Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the Golf GTI Pirelli

The Golf GTI Pirelli is back (but only in the UK right now). Celebrating its arrival after a 25-year absence, the Pirelli-themed Volkswagen hatchback features an enhanced version of the 2.0-liter T-FSI powerplant boosted to 230 PS (about 227 hp). Power is sent to the front wheels through a traditional 6-speed manual, or VW's very nice twin-clutch DSG gearbox. The added 30 horses over the stock VW GTI drops the sprint time to 60 down to just 6.8 seconds and raises the hatchback's maximum speed to 152 mph.

Differentiating itself from the standard GTI, the Pirelli version features a front splitter, side skirts, smoked rear lenses and tinted windows. Of course, it also gets 18-inch 5-spoke aluminum wheels wrapped in, you guessed it, Pirelli P-Zero tires. The Pirelli theme is carried to the interior with custom yellow-stitched sport seats and tire-tread imprints in all four seating positions. With a few added mechanical upgrades, several exterior enhancements, and a lot of interior branding, the GTI Pirelli package appears to be a slick package. That is, assuming you don't tire of it. (Oh, come on, we just had to say that.)

After checking our archives, we noticed that Volkswagen actually previewed the GTI Pirelli at the Wörthersee show last year, and we're happy to report that the spokes on each wheel are still exaggerated versions of the letter 'P'.

[Source: Volkswagen]

It's easy for a car maker to take one of its econoboxes, shoehorn in a more powerful engine and call it sporty. It's another thing entirely to make it enjoyable to use with minor touches like the 2007 Volkswagen GTI's leather-covered owner's manual stored out of the way on a shelf above the glove box, or the lighted door lock switches, and the little plastic flap that covers the greasy hatch mechanism (right). None of these things alone would get much attention in most car reviews, but add them up and they take a starring role in this one.

If you read John Neff's GTI 2-door review, you know all the statistical stuff about VW's new pocket rocket, but let's run through them anyway so we're all on the same page. The turbocharged 2.0 I4 engine pumps out 200 hp and 207 lbs. ft. of torque in a four-door car that weighs just over 3,100 pounds and does it getting decent mpg. Its modestly handsome good looks aren't easily distinguished from lesser vehicles, a good thing when attempting above-legal speeds on public roads. Not that we would encourage that, of course.

Continue reading Autoblog's review of Volkswagen's five-door GTI after the jump.

Two factory-built GTIs will mark Volkswagen's return to the 24-hours at Nürburgring this week. The cars are modified production vehicles with 300 hp under their hoods. They'll be helping VW usher in the newish R-Line banner, using some of the distinctive parts found on models like the Golf R32 and Passat R36. Volkswagen has been testing the GTIs quite a bit to get them ready for the race, including a 4-hour stint around the Green Hell last month.

The original GTI was launched in 1976, but it wasn't until 20 years later that Volkswagen started using a factory team to test its street technology in the 24-hour enduro. And this year they get to test the 2.0 L TFSI motor and six-speed DSG gearbox, which sounds like it could be a lot of fun around that Behemoth. Piloting the GTIs will be an all-star cast of VW employees, racers and VW-affiliated personalities. Look for Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg (management board), Bernd Ostmann (auto motor und sport editor), Dieter Depping and François Verbist (Volkswagen Dakar racers) in the 101 car. The number 111 GTI will be driven by Polo Cup winners René Rast and Jimmy Johansson, Lupo Cup competitor and Seat Cup champion, Florian Gruber, and also Dieter Depping, who will do double duty during the race driving both cars.

Full, lengthy press release available after the jump.

[Source: Volkswagen]

You can probably guess how much fun reading our mail is here at Autoblog. Tips and comments come flooding in all day and all night. Sometimes the tips are good, sometimes not so much, and sometimes we just can't figure them out. Whether it's a missing link, an incorrect link, or a link to a foreign language site, we sometimes have to pass on what might have been a great post. Of course, there are times when just the graphic is enough to create a post, because it is so compelling. Despite a lack of information, we occasionally decide to run a story with little or no supporting material. As you can probably guess, this is one of those times. We got this tip about an artist's interpretation of a future VW. Whether it's supposed to be a new Polo or Golf is unknown, but it definitely has style to spare and we felt like it was interesting enough to share with all of you. The best guess at a translation of the text is printed after the jump.

Thanks for the tip, Kevin!

[Source: Sina Blog]

Click above for 8 high-res images

For those wanting a little ray of sunshine in this seemingly endless winter, Volkswagen has a treat for you. The Fahrenheit GTI should be available right now at your local VW dealership. Limited to only 1,200 copies, this sunny flier might be exactly what you're looking for. If the driving experience doesn't lighten your mood, the bright orange paint certainly will. Besides the "Fahrenheit" badging and individual vehicle number on the three-spoke steering wheel, this special edition gets the European sport-tuned suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels, mostly leather heated seats and sunroof, as well as all of those spiffy Fahrenheit orange interior accents and matching stitching on the floor mats, DSG boot, brake handle and steering wheel. DSG only on this one, at a starting price of just $27,665. We saw one of these in Chicago and can honestly say that the color pops, if that's what you're looking for. We might hold out for the R32 ourselves.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Fans everywhere of the sporty A3 hatchback have even more reason to drool -- its wicked twin, the Audi S3, just launched in Paris, and we've got pictures to prove it, thanks to Autoblog's Eric Bryant.

With 265 turbocharged horses pumped out by one of Audi's new TFSI engines, this is one hot hatch to watch. A six-speed close-ratio manual gearbox puts the power to the road through Audi's signature quattro all-wheel drive system, and a beefed-up suspension system takes care of the handling. Sport seats characterize the interior, with aluminum accents and panel inlay options of piano finish black, more aluminum or birch wood grain. Upholstery is cloth/leather combo unless upgraded to all leather, and the orange is SWEET in this Autoblogger's humble opinion.

Styling is another notch above the A3, where an extended front fascia and 18-inch wheels make their mark. The only complaint we have is the rear end, which the vehicle shares with the A3 -- the tail lights lack the kind of inspiration seen in the Q7 and other siblings.

The benefits of owning an S3 don't come cheap -- the vehicle starts out at 35,150 euro, or $44,650.

AutoWeek attended the SEMA International Auto Salon, a car show for sport compacts and the segment of the aftermarket industry serving sport compacts, and AW writers were sad to see the sorry state the Salon has come to -- moving from the Los Angeles Convention Center to Atlantic City, and finally, to the Fort Washington Expo Center, where the show was small, the roof leaked, and the fit and finish was less than high-end. They came away wondering, is the sport compact market on its way out?

Maybe, but probably not. The moral of the story -- consumer tastes are changing away from Honda Civics and their ilk in favor of a variety of different cars. Sport compact or not, in these hard economic times only the fittest will survive. That said, we fully expect the nascent European compact class (Volkswagen GTI, Audi A3, MINI Cooper, Volvo S30, etc.) to strike a major chord with the tuner culture, perhaps eating into the largely Japanese-badged front-wheel-drive import scene.

In an effort to move the Impreza to appeal more to family types, Subaru is taking its Impreza and turning it into a 'daring' hatchback. Or at least UK pub Auto Express says so, which doesn't completely rule out a sedan model for the U.S. market. Of course, with the sudden bumper crop of foreign-badged three-and-five doors available in North America (Volkswagen GTI, Audi A3, MINI Cooper, the soon-to-be Volvo S40, etc.), we wouldn't count on it.

According to AE, the next Impreza is expected to debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, with lower-rung Imprezas looking to convert buyers of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit (which we thought was the M.O. all along, no?).

For diehard Subie fans, rest assured that the automaker still plans on an STi putting out over 300 horsepower to balance the enthusiast's books.

(Thanks to ebm14 for the tip!)

[Source: Auto Express]