The MK. VI Golf/GTI was nice, but it was no secret that it was really more of a MK. V.5 that a real successor. The MK. VII will be an all new car on an all new platform that will eventually underlay everything from the Polo to the Passat to the Audi TT. It had better be good. The GTI stands to benefit quite nicely from the new platform in a number of ways, and of course, that's the VW model we're most interested in. Rather than make you wade through a wall of text, we're just going to give it to you in as concise a manner as possible.
- New Golf and GTI models will be around 154lbs lighter than the outgoing models.
- Because of a new welding technique the GTI will get an aluminium roof for another 50lbs or so.
- The engine will get a small power bump. It won't go above 230hp though.
- The engine will get an awesome torque bump to 260 ft-lbs. Drool.
- Front wheels are more forward to reduce the nose-heavy feeling.
- All new suspension parts.
- There will be a 190hp/280ft-lbs diesel that will probably stay in Europe.
- Radar cruise control.
- 8" touch screen with proximity sensor.
Sounds killer to us. Hopefully all that platform sharing brings the price down a bit too.
[via Top Gear]
