The New Golf GTI Performance Is A £29,280 No-Brainer

After upping the standard Golf GTI to the power level of the previous GTI Performance earlier this year, Volkswagen has launched a new upgrade that takes the hotter GTI up to 241bhp, and its starting price is below £30,000.

When the regular GTI was bumped to 227bhp the older Performance car was rendered redundant, but a new version now delivers the relative extra performance that the old version did. As well as the 14bhp peak increase, the Performance also gets an extra 15lb ft between 1600rpm and 4300rpm.

Both the manual and the new seven-speed DSG-equipped iterations will launch to 62mph in 6.2 seconds; the same as for the old version. But while the manual will hit a heroic 155mph, the twin-clutch automatic can only scrape together enough to reach a feeble 154mph. We’re sure that won’t be too off-putting for DSG devotees…

Identifying markers for the upgraded model include larger brake discs with red front calipers, while the Performance also gets electronic front differential control and a digital instrument cluster. Prices start at £29,280; around £400 more than its predecessor.