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Golf GTI "Made in China"

Seeing the “made in China” label on an iconic performance vehicle didn’t seem too probable, but it looks like this will happen during the course of the current year: Volkswagen will domestically produce the GTIs destined for the Chinese market, as China Daily writes.

The announcement was made by Winfried Vahland, president of Volkswagen Group China."(Sales) volume is not important for the Golf GTI. The important thing is that we can do this (produce sports cars) in China," Vahland told the aforementioned source. The executive stressed the fact that 80 percent of GTI’s components are produced in the country.

Volkswagen expects that the GTI will account for 10 percent of the Golf line-up sales in China. The VW-FAW joint venture introduced the sixth generation Golf on the Chinese market last year.

"The Golf GTI is a car of emotion and targets young buyers between the ages of 25 and 30," Vahland was quoted as saying by China Daily.

The introduction of the GTI is part of a much greater plan that Volkswagen has developed for the Chinese market. The carmaker wants to take advantage of the country’s booming automotive market, so it will bring a total of seven models to China throughout the current year.

The Golf GTI is credited for creating the hot hatch segment as we know it today. The current version of the car is powered by a turbocharged 2.0 liter TSI engine that develops 211 HP and 280 Nm of torque. The iconic car deals with the first hundred in 6.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of 149 mph (240 km/h). On the Chinese market, the car currently retails for $34,543 (equipped with the DSG double clutch gearbox).
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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