Golf gets sporty

VW has added the name Sport to the GT model to acknowledge the addition of extra features for the same price as the previous model.

The Golf GT Sport is now available in either the 1.4-litre twin-charger petrol engine, which was found in the GT, or a new 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine.

The petrol powertrain still delivers 125kW and 240Nm, the diesel also producing 125kW with a bigger torque reading of 350Nm. Pricing starts at $34,990 for the six speed manual petrol model, the same starting price as the outgoing GT.

The diesel starts at $37,290, and the DSG transmission adds $2500 to both prices.

The new Golf GT Sport has adopted some features from its older sibling the GTi, now offering sports suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, sport steering wheel, a distinctive bumper and radiator grille design and twin tailpipes; all standard.

It also wears a new grille and a GT Sport badge. Volkswagen spokesman John Dawe says; the original GT was launched in May this year to see how the market reacted to the car and the technology.

“The market response has been overwhelming, so we decided to make it a permanent fixture of the model line-up for Golf,” Dawe says.

The new versions of the Golf take the model line-up to 24 different variants in Australia, with eight different engines available. Volkswagen will also extend its diesel strategy in Australia by putting the same 2.0-litre diesel engine in the Passat, now offering two diesel versions.

It will be priced at $44,990 for the sedan and $46,990 for the wagon.