Volkswagen Golf GTI Pirelli for the year 2008!

Golf GTI Pirelli is back. The GTI is more powerful, faster and more exclusive. Volkswagen continues in tradition of one of the most known limited editions in Europe.

The original Pirelli Golf was introduced in May 1983 and it was based on the first generation of Golf GTI. It differs especially with distinctive alloy wheels with „P-like“ openings on their outer circle.

Only 10 500 cars were made and sold during six months. Yes, it was a limited edition. If there’ve been a Hall of Fame for young-timers, this Pirelli Golf GTI would be definitely its part.

But it’s here again. It’s a brand-new model to celebrate the legend. Of course with the newest high-performance Pirelli tires.

The tires are installed on 18“ titanium Pirelli rims. Its interior is slightly modified – semi-leather sporting seats with a tire pattern on the trim. Amazing.

Instead of original 112hp, the new Golf GTI Pirelli offers 230hp. This power allows reaching 245kmph and its TFSI engine produces enough power to beat 100kmph in 6.8 seconds. This beast was presented by its creator Volkswagen Individual on a perfect place – an international GTI show nearby the famous lake of Wörthersee in Austria. The Pirelli GTI will be launched in September.

A closer look at the numbers reveals that it’s the engine with same parameters as in the model Golf GTI Edition 30 introduced in 2006 in occasion of the 30th anniversary of GTI (169kW/230hp). 200hp of the original GTI has now 30hp more (30th anniversary of the introduction). And now the jubilee engine is in the Golf GTI Pirelli.

Thanks to this engine it beats 100kmph in 6.8 seconds, but it can be faster! In combination with the DSG transmission it takes only 6.6 seconds.

The GTI‘s philosophy is about a powerful car with reasonable fuel economy 8.2l/100kms or 7.9l/100kms in case of the DSF. And this is a proof of VW’s masterpiece and craftsmanship.

The motto of Pirelli is that „the power is nothing without the control. “ And Volkswagen has same opinion – rigid chassis, strong brakes, ESP – this is a right portion of safety that was proven also on the Nurburgring‘s Nordschleife. But the most important thing is good tires.

So of course, Pirelli used the latest generation of Pirelli P-Zero high-performance tires. They were designed and developed for the best possible characteristics, handling, braking, and comfort and avoiding aquaplaning. The Golf FTI Pirelli owns the 255/40 R18 version.

Just like in the year 1983, also today the tires are on the alloy rim, but they’re 7.5x18“ instead of 6x14“. Its surface is covered with a beautiful titanium painting and its five spokes evoke the original design of the first GTI with the „P“ openings. This famous letter is also here on the spokes.

Golf GTI Pirelli has fully painted bumpers and side sills in the car’s color. The original Golf GTI introduced in 2004 has black sills, front spoiler and bottom part of its rear bumper.

Like the model GTI Edition 30, also the Pirelli one has the „exclusivity“ badge on the fifth floor. From the side view you can notice tinted windows and Pirelli marks on side protection moldings.

Color of this mark depends on the car’s color – there are four colors available. If you choose the color Blue graphite or Black magic pearl, the Pirelli badge will be silver. If you order the GTI Pirelli (3- or 5-door model) in the colors Sunflower or Reflex Silver, this badge will be black.

By the way the color Sunflower (bright yellow) was specially created for this model. So if you see something bright yellow in your rearview mirror and it’s approaching fast, it should be only one car – the new Golf GTI Pirelli.

Also a look into the interior takes your breath away. Similarly as the GTI Edition 30, also the interior of the GTI Pirelli is based on the stock GTI. For example its sporting seats, developed by Volkswagen Individuals, was changed to perfectly match with the Pirelli style. Side parts of the seats and its rear part, head restrains and also armrests are covered with quality leather and sewed yellow stitch. A very interesting visual contrast. But a real delicacy can be finding on the central part of the seats. They’re made of very luxurious and airy micro fiber by an Italian manufacturer Miko. There’s a tire patter all over the central part so it boosts the sporting image of the car. The limited edition can be seen on the head restrains with the Pirelli signs where the GTI signs should be.

The seats are heated and electrically adjustable. There’s a storage place under the front armrest that can be equipped with a CD changer or MP3 player.

The quality perforated leather is used on a three-spoke sporting steering-wheel and the handbrake has also the yellow stitch to match with the seats. The vertical spoke on the steering-wheel has a metallic Pirelli badge to show its exclusivity.

It’s the 25 years since Volkswagen has started the era of smaller engine volumes on its first turbo diesel engine. Of course the Turbo FSI engine in the new GTI can’t be compared to the first TD engine. But they have something common – it’s the performance achieved not by bigger volume, but thanks to turbo charging. About 10 years were necessary to replace old TD technology with TDI engines using direct injection. This engine has enhanced the principle of better performance from smaller volume thanks to the direct injection technology. This combination caused better fuel economy, lower emissions and higher output and torque.

In the Golf GTI is used this concept since 2004 when Volkswagen introduced a powerful petrol engine improved with turbo charging, intercooler and direct injection. The engine is characteristic with great fuel economy and sporting behavior too. The proof is simple and measurable – the TFSI engine with 147kW/200PS and 280Nm of torque under the GTI’s hood can reach 235kmph and only 7.2 seconds are necessary to beat 100kmph.

Its average fuel consumption is quite low – only 8 liters per 100kms. And if the car is equipped with the DSG transmission, the consumption is even slightly lower – just 7.9 l/100kms. The Golf GTI Pirelli is a proof of very big potential of the engine that combines direct injection and forced aspiration. Its turbocharged petrol engine is currently the strongest four-cylinder by VW. Its power is transferred to the wheels by a standard 6-seed transmission.

The power of this 16V V4 engine with 1984cu.cms is 169kW/230PS at 550rpm. Top torque is 300Nm and it’s available at wide range from 2200rpm to 5200rpm. Nothing is better for a sports car that the range like this.

Its efficiency is measurable also here. Despite of the extra amount of 30PS and 20Nm that increase maximum speed for 10kmph in case of the manual transmission, it consumes only 0.2 liters more than the 200hp version. The DSG version has actually same economy – 7.9 liters per 100kmph.