Despite it arriving in the same year that the Golf turned 50, VW did not make a huge fuss of its latest GTI when it revealed it back in January. Partly that was due to it being unveiled alongside the rest of the Mk8.5 lineup - including the electrified models that the firm was keener to talk about - and partly it was because the lustier, more expensive performance editions were held back. You’ll likely recall that the covers came off the 300hp Clubsport earlier this month. The Golf R is still to come.
In the meantime, the humble GTI is about to go on sale in the UK. Although, in fairness, this is the least humble it’s ever been: thanks to a 20hp increase in output, the Mk8.5 gets 265hp - roughly the same amount that you got from the Golf R when it launched 15 years ago. Moreover, thanks to the absence of a six-speed manual (the GTI is now exclusively available with the seven-speed DSG), the Mk8.5 gets a fairly punchy 5.9-second-0-62mph time. Ford reckons the manual Focus ST, with 280hp, will break the tape in 5.8 seconds.
The comparison is more relevant than ever because family-sized, front-drive rivals are few and far between these days. We won’t bother with a list of the fallen (it’s too depressing) but suffice it to say that for as long as Ford keeps making it, the ST is going to be the GTI’s main rival. Accordingly, it is definitely not a coincidence that the price difference is minimal: from June 20th you can order a new Golf from £38,900, while the Focus costs from £37,705 - or £39,155 if you’d prefer the automatic.
On the basis of the Golf arriving with keyless access, heated front sports seats, three-zone climate control, rear-view camera, and adaptive cruise control - not to mention the latest LED matrix headlights and 12.9-inch touchscreen - VW will probably feel like the GTI is right where it needs to be. Obviously, it’ll be interesting to see where the Clubsport lands (certainly it will undercut the £50k Civic Type R) although from June 27th there’s also the option of the 272hp GTE, which adds the prospect of up to 82 miles of electric range for £39,750 if you can live with its combination of 1.5-litre TSI and 19.7kWh battery. No? Us neither.
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