VW Golf GTi: The new GTi rediscovers the magic of those three famous letters
Now 30 years old, the Golf has long been regarded as a safe bet in motoring terms. Yet Volkswagen has come under attack for its latest version.
Frankly, there was no clear difference between it and the previous version, disappointing when you think of the time and resources available to the German car giant. That was our impression after road testing it.
When the GTi arrived, we didn't expect any great difference. Recent editions of the sporty Golf seemed to have been moving further from the original GTi ethos. We were greatly mistaken.
Built around an upmarket image and a reputation for reliability, the Golf GTi has long been the car of choice for those with enough money to have a good time, but not enough to blow it on madcap impractical motors.
They may holiday regularly, have a few shares, drink regularly in the trendiest bars and wear the right labels, but they know the price of things. That's one reason they chose a rather sedate looking hatchback which nonetheless managed to embarrass far more expensive sleek Italian sports cars.
The Golf GTi has a history of surprising people, although recent generations seemed to be losing steam. Until now, that is. This new GTi, the fifth, has the performance to live up to the pedigree.
Those three magic letters bring to mind images of Maggie Thatcher, stockbrokers in red braces with mobile phones the size of breeze blocks and women in shoulder pads. The GTi was the transport of choice for a youthful yuppie generation. It was the hot hatch that managed practicality, rock solid resale value and potent performance. It could outrun a sports car three times its price, with two kids in the back and the week's shopping in the boot.
The GTi was born in the early 1970s. Planned with a small production run of 5,000, it was more a flight of fancy for a few VW engineers than a serious attempt to create a hot hatch market. However, stellar sales meant that every generation of the Golf has had its GTi, with varying success. The Mark II of the mid-1980s is regarded as the pinnacle of VW's efforts with the Golf.
The magic started to fade with the next two versions, as the car became heavier and further removed from the raw enthusiasm of the original GTi. Over the 30 years, the original's sharp chiselled lines have given way to a more rounded bulbous look and the car has evidently put on a few pounds. But then so have many of its owners. Now the fifth generation has arrived. While it's still got the rounded looks and extra weight, this time it's muscle not fat.
The ride and handling is passionate and precise, the overall feel behind the wheel one of solidity and sturdiness. The ride is stiffer than the regular model, but not to the point of discomfort.
In many high-performance derivatives, you get the impression that all the violent jolts as it powers forward will, over time, loosen panels and fittings. With the Golf, however, you get a sense that this car is well put together and should hold up to the rigours of a more racy lifestyle than is likely to be experienced by the regular versions.
Of course, all that power through the front wheels leads to a degree of torque steer. On the grimy, slippery roads that we have, it takes a very gentle right foot to avoid wheel spin when pulling away, even at the most sedate speeds. The result is old women mouthing "hooligan" every time you pull away from the shops. But it's all part of the fun.
The 2-litre engine is turbocharged and the wheeze can be heard distinctly at about 2,000 rpm, when a sudden surge of power is offered. It's all the more evident with the six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), VW's excellent automatic transmission that is shared through the brands in the VW group.
It's virtually impossible to note the gear changes thanks to its dual clutch system. In sports mode the revs stretch right to the red line, the engine note rising a couple of octaves and performance becoming noticeably sharper. Even when idling, the GTi gurgles with menace. It all adds to the effect.
Fuel consumption is quite impressive. Over a 200-km journey, we managed an average of 34 mpg or 8.3 litres every 100 km. That's a reasonable figure, particularly for such a potent car.
Inside it's largely the same as the regular Golf, with all the pros and cons that entails. The backlit blue dials are not to our taste.
There's plenty of storage space - and room in the back for two adults to sit comfortably. The slightly cropped steering wheel is chunky - perfect for guiding the car along tight twisting roads.
One tip we would offer: in a choice between the leather seats and the Interlagos fabric, save your money and go for the far more racy fabric. It looks so much more the part. Spend whatever you save on getting air conditioning - we're still in shock at the fact that it's not standard on a €36,000-plus car.
We have never been a member of the flourishing Golf appreciation society, in any of its guises. This car changed our view.
Even in aesthetics, the car looks to pack far more of a punch, thanks to the imposing honeycomb grille. First revealed at the Paris Motor Show last year, it failed to show its true nature until parked alongside regular traffic on Irish roads and car parks. There it sends a message of menace, just the thing to go with those three little letters.
It proves that deep within the conservative ranks of Golf engineers, beats the rebellious heart that spawned the original GTi.
There's no escaping the VW's strongest features: rock solid resale values, an upmarket image and a dependability and practicality that's hard to match. The GTi brings it all together in a superb crescendo and offers an invigorating drive. And for that we must give praise.