12 | car review
35 not out
The Golf GTi, when it first stepped, blinking, into the sun in 1997, was intended to be a sporty version of the economy hatchback for the masses. Thirty-five years on it has a new set of intentions. Words Richard Webb Can it really be 35 years ago that the first GTI arrived? The year that Steve Biko died and KwaZulu was granted independence The Golf GTI must have a pretty positive outlook on life. For its 35th birthday it has been to the gym and come out fitter-looking and just a little more muscular, too. You’d be forgiven if you didn’t notice the extra hours in the gym, though. This car is the first word in subtlety, after all. This sophisticated version seems to bear little or no resemblance to the original, but when you look at all the different models through the years lined up together, you can see the line of DNA running through. It’s automotive evolution in the making. Outside the car, trim upgrades include black gloss wing mirrors, front splitter and rear diffuser, with side skirts from the Golf R and some attractive new standard 18 inch wheels and red brake callipers. Inside, we get “35”-embroidered upholstery, honeycomb dash inserts and a retro golf ball-style gear lever in both manual and DSG examples. Except that the golf ball is not as daft, or fun, as the one in the iconic Golf I. The Golf always seemed to cry out for a little more “wow factor”, but has the 35 delivered?
Certainly those new design details add a little more aggression to the car’s image and the various “35” badges contribute to a “limited edition” feel. While the trim is new, the seats are the normal GTi fare. That’s a good thing. The engine note is different to the standard GTi, but it only raises the sporting quotient slightly, despite the attenuator. The electric steering takes a while to get used to, sometimes feeling a little weightless, but it’s very quick. The car delights in swallowing whole any tight corners, while the XDS electronic front differential function does an excellent job of maintaining a tight arc, despite the extra power fed through the front wheels. Most drivers will experience under-steer only when provoked in the wet and it suffers very little from front wheel drive torque steer. The 35 confirms the existing superiority of the normal GTI chassis. The car could easily handle a lot more power, so good is the package. If the standard car is a little too tame, the 35 offers an attractive compromise between the GTI and the four-wheel drive Golf R. Economy and emissions suffer a little over the standard GTI, but are still respectable for a car of this ability, and no worse than those of the Mk5 GTI.
At a glance Cylinders: 4 Cubic capacity: 1984 Power: 173kW Torque: 300Nm 0-100km/h: 6.6 seconds Top speed: 247 km/h Combined cycle (Euro): 8.1 l/100km CO2 Emissions (g/km): 189 Base price: R370 900