VW Golf GTI Cabriolet (2012) UK pricing announced

Volkswagen Group's march towards niche-smothering world domination continues with announcement of the VW Golf GTI Cabriolet's UK pricing and specifications. CAR brought you details of the Mk 7 Golf GTI our the April 2012 issue, but if you're looking for something summery to drive to GTI fanfest at Worthersee this year the Mk 6 GTI Cabriolet may be the car for you.

The sunlover's variant of the Mk 6 VW Golf GTI appeared at the 2012 Geneva Motorshow and married the tidy Golf Cabriolet soft-top bodystyle with the GTI hot-hatch mechanical and trim package. Although the open-air convertible top exposes drivers to the murmurs of 'partsbin special' along with the frowns of family-car cabrio sceptics they may encounter, the go-faster spec will keep any such encounters brief. VW quotes 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 147mph for the manual - 0.4s and 2mph slower than the tin-top GTI, and don't ask about the tweaked GTI Edition 35.

Inside you'll find the familiar GTI interior under that fabric roof, which goes from 'look at me!' to 'leave me alone!' in 9.5 seconds. You can activate the roof at speeds up to 18mph and the GTI Cabriolet includes automatic roll-over protection should you decide to confirm the 5-star NCAP rating. 18-inch wheels and GTI exterior styling cues allow a certain smugness when encountering Audi A3 S-Line cabriolet drivers.

VW remains an equal-opportunity transmission provider in the Golf GTI, so you can sneak under the £30k barrier with a six-speed manual GTI Cabriolet. If you prefer shifting ratios without left-leg intervention you can have the DSG model for £30,610. Or about £5k over an equivalent GTI three-door hatchback.

By Mark Hamilton