Yahoo Autos Volkswagen Golf GTI gets major overhaul for final petrol outing
The Mk8.5 Golf is due to be revealed early next year
The Volkswagen Golf GTI is being prepared for one final outing with petrol power as the firm begins laying the groundwork for the hallowed performance badge’s electric future.
After VW revealed the striking ID GTI concept as a near preview of its first EV hot hatchback, based on the upcoming ID 2, its petrol forebear is gearing up for upgrades that look set to bring more power alongside dramatic technological advances and a wide-reaching interior rethink.
Due to be revealed early next year as part of the facelifted Golf line-up, the ‘Mk8.5’ GTI is tipped to stick with pure-combustion power, even as Volkswagen ushers in new mild-hybrid and longer-range plug-in hybrid versions of the standard Golf.
The hot hatch’s EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 242bhp in the current car, giving it a 0-62mph time of 6.3sec and a governed 155mph top speed.
But that engine is tipped to be significantly updated for its final years in production, with the GTI Clubsport ramping output to 296bhp and the four-wheel-drive Golf R touting 326bhp in its most potent form.
The standard GTI’s focus on delivering ‘everyday performance’ means such lofty figures will remain the preserve of those range-toppers, but VW has confirmed the new Tiguan and Passat will be offered with a version of the petrol four-pot that lifts output to 262bhp.
Given the Golf uses the same MQB Evo architecture as those larger siblings, the possibility for that more potent motor to be used in the GTI is evident.
VW has yet to detail exact performance figures, but a 20bhp increase – along with an expected hike in torque to around 300lb ft – could drop the GTI’s 0-62mph time below 6.0sec and make it a closer match for the newer and faster Honda Civic Type R.
The power increase will come alongside revisions to the GTI’s chassis in pursuit of keener dynamics and enhanced rolling refinement. The latest iteration of the MQB platform, as used by the Tiguan and Passat, brings a stiffer rear axle carrier that’s claimed to improve rolling refinement and cornering performance, as well as a more advanced version of the DCC adaptive suspension system that made its debut underneath the current GTI.
