Volkswagen Australia has confirmed the 2019 Golf GTI range will now feature the Performance pack as standard.
The 169kW engine will be replaced with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol producing 180kW and 370Nm. Also included is an electro-mechanical front differential lock and a larger brake package from the Golf R.
Purists should sit down, all GTI variants will exclusively use VW’s seven-speed wet-clutch DSG, meaning the manual is gone. Enthusiasts who still fancy three pedals will need to open their wallet while stock remains of the current model.
Ben Wilks, Volkswagen Australia General Manager of Marketing said: "Such has been the demand for Performance Editions that making its specification standard is a logical progression, especially in terms of DSG, a transmission others are either trying to copy or cannot.”
"This GTI embodies what customers want," he added.
It’s no secret the DSG is the preferred transmission option of the overwhelming majority of GTI buyers. Volkswagen has said buyers tick the DSG 90 per cent of the time. The market has spoken.
While enthusiasts may shed a tear or two, the technology is now better in terms of performance and efficiency.
There are still options for those who prefer a stick shift, the Honda Civic Type R, for instance, is a manual only proposition. We did remark in our Type R review that the car's performance was held back by how fast the driver can physically change gears.
Full Australian specifications and pricing are expected soon as the order books open next month with initial deliveries before year’s end.
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