Volkswagen GTD here in June

And Volkswagen Australia has confirmed the frugal fast four will be priced under the five-door $40,490 GTi when it arrives.  By adding a turbo-diesel with ‘GTi’ credentials, VW Australia is hoping to pick up where the previous-generation GT Sport left off.

Because the five-door petrol GTi is the most popular model here, VW Australia spokesman, Karl Gehling, says only the five-door hatch GTD will be available.  "The three-door actually makes up a small proportion of total petrol GTi sales," he says.

The GTD is no slug.  It will hit 100km/h in 8.1 seconds and has a top speed of 220km/h with a combined with average fuel consumption of just 5.3 litres/100km, giving the car a range of more than 1000km.  VW has applied the lessons learned through the creation of the sixth-generation GTI to the GTD.

The GTD is powered by a 2.0-litre common-rail TDI engine that develops 125kW at 4200 revs and 350Nm from 1750 revs and CO2 emissions of just 139 g/km.  Like its petrol brother, the car gets a sharper chassis, firmer suspension, 15mm lower ride height and the added benefit of riding the torque wave from just 1750 revs.

The car is expected to be available with either a six-speed manual or DSG gearbox.  Visually the GTD takes its cues from the GTi.  It gets the GTI's honeycomb grille, badge-style and front-end design, though with the addition of chrome rather than red highlights.

The Golf's standard wheels are replaced with 17-inch Seattle Black alloys.  Inside, the main contact points are unique to the Golf GTD: a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a GTD gearshift and a standard tartan interior.  The tartan finish is subtly different from the GTI, being grey, white and black, rather than red, white and black.