Ask any automobile enthusiasts or car experts about sporty hatchbacks and the GTI from Volkswagen will be on most of their lists. The iconic pocket rocket has enough power to rival sports cars yet it’s practical and you can use it as your daily driver. And the good news is, VW is evaluating the launch of the latest iteration of the GTI in India, relaunch to be exact.
The brand introduced the Polo GTI in limited numbers in India back in 2016 and to this date, the hot hatch enjoys a cult-like following with exceptional value in the used car market. Finding one of these in good or even fixable condition is like finding gold for fans and those who love cars.
Recently, in an interview with What Car? India, when asked about the plans to relaunch the GTI in India, Volkswagen India brand head, Ashish Gupta stated that since there is a sizable enthusiast community who love the GTI, the brand is currently evaluating. It’s unclear whether he was talking about the Golf GTI or the Polo GTI.
To give a little bit of context here, The Golf GTI is a performance-oriented hatchback that is powered by a 245 hp, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that is capable of going 0 to 100 kph in just 6.4 seconds and is globally regarded as one of the best hot hatchbacks in the market.
Next is the hatchback that Indians are a bit more familiar with Polo GTI which is based on the 6th Generation Polo that was introduced globally back in 2021. This sporty hatch is a bit smaller than the Golf GTI and packs the same 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that generates 207 hp and goes 0 to 100 kph in just 6.5 kph. Do note that the Golf GTI is around 30% costlier than the Polo GTI in international markets.
The GTI will be brought in India as full import units if VW plans to launch in India and the units might be limited to around 200 since these imported units will attract full duties and taxes. So, the hatches won’t be affordable, however, the main objective to bring these halo products into the market is to increase VW’s brand visibility and boost the sales of its more affordable models.
