Test drivers are evaluating a final flagship for the hatchback range, badged the R36. Powered by the 3.6-litre V6 that debuted in the Passat, the car will offer between 280 and 300bhp. Due on sale early next year, it will hit the road 12 months ahead of the March 2008 debut of the new-look Golf. Prices are still being kept under wraps, although it's expected the newcomer will cost at least £1,500 more than the current R32, weighing in at £26,000.

The model is based on the four-wheel-drive R32, but the increased performance means changes will be made to the suspension and brakes. Extra cooling will also be required to feed cold air to the bigger engine. New 19-inch alloys, inspired by the Lamborghini Gallardo's rims, will be available, too.

Thanks to the revised suspension settings and larger wheels, the car will be more driver-focused and less refined than the R32, which was praised for its ability to cover ground quickly, but criticised for its lack of character. With an additional 50bhp, the new car is expected to be able to sprint from 0-60mph in only 6.0 seconds, while the maximum speed will be limited to 155mph. However, in-gear performance is likely to give the R36 its greatest appeal, although the engineers' biggest challenge will be retaining the light, direct steering and supple ride of the brilliant Golf GTI.

With an additional 50bhp, the new car is expected to be able to sprint from 0-60mph in only 6.0 seconds, while the maximum speed will be limited to 155mph.

Volkswagen has dropped the biggest hint yet at a powered-up version of the fifth-generation GTI with this 30th-anniversary-edition concept.

Unveiled in the German city of Gelsenkirchen, the Golf Edition 30 concept gets a retuned turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 230 hp—30 hp more than the standard version of Wolfsburg’s born-again hot hatch.

Although Volkswagen officials describe the new car as a design exercise, VW sources suggest plans are under way to produce the car this year in a move that would retrace the GTI’s 20th and 25th anniversaries. VW commemorated both anniversaries with special limited-edition models, each boasting a more powerful engine than the standard siblings. No word yet on U.S. sales plans.

The three-door 30th-anniversary-edition GTI also receives black 18-inch alloy wheels, darkened tail-lamp lenses and “Edition 30” badges. Inside there are sport seats covered in a combination of leather and checkered cloth, a leather-trimmed steering wheel with red stitching and a golf ball-style gear knob—all resembling the original GTI launched in 1976.

Now that Volkswagen’s GTI is here and the return of the Rabbit (formerly known as Golf) is imminent, VW is confirming the next piece of the product picture: R32, the performance variant of the Golf that went on sale in Europe last fall (News, Aug. 15, 2005) will arrive in the States in June 2007 as a 2008 model.

The only question remaining is whether they’ll chance calling it a Rabbit R32, or just leave well enough alone.

The fastest and most powerful production Golf GTI yet is set to kick off celebrations as 2007 marks the 30th anniversary of the original hot hatch – the Mk1 Golf GTI. Despite three decades having passed since the defining GTI was conceived, the spirit of the original is still very much alive in the new Golf GTI Edition 30.

At its heart is an uprated version of the 2.0-litre, ultra-responsive four-cylinder T-FSI engine fitted to the standard GTI. The result is 230 PS – a rise of 30 PS over the standard car. This is mated to a choice of six-speed manual or sequential DSG gearboxes channelling drive through the front wheels.

The new Golf GTI Edition 30 will sprint to 62 mph in only 6.8 seconds (6.6 secs when equipped with DSG) before reaching a maximum of 150 mph.

Joining the dynamic tweaks is a fresh new look for the GTI Edition 30. New body-coloured side skirts are paired with a new chin spoiler for the front bumper and a body-coloured rear bumper. A subtle ‘GTI’ badge sits on the bootlid below tinted rear lights. Completing the look are a set of unique 18-inch ‘Pescara’ alloy wheels.

Inside, the GTI Edition 30 benefits from unique sports seats finished in ‘Interlagos’ cloth trim and completed with leather side bolsters and headrest. The distinctive golf ball gear knob synonymous with the Mk1 GTI also makes a welcome comeback. Elsewhere silver sill plates featuring a unique ‘Edition 30’ logo are joined by the sculpted leather GTI steering wheel complete with red stitching.

Equipment levels for the Edition 30, as on the standard GTI, are high, with ABS, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), six airbags, radio/CD player, 2Zone electronic climate control and twin chrome exhaust tailpipes all featured.

Just 1,500 examples of the GTI Edition 30 will be available from early January with a range of six paint colours ranging from Candy White to the searing Tornado Red. Prices for the anniversary model start at just over £22,000 for the three-door model, with a £1,330 premium for the DSG-equipped car. The GTI Edition 30 is also available with five doors for an additional £500.

The right hand drive Mk1 Golf GTI – developing a modest 112 bhp – went on sale in the UK in 1977. At the time Leo Sayer was at number one, Star Wars gripped a generation of kids, Concorde was about to take flight for the first time and Volkswagen’s new GTI cost £5,217. The Golf GTI, with its mix of a low kerb weight and a fast-revving four-cylinder engine, sharpened suspension and subtly aggressive looks, became an instant hit. By the time the Mk1 GTI was phased out in 1984 over 19,500 examples had been sold in the UK.

anniversary model start at just over £22,000 for the three-door model

Thirty years ago Volkswagen launched the GTI, the “hot hatch” that would revolutionize the concept of affordable and accessible high-performance motoring. Now comes the R GTI, a look forward into the future of compact car performance, making its debut at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Few cars have enjoyed such an enduring run of success, and to honor the GTI’s rich past, Volkswagen has cast an eye on the GTI of tomorrow with the R GTI, a low-flying stealth machine developed by Volkswagen Chief Designer Derek Jenkins and his talented crew at the Volkswagen Design Center California, located in Santa Monica. With its striking carbon-fiber body panels, four-passenger sports car interior, powerful turbocharged engine and competition-bred suspension, the R GTI is a stimulating fusion of style and dynamic excellence, fully modern in content and achievement yet staying true to such longstanding Volkswagen values as drivability, durability and utility.

In collaboration with the firm OSIR Design, hand-laid carbon fiber component experts, Jenkins replaced the stock GTI’s front fenders, hood, side rockers, and hatch door with carbon-fiber panels developed by both OSIR and Jenkins’ in-house team. In addition to providing a weight advantage, the carbon fiber’s black weave creates a dazzling visual complement to the lustrous black paint scheme, which itself was adorned with hexagonal “stealth” graphics that echo the grille of the original GTI.

Additional carbon-fiber components are the lower front spoiler, front grille surround, rear rooftop spoiler and Jenkins-restyled rearview mirror housings, all in carbon fiber. Other distinctive exterior design touches include blacked-out front headlamp housings, R32 tail lamps with smoked lenses, R32-type central twin exhaust pipes with motorcycle-theme tips, a la Jenkins’ GX3 three-wheeler concept from 2005.

Reference to the GTI’s trademark hexagonal grille pattern is also seen in the R GTI’s specially constructed 19x9-inch aluminum alloy wheels, with lightness as a crucial contributor to reduced unsprung weight, and improved ride quality and cornering. Tucked within fenders designed for additional clearance, the beefier running gear includes Michelin Pilot Sport Cup ultra-high-performance radials, sized 265/30 R19. In track tests, the larger tire footprint proved to be a valuable ally in transferring the engine’s prodigious 340 ft-lb of torque to the ground. Despite being rolled straight out of the design studio on to the track, the R GTI pulled off an impressive zero to 60-mph time of 4.8 seconds.

The chief contributor to the R GTI’s impressive performance is the turbocharged engine developed in conjunction with APR, one of the country’s leading aftermarket Volkswagen tuners. APR develops and sells high performance, and high performance only, leaving others to peddle air fresheners and floor mats. APR’s engineers and product developers are passionate about Volkswagen technology, and it shows in the quality and results of their contribution to the powertrain.

It all starts with Volkswagen’s 2.0-liter FSI turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant, an award-winner for its unique combination of direct injection and turbocharging. APR also replaced the turbocharger with a larger Garrett ball-bearing unit with twice the flow capacity and pumped up the boost to 21 pounds per square inch. All of the pressure-side plumbing was strengthened with silicon hose. A large-diameter cast-aluminum, black powder-coated intake pipe feeds the big turbo the cool air it needs from the larger, front-mounted intercooler, delivering twice the stock air flow. An Inconel exhaust manifold and an APR stainless steel exhaust system ensure efficient flow-through. It’s a tidy, factory-like transformation, and the result is a whopping 375 horsepower, on 93 octane pump gas. If 100-octane race fuel is used, output rises to some 400 horsepower.

The exciting visual impact of the R GTI exterior is reflected in the interior, which is swathed in black leather complemented by red stitching. This theme runs throughout the cockpit, from the upholstery that covers the front Recaro Pole Position sports seats and rear custom-designed racing buckets, to the door panels and steering wheel, which also sports an R GTI logo. The effect is a blend of understated luxury and purposeful technology, underscored by the use of OSIR black carbon-fiber interior trim on the dash panel and in the doors.

Just aft of the front bucket seats is a clever safety belt system that was developed in the design studio. A remarkable example of the innovations that spring from Jenkins’ creative team, it’s comprised of a bar that anchors the front racing harnesses, which can swing up and out of the way to allow passengers easier access to the two rear seats. As part of the R GTI’s weight-reduction program, the stock rear seats were removed and replaced by an exceptional piece of carbon-fiber craftsmanship. The single piece of composite was fashioned into two racing buckets, each fitted with padded leather inserts. They’re a snug fit but are comfortable enough to take the in-laws on a fast lap or two. Another trick interior element is the custom aluminum billet shift knob, which Jenkins fit with a red “wheel” that can be revolved by the driver’s thumb. Look closely, and you can see that the wheel has been inscribed with the R GTI logo.

The R GTI is an uncommon and visionary blend of design talent, factory technology and aftermarket innovation, and an enticing demonstration of why Volkswagen has been a favorite of automotive enthusiasts since the GTI first hit the scene 30 years ago. It also shows that the future of the hot hatch, as demonstrated by the R GTI, is already here.

Volkswagen at the SEMA trade show introduced a concept vehicle that recalls its roots in the sport compact tuning community. The Thunder Bunny concept is inspired by a tuned Rabbit of the same name from the 1980s. The original Thunder Bunny was built by Automotive Performance Systems founder Bill Neumann, who became frustrated that the GTI hatchback was not offered in North America. VW eventually offered the GTI in America, but not before it put Neuspeed, the APS-trademarked line of parts and accessories, on the map.


To commemorate that milestone, Neuspeed has introduced a new version of the Thunder Bunny. Designed in collaboration with Derek Jenkins, Chief Designer at the Volkswagen Design Center California located in Santa Monica, the new Thunder Bunny is an updated, thoroughly modern version of the original. It features 225 horsepower — 75 more than the stock 2.5 L and a slew of other upgrades including Brembo brakes, Bilstein coil-over, performance seats, and more. Gallery after the jump…

Auto Bild has a new rendering of the VW Golf VI by Huckfeldt, with a nice and sporty hatchback style (even if the single-frame grill is a little bit too "Audi").

Auto Motor und Sport has some pictures of the next generation VW Golf too.

Both talk about the Golf V production being too costly. Volkswagen's management laments many ills: the electronical connections are too complicated and require too highly qualified personnel, the doors and the multilink rear suspensions are too complcated to assemble. This leads to production times almost double those of rivals which leads to high production costs. The result is a car which in 2004 only generated 900 million € less than expected. That's the reason why it'll be replaced in 2008, much earlier than originally planned.
The technical underpinnings of the Golf VI will remain practically identical to the Golf V, but VW's management is looking at a 10% yearly reduction in production costs.

I don't know if the fact that VW is going to have the next generation Golf and Polo retain the same platform as their predecessors is an encouraging sign.

According to Auto Bild, the gasoline engine range of the Golf VI will include: a new 1,4 liter engine, both naturally aspirated (80 ps) and turbocharged (TFSI, 120 ps), the 1,6 liters engine (102 hp), the 2,0 liters engine, both naturally aspirated (150 ps) and turbocharged (200 ps) and the 1,4 dual-charger TSI engine (150 hp)

Diesel engines will include the old 1.9 TDI Pompe-Duse (105 hp) and two new common-rail engines: a 1,6 liters TDI (90 ps) and a 2.0 liters TDI in two power steps (same as today, 140 and 170 ps).

Other news on the "Golf family": the Touran will be renewed in 2009; the Golf Plus will go on until 2010, with a substantial facelift in 2007; the Golf Variant will come in 2007, while the Scirocco coupè is expected in 2008, using the same platform as the Golf VI.