The Volkswagen Golf GTI is one of the most popular Volkswagens on our roads. If you want to argue then I suggest that you go and stand outside and count them as they come past. Everything just works so well and this is proof by the many awards that the Golf has won on a global scale. The Golf GTI is not the most exciting performance hatch out there when it comes to its looks, I will admit however it is incredibly hard to fault the cars mechanical qualities. Now though Volkswagen has given the GTI even more mechanical qualities and they say that these enhancements completely transform the GTI.
The Golf GTI Performance Pack arrived at our office and both Sean and I looked at the car trying to figure out what is different about it. The most noticeable difference is the wheels. Our test car was fitted with stunning 19″ Santiago alloy wheels, which just happen to be a R7 650 option as we later found out, a bit disappointing really. Other styling differences include red GTI badges and as well as GTI branded brake callipers.
Inside the car it’s pretty much standard Volkswagen. The only difference is that you won’t find a manual gearbox as the DSG box comes standard, as does the dynamic chassis control system.
The car also develops more power, 169kW instead of 162kW as in the standard car. The cars 0-100km/h time has also been shortened by an eye blinking 0.1 seconds which means that the Performance Pack will hit 100km/h in 6.2 seconds instead of 6.3 as in the standard car.
Not impressed by those figures? Me neither…
So, the question is simple: Is the GTI Performance Pack worth its R452 000 price tag? Which is a cool R20 000 more than its standard Golf GTI DSG sibling. Well the short answer is yes.
You might be wondering to yourself why I have said that, well let me explain. You see the biggest changes to the Golf GTI Performance pack are to be found the under skin. Those fancy branded brake callipers have been improved and so to have the brakes themselves. However the most impressive feature has to be the clever electronically-controlled torque vectoring differential which improves handling and grip. This addition completely transforms the Golf GTI.
The standard Golf GTI is no blob of jelly on a track however the enhancements to the Performance Pack have just turned the GTI’s volume knob up to 11. The GTI Performance Pack just holds its line better than the standard car. It is able to transfer up to 100 per cent of its power to either the left or right wheel whereas the standard car is only able to transfer up to 50 per cent to each individual front wheel. This improves cornering grip in the Performance Pack as well as reduces understeer.
Now earlier I said that the Performance Pack is worth the extra cash over the standard car but only if you enjoy exploring the limits of your GTI or if you visit the track on a regular basis. You can feel the diff working and the brakes are able to take some more punishment, the car feels sharper and more focused. Yet if you just want a good, fast and well-built performance hatchback to tickle your wild side now and then, well you can’t really go wrong with the standard Golf GTI in my opinion.
As for me? I’d pay the extra R20 000.
