Fans of Volkswagen now have even more reason to await with bated breath the next-gen Golf GTI, as European customers get their hands on the updated Mk8 and reveal how much better it is than the outgoing Mk7. Case in point comes in the form of a YouTube video from the streaming channel Automann-TV featuring a brand-new GTI hitting the Autobahn for a top speed run where the hot hatch managed to hit an impressive 153 miles per hour on an unrestricted section of road.
Strap In For A Ride
Volkswagen plans to ship the new Golf GTI to the American market by the end of 2021, where it will instantly make the old Mk7 obsolete. With a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four producing 242 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, the base eight-generation GTI is already more potent than its successor in Performance trim.
Note the clip above has been filmed with a stick shift—despite recent market trends, Volkswagen has opted to give customers the choice between the impressive DSG automatic gearbox or a good-old six-speed for the enthusiasts.
Setting The Pace
In the video, this GTI manages to clock times that are, without a doubt, impressive for a front-wheel-drive hatch. Making quick work of the clutch pedal, the driver was able to coax the four-banger to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour—this was filmed in Germany, after all) in only 6.3 seconds.
Meanwhile, getting up to 124 miles per hour (or an even 200 kilometers per hour) took a total of 21.8 ticks of the clock. But most impressive is the nimble little hatchbacks steady character as it approaches 153 miles per hour, which translates to 247 kilometers per hour. All that remains to be seen is how much faster the GTI's big brother Golf R will be once it hits these shores simultaneously.
Source: Youtube