I recently took the new VW Golf VI for a ride to see how much has really changed since the Mk5. After the success of the Mk5, it was clear that the Mk6 had much to live up to.

The moment I left the driveway I could tell the ride is much softer than it was which made me a bit concerned as to whether it would have any effect on handling. I am happy to report that is not the case. The Mk6 now features VW’s EDL (Electronic Differential Lock) which works by applying pressure to front inner wheel exactly where it is needed on fast cornering to prevent spinning. This maximizes traction, reduces under steer and improves response.

The Mk6 manages to achieve a perfect and subtle blend between performance handling and comfort driving. Under intense driving the GTi has a steering pulse which alerts you that the limit of traction is about to be reached, so you don’t end up sliding into a ditch.

So handling wise the car hits the nail on the head once again, but performance was the one area where the Mk5 needed attention since it was outperformed by the other hot hatches. VW’s answer was to make the engine 3kg lighter and adding on a supercharger to the turbocharged 2.0l engine increasing the power output to 155kw and 280Nm torque, with the torque kicking in at 1800rpm. This launches the GTi from 0 – 100km/h in 6.9 seconds and takes it to a top speed of 240km/h. In the DSG model, which is the same one I drove, you get a dual clutch semi-auto gearbox, so the one clutch is leading while the other preselects the next gear, making gear changes smoother and quicker.

As both a family and performance car the Golf GTi is an absolute pleasure. With a 275 liter boot, loads of legroom and an impressive 6.1 liters per 100km, it’s a perfect blend of the two. You can really point its nose in the direction you want to go and shoot at it. Safety features include ABS, EBD, ESP, adjustable whiplash optimized head restraints and 7 airbags, making the GTi one of the safest cars ever built and giving it 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

There are a couple of other cars to choose from in the same price class as the Mk6 GTi, but for a balanced combination of speed, luxury, reliability and practicality I’d say the GTi is certainly one of the best.

Article by Dewildt Smith

One of the most interesting releases to look out for at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show will be the Fiat Punto Evo — an ‘evolved’ version of the ever so popular Grande Punto. Comparing the two will make you realize that the Punto Evo has minor changes on the outside and that includes new front and rear bumpers.

Effectively, the serious changes are evident on the inside where there is an updated dash and improved seats. The storage compartments have also been puffed-up and plus there is better an instrument cluster. As far as finding your way through the street goes, you will be duly assisted by the “Blue&Me-TomTom “system that features both telephone, navigation and information functions. Nothing concrete about the engines, what we know is that the car will be up for sale in October. Not much longer to way for it …

We are not sure whether this gem of a car will actually be taken of the veil at the Frankfurt Motor Show but if Citroen is planning to surprise everyone, it will be worth being at the Citroen corner. Although the Citroen DS3 Convertible (better known as the DS3c) hasn’t been confirmed by the French company, car chopper
Theophilus Chin has come up with an amazing rendering of what the roof-less DS3 would look like. And we’re completely drooling over the images in here …

The speculation is that the Citroen DS3 will arrive in two diesel and three petrol variants. While the diesel ones will produce 90bhp and 110bhp the petrol units will churn 95bhp, 120 bhp and 150bhp.

It took a long time coming but what is good to know is that the Renault Fluence has been finally readied for production and in a couple of months, the car will be up for sale. Just to refresh your memories, the Renault Fluence Concept was first revealed in 2004 at the Louis Vuitton Car Elegance Classic in England. The sedan which is more about passenger space than anything else will come with seven different engines to choose from, which includes two petrol and 5 diesel variants. The top of the line in the petrol segment will be a 2.0-litre variant capable of producing 140hp. As far as the diesel variant is concerned, the top version will be a 110hp model with a dual clutch transmission. For some reason we don’t like the back of the car very much.

Oakley Design is a British tuning house that know their way with Porsche cars and to prove that, their latest work is a heavily toned down model of the Porsche Panamera. With a carbon fiber construction, the tuning house had managed to reduce the overall weight of the car by 75kg. Integrations like a tweaked rear spoiler, front splitter and 20-inch wheels, all in carbon, are responsible for this weight reduction. Performance wise the little beast has been tweaked with Turbo assistance and now outpus 680 horses. But in case you do not prefer a Turbo upgrade, even a slight adjustment to the exhaust and ECU will get you 580hp which is not meager by any figment of imagination. We’d like to get behind the wheel to push the pedal … [via gtspirit.com]

Irmscher has been closely associated with tuning Opel cars. This time the tuning house has decided to take on the new generation Opel Astra and intends to showcase it at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The kit will include a new front spoiler lip and a radiator grille panel with design rail in stainless steel or carbon fiber. As far as the engine sound is concerned, the kit includes twin elliptical tailpipes for both looks and roaring. Handling is improved using an air diffuser and simultaneously lowering the suspension. On the inside you will find custom leather for seats, door panels and central armrests that add to your comfort, and stainless steels sills to get your eye with.