
- Leather steering wheel (3-spoke), with GTI logo, perforated leather in grip areas
- Lumber support
- Rear bench with centre armrest and load-through provision
- Aluminium/leather gearstick knob
- Pouches on back of front seats
- Special instrument cluster
- “Interlagos” upholstery cloth with GTI logo
- Carpet mats in front and rear
- Top sports seats in front, height adjustable
Safety Equipment
- Driver and front passenger airbags
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
- Traction Control System (TCS)
- Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) incl. Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)
- Head airbag system for front and rear passengers, incl. front side airbags
- Fog lights (underneath bumper)
Functional Equipment
- Coming home and leaving home lighting function
- Automatic dimming interior rear-view mirror with light and rain sensors
- “Climatic” air conditioning
- Multi-function indicator (MFI)
- Tyre pressure monitor
- Illuminated footwell
- High-quality interior lights, reading lights in rear
- Two-tone horn
Feature: GTI Seedbed
- The GTI Seedbed - The True Story Behind the Number 1
GTI phenomenon. The Golf GTI is a phenomenon, a marque within a marque, an automobile philosophy carved in metal and plastic and an unmistakable design statement - it is the original sporty compact. There have been many stories about how the first GTI came into being. At the centre there is always a “secret society” of people who pushed through the GTI right up to production stage against the clock and opposition from their superiors. Many of the tales about these developments that have been passed down are true, but just as many of them have become distorted over the decades and are often wrong. The fact is that the Golf GTI is the ingenious idea of a few men. This is their story and that of the GTI.
Everything began, as always, with the Beetle. Let us go back to 1973. Volkswagen launched a very sporty version of the Beetle. The “Yellow and Black Racer”, as it was called, differed from the normal Beetle in that in had a black front lid and engine cover, slightly broader tyres (5.5 instead of 5 inches), sports seats with head restraints (!) and a proper leather steering wheel. Technically it was still the same old Beetle with 1,600cc, 50hp, no more. Despite this comparatively modest output, this “aggressive model from Volkswagen” even caused a stir in the German parliament. But to the disbelief of many, it was popular among customers. This Beetle model, which only looked faster, sold out in next to no time and laid the foundations for a two-year project in Wolfsburg that, even within the company, only a handful of people would know about.
The pioneers assemble. It is still 1973, 18 March to be precise. On this (from today’s viewpoint) memorable day, the test engineer Alfons Löwenberg wrote an internal memo to a few colleagues from the Research and Development department, RD for short. He proposed that Volkswagen should put together a proper sports model. After all, a new vehicle with the project code EA 337 (the internal code for the future Golf) had reached the final stages of development - and a modern high-performance car with front-wheel drive would gain Volkswagen a completely new audience.
The recipients were reluctant at first. Only chassis specialist Herbert Horntrich and development chief Hermann Hablitzel were at least basically interested in Löwenberg’s idea. However, Löwenberg kept trying and found other like-minded colleagues. For example, marketing man Horst-Dieter Schwittlinsky and Anton Konrad, the then Volkswagen PR boss. Konrad, previously manager of the Formula V association for many years and himself a racing driver in his spare time, was particularly taken with the idea. He was also aware, however, that the delicate sport seedling needed to be cultivated in great secrecy within the company. The high development costs for the new model that would be launched as the Golf in 1974 were a heavy burden on funds as it was.
Secret meeting over beer and sandwiches. Konrad invited the secret developers from the “Sportgolf” work group to meet at his home. Hablitzel, Horntrich, Konrad, Löwenberg and Schwittlinsky sorted through the possibilities like conspirators over some beer and sandwiches. Hablitzel was now definitely on board and his silent toleration allowed Löwenberg and Horntrich to get down to work. Taking a Scirocco prototype with a rock-hard chassis, they lowered the suspension dramatically, souped up the basic 85hp 1.5-litre Scirocco engine to 100hp with a two-stage carburettor and crowned it all with an exhaust pipe that resembled a stove pipe and also sounded like one.
Prototype 1 is over the top. Today, Konrad remembers the car as being “a roaring monster”. The secret team soon agreed that this is not what they want. The Sportgolf should feel sporty, but should still be modest. Löwenberg and Horntrich therefore decided to build a tamer version. The result was not quite as ferocious, but it was still pretty fast. The whole undercover group felt much better about this new model and Hablitzel plucked up some courage. He told the development chief Professor Ernst Fiala about the sporty car and asked him what he thought.Fiala delivered a fatal blow: “It’s far too expensive, you’re all mad,” he retorted.
However, Hablitzel and his men would not be deterred. The Sportgolf prototype based on the Scirocco was officially declared a disguised chassis prototype, unofficially though development continued. Löwenberg fine tuned the engine while Horntrich configured the chassis for the proposed beefy tyres. 205/60 HR 13 would be the format that, back then, would even put a Porsche 911 to shame - the quintessential Teutonic sports car still ran on 185/70 tyres in 1974…
Spring 1975 green light from the management. Not surprisingly, the “disguised chassis prototype” caused a big stir when Hablitzel & co. demonstrated their latest projects to the management at the Volkswagen test centre in Ehra-Lessien in spring 1975. Even Professor Fiala was now taken with the Sportgolf in a Scirocco outfit - and gave his approval. At the end of May, a official assignment was sent to the development department: A sporty version of the Golf is needed.
The Golf becomes the GTI. At the same time, the sales department now also saw good market opportunities for a sporty Golf and, in any case, Volkswagen still needed a crowd-puller for the upcoming International Motor Show Frankfurt. The project suddenly gained dynamism from all sides. Six prototypes with different configurations were created ranging from a beast with maximum sports characteristics to a modest comfortable version. Chief designer Herbert Schäfer was responsible for all the small details that would distinguish the Sportgolf from its weaker rivals. For example, the red stripe on the radiator grille, the larger front spoiler, the discreet plastic wheel arch extensions, the matt black frame on the rear windscreen, the black roofliner, the golf ball gear stick knob and the chequered seat covers.
Technical fine tuning. Herbert Schuster, the new test manager, immediately gave the chassis development top priority. To cut costs, he reduced the width of the wheels from 6.0 to 5.5 inches and shrunk the tyre size to 175/70 HR 13. He did, however, also add stabilizers for the front and rear axles and developed a spring/damper configuration that provided a perfect synthesis between comfort and sportiness. In collaboration with Audi, the ultra-modern 1.6-litre fuel-injected engine delivering 110hp was produced.
World Premiere in 1975 at Frankfurt International Motor Show. The former undercover team finished their work dead on schedule. When the 46th Frankfurt International Motor Show opened its doors to the public on 11 September 1975, a red wonder celebrated its debut on the Volkswagen stand: the Golf GTI study. “The fastest Volkswagen ever” boasted the advertisement - and that was no exaggeration. The GTI accelerated from nought to 100km/h in nine seconds leaving considerably bigger and more expensive cars behind. The carefully announced price of “under DM13,000″ was still over DM5,000 less than the closest German rival. As result, the trade fair visitors were so impressed that the management had no other choice than to build a special series of 5,000 cars.
GTI mania starts. The GTI cost DM13,850 when it was finally launched in mid-1976. However, the dealers still managed to sell ten times the planned number in the first year of sale. No surprise: “Climbing an Alpine pass in the GTI - that is one of the most exciting tasks that can be set for a car driver” claimed the German trade magazine “auto motor und sport”. That sums it up. Nothing has changed since then between the first and fifth series of the GTI.
History of the GTI
GTI Generations: Series production of the first Golf GTI started in June 1976. A limited edition of 5,000 GTIs was originally planned. However, things turned out differently. The 81 kW/110hp Golf GTI that could reach 182 km/h conquered a new clientele and founded the GTI class. The 5,000 units became over 1.5 million. Here is an overview of the most important stations in Golf GTI history up to the premiere of the fifth generation:
1976: Debut of first generation Golf GTI delivering 81kW
1979: Facelift
1982: Golf GTI now delivers 82kW
1983: Introduction of “Pirelli GTI” special model
1984: Debut of second generation Golf GTI
1984: Introduction of catalytic converter (79kW instead of 82kW)
1985: Facelift, double headlights and double end pipe
1986: Debut of Golf GTI 16V (102kW without catalytic converter, 95kW with catalytic converter)
1990: Introduction of Golf GTI with G60 engine (118kW)
1991: Debut of third generation Golf GTI delivering 85kW
1992: Introduction of Golf GTI 16V delivering 110kW (150hp)
1996: Presentation of anniversary model “20 Years GTI”
1996: Introduction of Golf GTI TDI delivering 81kW
1998: Debut of fourth generation Golf GTI with 110kW petrol engine (1.8 T), 110kW V5 petrol / later 125kW, 81kW TDI, 85kW TDI (later 96kW)
2000: Introduction of Golf GTI TDI delivering 110kW
2001: Introduction of Golf GTI with 132kW turbo (initially as “25 Years GTI” special edition)
2004: Debut of fifth generation Golf delivering 147 kW
More about the new Volkswagen Golf GTI here:
Knallpris på ny Golf GTI (06.10.04)
The new Golf GTI - New design, new engine, new fascination (01.09.04)
New Golf GTI now available to order via didicated website (18.08.04)
Golf GTI - The concept (09.09.03)
[source: volkswagen-media-sevices.com]
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