Volkswagen has unveiled its new flagship Golf GTI at the Wörthersee festival in Austria. The Golf GTI TCR uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine delivering 290hp to its front wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox. Top speed is an impressive 164mph with the electronic limiter removed.
The TCR is the road-going version of VW’s 350hp Golf TCR racer. A redesigned front bumper and splitter feeds air to two extra radiators, while the rear boasts a larger roof spoiler and aggressive diffuser housing twin tailpipes. A new colour, Pure Grey, is available exclusively for this special edition.
That 290hp output which pushes it power from 5,000-6,800rpm is much more powerful than VW’s production 245hp Golf GTI Performance and it is just a smidgen behind the 310hp 4WD VW Golf R.
The GTI TCR rides on 18-inch forged alloys, with uprated brakes and a locking front differential. A titanium exhaust system from Akrapovič is provided for tune and grunt.
Inside, the VW TCR has torso-hugging sports seats, a racing-style ‘12 o’clock’ marker on the steering wheel and go-faster stripes on the seatbelts.
This special VW Golf does not have a sticker price as yet and its production run for the right hand drive markets like Malaysia is yet to be decided.
