The Volkswagen Golf is up for its mid-cycle facelift this summer. All 2018-model-year Golfs will get minor cosmetic changes and a large infotainment screen borrowed from the new VW Atlas, but we dug up some news specifically on the high-performance derivatives that we know you really care about.
The GTI will receive 10 more horsepower, up to 220 for all versions (not just for the Sport trim level and above), and the transmissions will be revised for 2018, likely with shorter gearing. While the chassis remains unchanged, the GTI gets new bumpers front and rear as well as new headlights and taillights, and there are new color and trim choices.
The all-wheel-drive Golf R will keep its 292-hp rating, at least in the United States. In Europe, its power rating rises, thanks to a boost increase from 17.4 to 20.3 psi and new software and wastegate settings, boosting output to 306 horsepower. And what’s more, there will be an optional performance package that includes an Akrapovi? exhaust, a performance braking system from the limited-edition Golf GTI Clubsport, and specific wheels. Additionally, top speed rises from 155 to 166 mph. Again, not for us. It is in the interest of reducing complexity that VW has chosen to drop the two-door Golf (including the GTI and the Golf R), a move that already hit the U.S. market for 2017. In Europe, almost all Golf models are still available with two doors, but the days of this body variation may be numbered. The eighth-generation Golf, du...