The long-awaited Mark 7 version of Volkswagen’s iconic GTI hatchback has gone into production at the main Wolfsburg factory of Europe’s largest carmaker.
The very first new-generation Golf GTI off the assembly line in Germany was a four-door example finished in vivid “Tornado Red” with sports seats in the classic chequered pattern and a lusty 2.0-litre, turbocharged engine under the bonnet.
The petrol unit turns out 230 horsepower, enabling the car to sprint from zero to 100 kilometres per hour (62 miles an hour) in 6.5 seconds. Thanks to a range of economy measures, the sporting Golf is around 18 per cent more frugal on fuel than its predecessor.
Pundits hailed the Mk7 Golf GTI as the best ever when the wraps came off a gleaming white model at the recent Geneva car show.
VW says it is expecting lively sales of the car which is considerably more complex to produce than the basic Mk7 Golf, although it shares many common parts.
VW’s research and development boss Ulrich Hackenberg says the new Golf GTI is lighter and faster than all the previous incarnations, offering “outstanding performance in a car that’s both comfortable and sporty”.
German drivers have been able to order the model from March, with other key European markets due for delivery in the summer.