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And Volkswagen Australia has confirmed the frugal fast four will be priced under the five-door $40,490 GTi when it arrives. By adding a turbo-diesel with ‘GTi’ credentials, VW Australia is hoping to pick up where the previous-generation GT Sport left off.
Because the five-door petrol GTi is the most popular model here, VW Australia spokesman, Karl Gehling, says only the five-door hatch GTD will be available. "The three-door actually makes up a small proportion of total petrol GTi sales," he says.
The GTD is no slug. It will hit 100km/h in 8.1 seconds and has a top speed of 220km/h with a combined with average fuel consumption of just 5.3 litres/100km, giving the car a range of more than 1000km. VW has applied the lessons learned through the creation of the sixth-generation GTI to the GTD.
The GTD is powered by a 2.0-litre common-rail TDI engine that develops 125kW at 4200 revs and 350Nm from 1750 revs and CO2 emissions of just 139 g/km. Like its petrol brother, the car gets a sharper chassis, firmer suspension, 15mm lower ride height and the added benefit of riding the torque wave from just 1750 revs.
The car is expected to be available with either a six-speed manual or DSG gearbox. Visually the GTD takes its cues from the GTi. It gets the GTI's honeycomb grille, badge-style and front-end design, though with the addition of chrome rather than red highlights.
The Golf's standard wheels are replaced with 17-inch Seattle Black alloys. Inside, the main contact points are unique to the Golf GTD: a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a GTD gearshift and a standard tartan interior. The tartan finish is subtly different from the GTI, being grey, white and black, rather than red, white and black.
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