A fresh report out of Australia suggests that Volkswagen is set to globally discontinue the 169 kW version of the turbocharged 2,0-litre, four-cylinder engine used in the current Golf GTI.
According to CarAdvice, the 169 kW/350 N.m Golf GTI – which is currently offered in South Africa in DSG guise – is set to go out of production thanks to the looming changes to European emissions testing standards.
Of course, the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) is also expected to claim the scalps of a handful of other high-performance models, including the F80-generation BMW M3 and V12-powered M760Li, as well as the Peugeot 308 GTi.
VW Australia has confirmed that the 169 kW Golf GTI will be replaced in that market by the Golf GTI Performance, which generates 180 kW/370 N.m and employs a seven-speed wet-clutch DSG (as opposed to the six-speeder in the current GTI), uprated ventilated brakes and an electro-mechanical front differential lock.
Will Volkswagen South Africa follow suit and offer the Golf GTI Performance (which is a claimed two-tenths quicker to 100 km/h than the 169 kW model, at 6,2 seconds) as standard on SA shores? Well, the local arm of the Wolfsburg-based automaker would tell CARmag.co.za only that “no decision has been taken” in this regard, so we’ll simply have to wait and see…
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