- David Hort
Volkswagen unwraps fastest ever Golf Cabriolet GTI
Volkswagen will take the most powerful ever production version of its Golf Cabriolet to the Geneva Motor Show next month.
Using the famous GTI moniker, the new Cabriolet comes with the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine found on the standard GTI hatch. That means it’s worth 210PS and can clear 62mph from stationary in 7.3 seconds; just 0.4 seconds slower than its hatchback counterpart.
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It’s available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed dual-clutch DSG option which offers a slightly lower top speed of 146mph.
Maximum output and torque comes across a wide range of revs, from 1,700rpm to 5,300rpm. According to the German manufacturer that makes it a decent cruiser but with its extra capability it should also overtake with ease.
The soft-top roof gives away the Golf GTI as a cabriolet and it can be folded in less than ten seconds and at speeds of up to 18mph. Other than that, the cabriolet looks almost identical to the standard hatchback GTI version.
There’s a honeycomb grille at the front that’s bordered in red and carries typical GTI badging while there are side sill extensions down the car’s flanks, giving it a wider, more powerful stance.
At the back there’s a chrome exhaust on either side of the GTI as well as 17-inch Monza alloy wheels in all four corners.
Inside, the dynamic sports theme carries on with GTI livery and brushed stainless steel pedals in the cabin. It’s finished in Jacara cloth however a full Vienna leather upholstery option is available.
Like the GTI hatchback, the GTI Cabriolet comes with a full five-star safety rating courtesy of an automatically deploying rollover protection system that pops up in the event of rollover, with the stiffened A-pillars acting as the opposite side of the prop during an accident.
According to Volkswagen, the Golf GTI Cabriolet will go on sale towards the end of 2012. Further specification and performance details will be revealed closer to its release date however with the standard Golf Cabriolet prices peaking at more than £26,000, you can expect GTI versions to be more expensive again.
The standard Golf Cabriolet returned to the German manufacturer’s model line-up in 2011, nine years after it disappeared from the range in 2002.
It joins the line-up slightly below the Eos hard-top option which is deemed as a more upmarket model by the manufacturer.