Auto Extreme

Before you get too thrilled about what you read, know that presently there are no plans to sell the Golf GTI Pirelli in the U. S. Having said that, you won’t be missing a whole heck of a lot.

Ready to go on sale in Europe this September, the GTI Pirelli is a special edition car that reflects the “original” GTI Pirelli that was available in 1983. There were approximately 10,000 of those cars built, with their most distinctive feature being the Pirelli “P” on the outer edges of their fourteen inch alloy wheels.

2008 VW Golf GTI Pirelli differentiates itself from the normal GTI in much the same way. It rolls on eighteen inch Pirelli wheels with the newest P Zero tires for rubber. The car loses the black trim found on the GTI in favor of being evenly coated in options of four colors. There will be only one exclusive color - “Sunflower” yellow. Inside, unique upholstery has a tire tread pattern; yellow stitching and Pirelli badges decorated the seats, wheel, and handbrake lever.

Mechanically, the 2.0-liter FSI four-cylinder has been tuned to bring more power-226 hp versus an even 200 for the normal GTI-with little-to-no fuel-economy penalty. Top speed has crept up to 152 mph.

The sports car races to the 100 km/h mark in just 6.8 seconds. But it can go even faster: When the GTI Pirelli is ordered with the elective DSG dual clutch transmission, the most powerful GTI of all times shatters through the magic ’sound barrier’ in 6.6 seconds. The GTI philosophy of agility is accompanied by the efficiency with which this Turbo-FSI goes to work: 8.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, or 7.9 liters with DSG, are proof of the virtuosity with which Volks¬wagen masters the keyboard of engine construction.

Volkswagen enthusiast will tell you, half the fun of owning a GTI is the endless potential for customization from hundreds of aftermarket suppliers.

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