Following the launch of the new Mark VII Volkswagen Golf last year, VW have now announced the first of it's variants, the sporty Golf GTD.
Scheduled to make it's debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 5th, the GTD is set to be only available in Europe ( at least for the foreseeable future.) It's also expected to be joined at the show by the new GTI and e-Golf electric car.
Like all Mark VII variants, the GTD benefits from the Volkswagen Group MQB platform, allowing for more powerful engine and more interior space with better fuel economy and less weight than previous generation cars.
Underneath the bonnet it's eqipped with the brand new EA288 TDI turbodiesel engine, which is set to provide 184bhp as opposed to only 168bhp in the Mark VI version of the same car, giving it a top speed of 143mph, taking care of 0-60mph in 7.5secs. Interestingly it delivers it's peak torque from as little as 1,750rpm, which should make the new GTD fairly nippy in city driving!
It's available in both 6-speed manual and 6-speed DSG transmissions, with VW claiming that the manual option being more efficient, getting about 56mpg from motorway driving as opposed to only 50mpg with the automatic.
On the outside the GTD has a new design one that picks up many of the GTI's styling tweaks: a sporty looking body kit, 17" 'GTD' alloys and a lowered suspension along with the obligatory chrome-tipped exhausts. Even the inside is set to look more like the GTI, with sports steering wheel and metal pedals, as well as touch-screen 'infotainment' system.
No pricing as yet from Volkswagen, but it's due to hit the showrooms around summertime
