VW News: Rumorpile: Next GTI To Pack 260 HP?

[William Maley]

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

June 7, 2012

The next Volkswagen GTI is due out sometime next year and Autocar has uncovered some juicy bits of what the vehicle could be packing.

The GTI will still use a 2.0L turbocharged four going to the front wheels. However, horsepower is expected to jump to 260 HP.

To handle all of that power, VW will use front differential consists of an electronically controlled Haldex clutch to allow for “more agile steering behaviour”.

Volkswagen is also working on a lightweight variation of the MQB platform utilizing aluminum floor pressings and an aluminum roof that will be used as the base for the GTI.

Source: Autocar

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[David]

Cool and yet yawn, FWD with 260HP

[A Horse With No Name]

If the chasis is set up right, 260 HP in an FWD is no big problem. I've driven a GLI (5th gen) in race conditions with 280 at the wheels....with sticky tires and the right suspension tuning, its a blast...

However, I prefer RWD for performance applications.

GTI is still probably the best all around front wheel drive car on the planet, though.

[Drew Dowdell]

Cool and yet yawn, FWD with 260HP

What's the matter with that? That's what the Cobalt SS had.

[David]

Cool and yet yawn, FWD with 260HP

What's the matter with that? That's what the Cobalt SS had.

True, I really liked the looks of the Cobalt SS supercharged version. The sound really is nice, I see plenty of them around seattle, but maybe it is the setup as I see young people driving them and when ever they step on it, wheel spin and sideways movement rather than power down, straight line blast.

Just sad to have so much power and not really be able to get it to the pavement. Course it could also be all those young kids not knowing how to drive power also.

So far, while fun, I have not really found a car since my 91 Escort GT that was really fun to drive with power in a FWD configuration. Just does not seem to have the kick in the pants fun factor. But I am willing to test drive and assess if this car can deliver!