VW Golf TSI: The thinking person's GTI

We found a nice article about the VW Golf TSI.

“Downsizing” has emerged as one of the motor industry’s buzzwords. It’s not so much about going from a large car to a small one, but refers to what’s under the bonnet.

With fuel prices continuously rising and emissions regulations getting ever tighter, as well as the increasingly vociferous green lobby blaming everything from melting ice caps to the virtual disappearance of the Chinese Tylototriton shanjing crocodile newt on the dastardly internal combustion engine, it’s little wonder that car manufacturers are looking at solutions to reduce fuel consumption and, therefore, emissions whilst still maintaining the power and performance we’ve got used to.

The first impression you get is that there’s nothing spectacularly different about either car. At low, commuting speeds they feel the same as others within each model portfolio. The engines are quiet and refined with only a hint of supercharger whine to give the story away. If you weren’t told there was only a 1.4-litre under the bonnet you’d be none the wiser.

It’s only when you start to accelerate that the picture starts to change, especially when the impressive torque delivery starts to come in. The mid-range punch from both engines but, especially, the bigger one is more like the torque a diesel delivers rather than a petrol engine. Those used to pedalling turbos will be mightily impressed by the lack of lag and the instant response from any throttle input, especially at lower engine speeds.

Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, VW Golf

Source: Motoring Life

VW Golf TSI: The thinking person's GTI

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