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AUTOMOBILE names 2010 GTI Automobile of the Year
Volkswagen GTI: Halo car?
Would you consider the GTI Volkswagen's halo car? When you stop and think about it, the GTI has, over the years, meant sporty driving. If you're old like me, you remember the original GTI as a small yet tossable car to drive.
That fun-to-drive reputation has continued over the years and manifests itself yet again by being recognized by AUTOMOBILE Magazine as its 2010 Automobile of the Year.
Now, some of you might say the New Beetle is VW's halo car but for me it's always been a little too cartoonish. For diehard VW buyers, the GTI describes performance in an affordable package that's hard to beat. The Beetle is there for college coeds and commuters yearning for the '70s. They may have owned the original minivan, the VW Bus, as well. But that's another story.
A loose definition of halo car is one that draws buyers to showrooms. Usually it's an expensive car that catches your eye because of its exotic looks, expensive price and mind-numbing performance. In a nut shell, halo cars are unaffordable and will outperform 99% of drivers; i.e., its performance will get you in trouble in more ways than one.
But does a halo car need to meet those specifications? A car doesn't need to be expensive or exotic looking to be great to drive. Does the GTI look exotic? Absolutely not. But what does it have?
We can start with its 2.0-liter, 16-valve DOHC turbo-charged four-cylinder producing 200 horsepower and 207 lbs.-ft. of torque. Transmissions include VW's slick DSG or a traditional six-speed manual. Add on the new for 2010 electronic limited slip, which VW is calling XDS, and you have the makings of a car most enthusiasts will love.
Let me know what you think. Do you think the GTI can be VW's halo car? What other car does VW have that fits the halo characteristics? I can't think of any other VW model that fits the bill.
2009 Audi S3
European model gets seven-speed, dual-clutch S-Tronic gearbox
Unfortunately, no news from Audi if the S3 will be available here with this incredible new transmission. European owners will benefit from better fuel economy, slightly better performance and lower emissions.
Newly equipped S3's will be just a tick faster to 62 mph, hitting it in 5.5 seconds, 0.2 seconds quicker than the previous model. Gas mileage is slightly better as well, where you'll get 28.3 mpg, up from 27.6. Your CO2 emissions will also improve, from 0.7 lb per mile to 0.68. The S3's 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder packs 261 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque. Not bad from a little four-banger!
Starting October 1st, European buyers can place their orders and expect delivery in mid-December. The optional seven-speed dual-clutch costs $2,578. So an S-Tronic equipped S3 will start at $51,424.
A bit pricey for a relatively small sport-hatch? Maybe, but it is an Audi. With a car like this, you get guiltless fun. Excellent gas mileage and lower emissions, plus the knowledge that you can carve it up whenever you like.
Audi's new dual-clutch not available in America
As the choices in green technology seem to be growing, driving enthusiasts and the technology they crave seem to be placed on the back burner, as least here in America.
As we noted recently in "The death of the manual", Pontiac has nixed the idea of putting a six-speed manual in their G8 GT, holding it out for the GXP model only. Now Audi has announced their new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, only to say that it won't be available in cars sold in America.
Now, we're huge fans of Audi here at Ridestory who arguably have one of the best vehicle lineups by any manufacturer. And this new dual-clutch transmission is just another technological leap for them. Called the S tronic, this new dual-clutch gear box will be able to manage more torque at higher RPMs, up to 9,000 rpm and 550 Nm or 405.66 lb-ft to be exact. Consequently, Audi buyers interested in future S and RS car purchases, such as the S4, RS4 and RS5, will have this new gearbox available to them.
But this is where Audi's plans hit the skids for us. The plan is that this new S tronic will only be available on European models. Apparently, Audi is worried Americans will complain about the gear boxes shift quality, which has a harder edge to it.
Are American performance car buyers that much different than their European counterparts? If you're buying a performance-minded car, don't you expect it to behave differently than a "normal" car? As we noted in our article about the G8, we're traditionalists who prefer a good six-speed manual, so opting for Audi's manual in a choice S5 or R8 would be a no brainer. But Audi should offer their latest gear boxes in cars the performance buyer knows about.
For more about transmissions and your choices when used car shopping, check out my blog post, Transmissions: What suits you? over at Mota.net.
