As if everybody forgot the Golf GTI introduced the range-topping TCR last year at Worthersee, Volkswagen is much obliged to remind us what makes it great. But on the flip side, the marketing mumbo-jumbo is once again bordering on ridiculous, with Volkswagen promising “the genes of a race car.”
The truth of the matter is, the touring car is based on the road-going Golf GTI. Pricing for the go-faster racer with wheel-arch extensions kicks off at 95,000 euros for the DSG and 115,000 euros for the sequential transmission, figures that aren’t exactly on par with the Golf GTI or even the Golf R for that matter.
As far as the bodywork is concerned, the brochure for the Golf GTI TCR that’s not entitled to wear a license plate reads “reinforced production steel body in line with TCR regulations.” By reinforced, Volkswagen means “extremely different, plus lots of aerodynamic optimization, a roll cage, no floor mats, and seating for one.”
Now that this rant is over, there’s no denying the Golf GTI TCR is a fun-to-drive hot hatchback. Starting at 38,950 euros in Germany, this pocket rocket features 290 PS (286 horsepower) from 2.0 liters of displacement and 380 Nm (280 pound-feet) available from 1,950 up to 5,300 rpm.
There’s no other way of saying this, but the GTI TCR is the fastest front-wheel-drive Golf that Volkswagen sells these days. Part of this speed (5.6 seconds to 100 km/h; 260 km/h on full song) comes down to the seven-speed DSG, a transmission that’s also used by the Golf R (4.6 seconds; 267 km/h).
The limited-edition Golf GTI Clubsport S might’ve been more hardcore and some people prefer a three-pedal setup, but fret not. There’s an all-new Golf in the pipeline for before the ID. electric hatchback starts production in November 2019, featuring an evolution of the MQB and upgraded engine options.
EA288 Evo is the name of the redesigned 2.0 TDI the Golf will use, sporting a 12-volt belt starter-generator system. In addition to mild-hybrid assistance, there’s talk the Golf R could be pushed to 400 PS or thereabouts. Reports in the German automotive media peg the Golf GTI in the ballpark of 300 PS, also coming courtesy of the 2.0 TSI.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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