Mad About Cars

Golf’s mark 6 is rapidly being put to the test by the latest hot rivals!

And Golf are on target to step up to yet another challenge!

And to prove this – reports have leaked that vigorous testing is underway at the Nurburgring in Germany with 2 hot trick cars…

One is a twin-turbo version of the new GTI’s 2.0 four engine running along side a 4×4 version with a new Audi TT-RS engine that’s been tuned up to 300bhp from a mere 265bhp as it stands now.

Also look out for the R20T next month as a race prepared version may be appearing at Nurburg 24hrs!

And kept underwraps for now – but we have heard VW engineers are boosting this engine upto 390bhp for a new R45-badged Golf variant that could be launched 2010…. Ooh!!!

Europe’s largest car manufacturer has been taken over – Yes, VolksWagen! And by who? You’d never guess? Porsche!!!!

We ask why? Why would this small run family business want a stake in a company like VW? Well, it must bedue to VW’s manufacturing capabilities and technological know-how?

Porsche is currently occupying roughly 50% of the shares in VolksWagen but are looking to increase that to 75% having full financial control. Not bad going considering VW is one of largest companies in the world.

The only bad news for Porsche is that oddly, VW own shares in truck maker ‘Scania’ which Porsche will have to take over says the Sweedish Law, but they are not interested at all, and will therefore only put in a minimum bid, and who blames them!

The Mark 1 Volkswagen Golf GTi has gone down in motoring history as being the father of the ‘hot hatch’. Initially launched in 1974, the VW Golf was designed as a long term replacement for the Beetle, which was suffering from falling sales, buyers having become fed up with the car’s novelty and choosing more modern, refined vehicles instead.

The new vehicle, a front wheel drive, front engined car, was launched as a success in 1974, but it was the introduction of the GTi in 1976 that would not only create a huge sales success for Volkswagen, but create a whole new genre of performance car.

Prior to 1976, those wanting a sporty car were forced to buy production sports cars such as the MGB, which were not as reliable or as practical as the Golf. However, by fitting a powerful engine to the Golf, and improving the handling to cope with high speed performance driving, Volkswagen engineers developed a car that matched traditional sports cars in terms of performance, yet was reliable, and also practical, having the body of an everyday family car.

The Golf GTi was a huge success, and during the 1970s was virtually unchallenged. However, the early 1980s saw rival manufactures aim to compete against the Golf with rival cars such as the Peugeot 205 GTi and Ford Escort XR3 share the limelight during the 1980s heyday of the hot hatch.

Whilst a sharp increase of insurance premiums would eventually bring the original days of the hot hatch to an end, Volkswagen continued with the Golf GTi, which has since continued to develop along with the Golf.