Sophisticatedly refined, affordable, technologically advanced and German-bred for autobahn speeds, there’s absolutely nothing else like the 2009 Volkswagen GLI in the U.S. midsize passenger car marketplace. While Volkswagen’s designers blessed the latest generation GLI with Euro- distinctive good looks inside and out with subtle but striking performance cues, the engineers in Wolfsburg made sure the sedan performed like its iconic sibling, the GTI. The end result: a bona fide, head-turning European sports sedan that reaches 60 mph from a standstill in an impressive 7.2-seconds with an electronically governed top speed of 127-mph, all while delivering fuel efficiency of 21 mpg in the city, and 29 mpg on the highway. Cost for entry? A very reasonable price of $24,590.
Highlights
Advanced 2.0-liter FSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine
Six-speed transmission with DSG dual-clutch technology
Standard equipped ESP
Tiptronic® shift
Launch control
Fully independent, sports-tuned suspension
Optional Autobahn package
Available Touch-Screen Navigation System
Engine and Transmission
The GLI’s attractive performance numbers are achieved with an advanced 2.0 liter FSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission — the sedan’s standard powertrain configuration.
The state-of-the-art, compact 16-valve DOHC gasoline powerplant has a high compression ratio of 10.3:1, incorporates a fully electronic engine management system, and includes drive-by-wire throttle control and FSI direct injection for optimal fuel delivery, which increases power and improves efficiency while reducing emissions. It also has maintenance-free hydraulic lifters for smooth, worry-free operation. The result is optimal delivery of 200 horsepower between 5100 and 6000 rpm, and a very noticeable 207 lbs.-ft. of torque from 1800 to 5000 rpm.
When the 2.0T FSI engine is mated with an optional automatic six-speed transmission equipped with Volkswagen’s advanced DSG dual-clutch technologies, the numbers only get better: 0-60 mph in a scant 6.9-seconds; 22-mpg in the city; and 29- mpg on the highway. Like the 2.0T FSI engine, the dual-clutch DSG transmission is but one of the GLI’s technical highlights.
The DSG automatic transmission utilizes direct shifting that automatically engages and disengages gears without the need for a clutch pedal. A computer engages one clutch on the next gear that’s needed, just as it releases the other clutch from the previous gear. The shifts are seamless and happen without the power loss associated with a traditional, clutched shift.
Launch Control, combined with the DSG transmission, helps get the GLI off the line a little faster and with a little more “show.” The Launch Control program allows the engine to rev before the first clutch is engaged. The result is a controlled wheel-spin at launch.
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