2022 VW GTI gets performance software, 242 hp and optional 2-cup tires
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After the (virtual) debut of the Volkswagen GTI Mk8 at the Geneva International Motor Show (canceled) this year, VW has more details to share about the beloved hot tailgate. Although the car still has more than a year to reach the coasts of the United States. In the U.S., company executives revealed some of the key details of GTI's performance in an interview on virtual media.
The warm hatch gets hotter
At the heart of the 8th generation GTI is a new version of VW's 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, good for 242 horsepower (180 kilowatts) and 273 pound-feet of torque (273 newton meters), respective gains of 14 hp (10 kW) and 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) compared to 2020 GTI. A six-speed manual transmission and a DSG seven-speed automatic transmission will be available at all trim levels. According to VW, 40% of customers opt for the Mk7 manual, which gives them many reasons to keep the three-pedal option for the Mk8.
The two most notable parts of the standard performance kit for the Mk8 are the limited-slip differential and the complex Vehicle Dynamics Manager (VDM). Although a standard LSD is not new to GTI, the VDM system is an important addition. Think of this system as the performance brain of GTI, which monitors key systems, including adaptive dampers, LSD and steering, hundreds of times per second. Along the way, the "brain" can add braking force to the inner wheel to help the car turn, speed up the car's response to steering, and reduce roll stiffness, among other tricks. All of this, says VW, makes the GTI a much more dynamic controller than its predecessor.
From a hardware point of view, VW went to town to review the suspension of the GTI, which consists of a MacPherson front end and a multi-link rear end. There are reconfigured springs and shock absorbers, as well as a lighter aluminum subframe at the front. Spring rates are five percent stiffer in the front and 15 percent stiffer in the rear compared to the Mk7.
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Based on the information provided, there will be five wheel options for the new GTI, including sizes 17, 18 and 19 inches. All wheels are wrapped in Bridgestone rims, but the 19-inch wheel has 235-section wider rubber for better grip. Speaking of which, Volkswagen will also be offering a Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 option, which will certainly add an extra boost to the cornering skills of the GTI.
Although we weren't going to be driving for a while, VW has shed some light on how these changes work on the Mk8 in the real world. On the company's test track in Germany, test driver Benjamin Leuchter drove an Mk7 GTI Performance and an Mk8 GTI with identical powers and identical tires. Around the 2.0-mile track, the Mk8 was four seconds faster, without the optional Michelins. Although the test is difficult to contextualize, it shows how the Mk8 reduces power better than its predecessor.
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What can we expect
VW also hinted at what we can expect from GTI, at least in terms of timing. According to executive vice president of products, marketing and strategy, Hein Schafer, VW is considering "a sale date at the end of next year, and the Mk8 GTI will arrive in the United States as a model by 2022 ".
As for the other variants? Well, the success of the Mk7 in North America means that Wolfsburg leaders are taking a closer look at bringing more golf courses to the United States. Schafer explained, "We are fighting hard to get every version of GTI to reach the American market." Although the costs of homologating the engine may interfere with this, the hope has not been lost to having more track-oriented cars like the TCR and Clubsport in our hands.
VW was less willing to talk about the details of the Golf R for now, but they confirmed their return in 2022, with the GTI. Either way, enthusiasts can breathe deeply knowing that Volkswagen's hot hatches have a bright and fast future.
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