VW unveils all-new up! GTI 24 | 05 | 2017

VOLKSWAGEN HAS OFFICIALLY revealed its new up! GTI, which delivers 113bhp from a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine. On-sale early next year at Scottish dealerships, expect it to cost around £17,000.

Using one of VW’s new generation 1.0TSI stop/start units, and mated to a six-speed manual ‘box, the up! GTI can sprint from 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds and will go on to a claimed top speed of 122mph.

And VW is making every effort to portray the new wee GTI as a spiritual successor to the original Mk1 Golf GTI, which was unveiled 41 years ago.

But forget the age difference: on paper there are some performance parallels are to be found. The original 1976 Golf GTI enjoyed 108bhp, enabling 0-62mph in nine seconds flat and a top speed of 113mph. Interestingly, both cars have a sub-one-tonne curb weight too, but the new up! GTI is slightly portlier, weighing 997kg to the Golf’s 810kg.

There are also some visual crossovers, with the up! GTI coming in classic GTI paint colours such as ‘tornado red’ and ‘pure white’, alongside the modern-day metallic silver and black, plus a new ‘costa azul’ blue tint.

But the biggest similarity comes in the cabin where the up! GTI comes with trademark GTI tartan seat upholstery. And while there’s also a leather sports steering wheel and a GTI gear knob, the 2017 up! GTI gets an infotainment system, air-conditioning and ambient lighting as standard.

Externally, as you would expect, there’s GTI badging at the front and rear, combined with the classic red radiator grille stripe. The grille itself gets a honeycomb pattern and is finished in gloss black.

Running down the bottom side sills there’s black stripes, while the car sits on new 17in alloys. The up! GTI also gets a larger roof edge spoiler and a red stripe across the hatch lid, while the mirror caps are finished in gloss black.

The car also sits 15mm lower than the standard version of the city car, thanks to new, ‘sports’ running gear.

To be available in both three- and five-door forms, the up! GTI is expected in Scottish showrooms early in 2018. And though VW has yet to confirm prices, expect it to cost around £17,000.

Related: £3000 saving on 2017 VW Golf GTE

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Jim McGill