Have you ever wondered why the Golf is the only Volkswagen model, at least in the US, to wear the sporty GTI and R badges? Actually a good reason.
In Europe, there are GTI variants of the Lupo, Polo, Scirocco and Up. There are also some GTI models in Latin America that you might not know about – the Gol, Parati and Pointer. It’s a similar story with the R models; The Arteon, Golf Cabrio, Fiat, Scirocco, Tiguan, Touareg and T-Roc all received hotter versions.
To know the reason for this, motor1 Spoke to Serban Boldia. Boldia is the director of product planning at Volkswagen of America, and he told us why the GTI and R badges never expanded in the US:
‘If we bring (a vehicle) to market with this badge and we will stand behind it, it will be the real thing. When R is put on a vehicle it cannot be just some plastic and stickers.
Boldia stressed that he couldn’t comment on future products, but he promised that the company is working on more fun variants for the US:
‘We are working to ensure that ‘driving is fun’ at Volkswagen. “We are seeing where we take the brand by making ‘fun to drive’ an essential element.”
Photo by: Volkswagen
Volkswagen recently showed off the ID. The Polo GTI is the first electric vehicle in Europe to wear the GTI badge. As with the other GTI models mentioned earlier, it is not scheduled to be sold in the US. Volkswagen of America explicitly protects these three letters.
‘If you don’t see the GTI in other vehicles in the US, it’s because the whole concept of the GTI – lightness, simplicity, fun – is much more than just a name badge. The GTI comes with a special seat, red accents and drivability. It is beyond the visible. We will bring a car with the GTI name to the market only when we all feel internally that you will drive it and say ‘yes, it is a GTI.’
During our conversation, Boldia chose the word ‘disloyal’ as an adjective he would never want to hear used to describe a GTI model.
Boldia referenced the Fiat GT, a 2018-only model year version that combines a 3.6-liter VR6 with 280 horsepower with some sportier styling, a dual-clutch transmission and a slightly tuned suspension. He admitted, “It’s a great car, but it wasn’t the complete package to be honest.”
Photo by: Volkswagen
ID. The Polo GTI, apart from having the wrong size and body style for our market, could face another criticism leveled by Boldia against EVs, even high-performance models with simulated gears like the Hyundai Ioniq 5N.
‘Often, when I bring a contestant home, I get excited to show my wife or daughter. But I get a chance to close my eyes. The reality with these manually shifting EVs, they’re good during a test drive and with your three close friends, but for your everyday commute, I can’t wait to get back to my ID. Buzz.’
Beyond the occasional gimmick, Boldia said he doesn’t see a scenario where simulated gears become a widely used or available feature in EVs.
‘In performance-oriented vehicles like the Golf R or GTI, you can see these types of developments. You may see these types of automatic transmissions that mimic manuals. For most of the market, the highlight of the EV is no transmission at all: no gears, no shifting, no nothing. Do I think there’s a market? yes I do. But I think it will be a small, highly specialized enthusiast customer base.’
While Volkswagen does not plan to include simulated gears in the ID. This feature is expected to be added to the Polo GTI, a future Clubsport edition.
