Its odd how entire years of our childhood can be condensed into a single event. For me, my sole recollection of 1977 is queuing round the block and then paying 55p for a kids ticket to see Star Wars. Thats it. As an eight year old, the introduction of the Mk1 Golf GTI rather passed me by.
I was probably too interested in hatching plans to relieve Trevor McCrisken of his Darth Vader stick to notice that Volkswagen had single-handedly changed the way we looked at small, fast cars. Almost thirty years down the road, the Golf GTI is still with us, although to commemorate the anniversary, Volkswagen have released a version that definitely has something of the dark side about it.
Where the original was powered by a 112bhp engine, this latest version more than doubles that power output, fully 228bhp now streaming to the front wheels when throttle meets bulkhead. Of course, the GTI has put on more than a few pounds as it approaches thirtysomething but the power to weight ratio nevertheless weighs in this cars favour. The same cant be said for the price. Back in 1977 the old Golf GTI cost £5,217.
That figure adjusted for inflation would today equal around £19,000 but youd need at least £22,500 to get your hands on one of these GTI Edition 30 models. Still, looking at the specification lists of the two cars, it has to be said that the premium is well worthwhile. Any car that lists a push button radio with one speaker as a big selling point is probably going to struggle against one that features anti lock brakes, electronic stability control, six airbags, a CD stereo and 2Zone climate control. Its not as if the original can even claim to be a better drive.
It was great for 1977 but lose the rose-tinted specs and drive one today and youll find incredibly heavy steering, modest front end grip and an interior that twitters like a starling roost. Still, it did well enough to shift over 19,500 examples until it was replaced by the chubbier MK2 in 1984. The Edition 30 wont make anything like those numbers, Volkswagen limiting production to just 1,500 UK examples. Aside from choosing which one of the six paint colours to choose from (and how can you resist Candy White?), the big question for Golf GTI Edition 30 buyers will be whether to spend the additional £1,300 on the DSG gearbox.
Im normally rather unimpressed by sequential manual gearboxes but this twin-clutch affair is something rather special and some day in the not too distant future, almost all gearboxes could well be built this way. Unless youre a heel and toe fetishist, its money well spent.
"Thirty years is quite some performance"
One reason why and this is quite some blow to the macho sensibility - is that it makes the GTI a faster car. Opt for the manual car and youll need 6.6 seconds to get to 60mph, the sprint incorporating a hurried shift from first to second. The DSG-equipped car will polish off that sprint in just 6.4 seconds, establishing a half car lengths advantage. To kids who were weaned on whether Darth Vaders TIE fighter could outstrip a Rebel Y-wing bomber, these things are important. Both cars will run on to a top speed of 150mph. It may not possess a twin ion engine but the 2.0-litre FSI unit is the next best thing. Boosted from its standard 197bhp to a healthy 228bhp, it retains that uncanny ability of its donor to rarely feel as if its relying on a turbocharger to do the donkey work, the smooth swell of power from as little as 1,5000rpm giving it the characteristic of a much larger naturally-aspirated powerplant. Small wonder that the detuned version of this engine has claimed International Engine of the Year awards back to back in it s class in 2005 and 2006. Fuel Stratified Injection is a system that promises the twin benefits of more power and better economy.
A high-pressure fuel line mounted on the side of the cylinder head, often dubbed common rail, injects fuel straight into the combustion chamber. The shape of the pistons and the clever working of a set of valves make the air tumble, thus creating more efficient combustion. Where FSI engines really impress is their behaviour under part throttle loads. Whereas before, part throttle meant just that, partially strangulating the output by closing a butterfly valve, the FSI system can be run with the throttles in a more efficient open position.
How? In effect by creating a rich fuel mix directly next to the spark plug and a leaner mix in other parts of the combustion chamber. This is not only more efficient in terms of how much fuel enters the chamber in the first place but it also means that less energy is wasted as heat to the cylinder block. In effect, a blanket of air shields the ignited fuel from the walls of the cylinder. So much for the ironmongery under the bonnet: many will be more concerned with how the car looks and its easy to mistake this Golf variant for its R32 big brother. Multispoke 18-inch Pescara alloys see to that, while the body-coloured side skirts, a deeper chin spoiler and a colour-keyed rear bumper all give the car a more aggressive mien. Tinted rear lights and a small GTI badge finish the look while inside, theres that visual pun of a golf ball gear knob, silver sill plates, sports eats and a sculpted leather GTI steering wheel with red stitching. The Golf GTI Edition 30 is bigger, faster, better equipped, safer and, at significant risk of being tarred and feathered by Volkswagen historians, Id say its more fun than the old car.
Theres progress for you.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30
PRICES: £22,545 - £23,045 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 18
CO2 EMISSIONS: 194g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 150mph / 0-60mph 6.6s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 33mpg (overall)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags / ABS / Side airbags / ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4204/2000/1470mm
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