We live in a world in which horsepower’s overrated. When you can get over 300-hp from a Camry(!) the idea of ever-increasing power seems pointless. Sure, the Veyron astounds with more than 1000 ponies under its hood, but what good does that really do? This potential offered by electric motors only underscores this argument.
More important is driveability. More power doesn’t mean much when vehicles have increased across every other metric, too. Barreling your Toyota through the corners at high-speeds doesn’t necessarily make it more fun to drive. (Okay, maybe it kinda does.) Better is to focus on the power-to-weight ratio. Having enough power to get things moving without having so much power that they become hard to stop should be the goal. You want balance and maneuverability, not straight-line acceleration and terrible handling.
This is something that the GTI has always gotten right. Offering all the practicality of a hatchback, it readily slices through corners and curves with glee. It’s as happy being flung around the road as it is navigating grocery store parking lots. It always offers the right amount of power for the situation.
When the Camry Can Make Over 300hp, Does More Power Even Matter?
This holds true for the recently unveiled Mk8 GTI. It doesn’t stray far from the model it replaces, offering updates instead of an overhaul. Details had leaked earlier, which can be seen in the official release. Most noteworthy are the red LED strip running below the hood, along with the large honeycomb grill. The fog lights are cleverly integrated into the grill, something not really seen before.
More importantly, it does get a bump in power, albeit a modest one. Power increases 13 horses over the old model, up to 241-hp. Torque’s now 273 lb-ft, besting the Mk7’s 258 lb-ft. Volkswagen’s DSG dual-clutch transmission is an option, with a proper six-speed stickshift coming standard.
Few Cars Combine Driveability with Practicality Like the GTI
The car sits slightly lower, with expected 18-inch wheels (Europe will get 17s) and Dynamic Chasis Control will be standard. This suite of driver aids includes active yaw control, active dampers, and a torque-vectoring limited-slip differential to keep things neat and tidy.
North American GTIs will be built in Germany, with production having moved from Mexico. The extra cost associated with importing the cars is part of the reason that the base-level Golf won’t continue past the 2020 model year. Worse, the SportWagon and AllTrack variants will, too, no longer be available in the USA or Canada.
Expect the GTI to hit showrooms by fall 2021.