Orders open for Golf GTi Cabrio 04 | 05 | 2012
VOLKSWAGEN'S LATEST ICONIC Golf GTi Cabrio can now be ordered at Scottish dealerships, with first deliveries scheduled for July: just in time to catch the summer sunshine … if we ever see the sun again?
Prices start at £29,310 for the manual, rising to £30,610 for the range-topping DSG.
The Golf GTi badge has been around since 1975, and the new Cabrio retains many of the classic design cues.
The radiator grille has a honeycomb structure with red edging and GTI badge, while the front bumper incorporates a deep honeycomb air dam and distinctive fog lights.
Side sill extensions help give the GTI a wide, well-planted stance, while a bespoke rear diffuser is framed by a chrome tailpipe on either side. Smoked LED tail lights complete the look, along with standard 18in ‘Monza Shadow’ alloy wheels.
Inside, and under the insulated fully automatic electrically powered roof, are four seats covered in the classic tartan ‘Jacara’ cloth upholstery; ‘Vienna’ leather upholstery is optional.
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The bespoke GTI multifunction steering wheel is wrapped in leather, as are the handbrake and gear lever gaiter, all finished with contrasting red stitching.
The pedals have brushed stainless steel caps, while there are black ‘Edge’ decorative inlays on the doors and facia.
The hood, which can be folded away in just 9.5secs, even while travelling at speeds of up to 18mph, has a black lining, while the roof pillar trims are also finished in black.
At the heart of the range-topping cabriolet is the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine found in the GTI hatchback, mated to either a standard six-speed manual gearbox or optional six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox and producing 210PS.
The benchmark zero to 62mph sprint is covered in 7.3secs with either transmission, while top speed is 147mph (146 DSG). Combined fuel consumption is 37.2 mpg (36.7 DSG), with CO2 emissions of 177g/km (180 DSG).
Safety is ensured thanks to a comprehensive list of standard specification: as with all Golf Cabriolet models, the GTI comes with automatically deploying rollover protection, front and side head/thorax airbags and a driver’s knee airbag as standard, and a five-star (96%) rating for adult occupancy in Euro NCAP crash tests. The ABI insurance rating for the new Golf Cabriolet GTI is 35E.
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Jim McGill