New VW Golf GTI Mk6 concept (2008): first official photos

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

25 September 2008 02:00

The VW Golf GTI is back and the mundane Mk6 range just got interesting. These are the first pictures of the new Golf GTI, which will be officially unveiled at the Paris motor show next week. Power from the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot engine is up, while the looks are inspired by the W12 650 GTI concept from 2007.

VW is calling this car a concept, 'a first step towards the Golf GTI which will start production in spring 2009', but CAR expects the looks and mechanicals to remain unchanged when the GTI goes on sale.

Yes indeed. Reception to the new Golf has been lukewarm at best, and while the Mk6 might be the most refined car in its class, it’s no stunner.

Step forward the GTI, with a jutting front bumper, telephone-dial alloys, twin pipes, a honeycomb grille, that three letter badge and those discreet red stripes.

VW designers have drawn inspiration from the W12 concept, trying to make the new GTI look lower and wider than before, even though all the hard points from the Mk5 car have been carried over. That means upright fog lights at the extremities of the front bumper and dual exhausts at the rear, again split far.

Over and above the regular Golf there are new front and rear bumpers, the former with a honeycomb grille. There are also new sills with black cladding, designed to make the GTI appear slimmer hipped. The rear features smoked rear lights, a discreet spoiler and, according to VW, a diffuser.

VW’s designers have kept the clean shape of the Mk5 GTI, deeming it unnecessary to cover the GTI with body addenda. The telephone-dial alloys remain the same design as before, but this time feature piano black paint on the insides rather than grey.

Inside the famous tartan trim is back, adorning four of the five seats, while the Passat CC steering wheel is now flat bottomed, features a shiny GTI logo and comes wrapped in black leather with contrasting red stitching. There’s also silver trim on the dash. 

Click 'Next' below to read more about the new VW Golf GTI

By Ben Pulman