Volkswagen Golf GTD Has 280 LB-FT, Debuts at Geneva Motor Show The new Volkswagen Golf GTD is more powerful than the last-generation GTD Motor Trend tested, and now more than ever, we wonder whether the GTD will ever reach U.S. showrooms. The sporty diesel hatchback with GTI style debuts at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, but Volkswagen has just shared some details about the enticing hatch.
Volkswagen Golf GTD Has 280 LB-FT, Debuts at Geneva Motor Show
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| Volkswagen Golf GTD Has 280 LB-FT, Debuts at Geneva Motor Show |
Volkswagen Golf GTD Has 280 LB-FT, Debuts at Geneva Motor Show
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| Volkswagen Golf GTD Has 280 LB-FT, Debuts at Geneva Motor Show |
Volkswagen Golf GTD Has 280 LB-FT, Debuts at Geneva Motor Show
Launching in Germany in June, the new Volkswagen Golf GTD is powered by a 2.0-liter turbodiesel I-4 with 181 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, compared to the 2012 model’s 168 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque and the 2013 Volkswagen GTI’s 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. Volkswagen conservatively predicts a 0-62 mph time of 7.5 seconds with a 143-mph top speed. We’ve tested a GTI with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission completing a 0-60 mph sprint in 6.1 seconds, while the 2012 GTD we tested (with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission) hit 60 mph in 7.0 seconds. With diesels, however, you don’t always get the full performance picture simply with 0-60/62 mph times. The new GTD’s 280 lb-ft of torque is available at 1750 rpm; peak torque of 207 lb-ft in the 2013 GTI comes at 1800 rpm.
Europe and the U.S. have different fuel economy standards, but if the Volkswagen GTD ever reaches U.S. dealerships, expect fuel economy not far from the 2013 Volkswagen Golf TDI’s 30/42 mpg city/highway but far above the 2013 GTI’s 21-24/31-33 mpg. The new GTD gets slightly better mileage with a six-speed manual instead of the available six-speed dual-clutch transmission, and Volkswagen says a base model weighs 3036 pounds – the 2012 GTD we tested weighed in at 3170 pounds.
If the new GTD performs at all like the 2012 model we drove, the diesel-powered Volkswagen should be worth the slight premium over a GTI: “The GTD was very enjoyable and felt GTI-like in turns, with precise, weighted steering and little to no under- and oversteer,” we wrote in the review.
Visually, the new Volkswagen GTD stands out with aggressive lower front and rear fascias, smoked LED taillights, 17-inch wheels, a roof spoiler, and a lowered suspension. The car will be offered in Tornado Red, Black, and Pure White. Inside, the base GTD offers the tartan patterned seats like those we’ve come to love on the GTI, as well as a sport steering wheel, stainless-steel pedals, a GTD shifter grip, and park assist.
The Volkswagen GTD — based on the new, seventh-generation Golf — will carry a price of 29,350 euros in Germany, compared to the outgoing GTI’s 27,700-euro price. If the GTD ever comes to the U.S., it might be priced just a bit above the GTI, which for the 2013 model year, has a $24,790 base price.
The Volkswagen GTD has been around since 1982, and a U.S.-spec model in calendar-year 2014 could be just the car to raise the profile of Volkswagen’s other diesel cars in the U.S. What would you pay for a Volkswagen Golf GTD if it was approved for sale in the U.S.?
Source: Volkswagen
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