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VW reveals tweaked Golf6 GTI

THE BEST MADE BETER: More power and modest styling refinements characterise VW’s latest limited edition GTI derivative.
THE BEST MADE BETER: More power and modest styling refinements characterise VW’s latest limited edition GTI derivative.
The seminal hot hatch celebrates 35 years of family friendly performance motoring in 2011 and fittingly, VW’s decided to release a special commemorative model.

Based on the Golf6 GTI, the Edition 35 derivative will be officially revealed at the legendary VW tuning festival that happens each year at Worthersee, in Austria, during the first week of June.

Visually, the Edition 35 is differentiated from standard GTIs by a signature snowflake split-spoke alloy wheel design, obligatory red hued braked calipers and a remoulded front bumper, creating the illusion of a wider, lower stance.

The GTI Edition 35’s cabin gains part-leather bucket seats complete with (regulation) 35 badging and the traditional GTI embossed golf ball shifter top, a feature of recent special edition GTIs that pay homage to the original MK1 car.

BETWEEN GTI AND R-LINE

This latest commemorative Golf GTI is not a unique marketing spin-off.

Five years ago VW built an Edition 30 (featuring a power boost and styling add-ons), and the new Edition model traces this heritage by producing an additional 18 units of power from the GTI’s 2-litre turbocharged engine.

Although the Edition 35’s 173kW power peak is well short (by 23kW) of VW’s Golf R, it should translate into a usable quantity of supplementary performance compared to the factory standard GTI. Expect the GTI’s claimed 6.9 second 0-100km/h benchmark sprint statistic to be trimmed a (good) few tenths of a second closer to 6 second dead.

Beyond the boost in power VW is mum on any other mechanical engineering modifications. Back in 2006 the Edition 30 did ride on a lowered suspension set-up. It’s therefore highly likely that Edition 35 could feature some of the Golf R’s suspension tweaks, which should round-off its dynamics very neatly indeed.

VW is expected to market the GTI Edition 35 in both three- and five-door configuration, with both six-speed manual and DSG transmission options on offer.

The Golf5 GTI-based Edition 30 never found its way to South African dealers, and the chances of this Edition 35 model making a local debut are rather slim too. All things considered, it would still be nice to have option on those snowflake-shaped alloy wheels for your standard GTI (instead of the second-generation telephone-dial GTI alloys), now wouldn't it?
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