Everything you need to know about the new Volkswagen Golf GTI

The word icon gets thrown around a lot, but in the case of the Volkswagen Golf GTI, that’s exactly what it is.

The first model began development in 1974 as a secret project for six VW staff members. It started life as the Super Golf, but by the time it went on sale in 1976, it had been given the GTI moniker.[attach id=1014666 size="large" align="left" type="image"](VW)[/attach]With the eighth-generation Golf recently going on sale, a new Golf GTI is here too. Here are the highlights.

It has a 2.0-litre engine

The power unit is a typical VW Group hot hatch recipe, using a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine. In this case it makes 242bhp and 370Nm of torque.

It gets a front locking differential

In the last generation of Golf, only the top models got a front diff, but no longer is this just the preserve of the Performance and TCR, as even standard GTI models get one now.

The differential has become a vital part of modern front-wheel-drive performance cars, because it helps with traction out of corners.

New ‘Vehicle Dynamics Manager’

This clever piece of technology manages all of the electrical connections to various mechanical components, such as the differentials and optional...