The End of an Era: Volkswagen Golf GTI to Go Automatic Only
For nearly 50 years, the Volkswagen Golf GTI has been a staple of the hot hatch genre, offering drivers a thrilling driving experience with a manual gearbox. However, that era is set to come to an end as Volkswagen plans to make the Golf automatic-only as part of a mid-life update in 2024, pending the ratification of Euro 7 emissions rules in their current form.
The move would impact the entire Golf line-up, including the iconic GTI, which is approaching its 50th anniversary in 2025. The automatic Golf GTI is currently priced from £39,435, which is £1500 more than the manual car. If prices increase slightly across the line-up as part of the updates for the Mk8.5 Golf, it is highly likely there will be no GTI available for less than £40,000.
The decision to go automatic-only was made for reasons of emissions compliance, according to Volkswagen technical development boss Kai Grünitz. The manual Golf GTI emits 162g/km of CO2 compared with the automatic’s 160g/km, which has significant implications in the context of manufacturer fleet emissions quotas.
This move brings to an end nearly 50 years of the manual GTI. The hot version of the original Mk1 Golf was revealed in 1975 with a close-ratio four-speed ‘box, which was swapped out in 1979 for a longer-legged five-speeder. Every GTI since has been offered with a manual gearbox, and it remains an option in the US for the much more potent Volkswagen Golf R – though it remains to be seen whether this will be the case following the facelift.
The standard Golf is currently available in the UK with a manual gearbox if specified with the 1.0-litre or 1.5-litre pure-petrol engine, or the 2.0-litre turbodiesel. The mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid models are exclusively automatic already. The cheapest Golf available is the manual 1.0-litre TSI, at £26,565. The cheapest automatic variant, meanwhile, costs nearly £2000 more.
It is not yet clear whether other models in the Volkswagen line-up are affected by the decision. Currently, the Up, Polo, T-Cross, Taigo, T-Roc and Arteon are offered with manual gearboxes – as are the soon-to-be-replaced Tiguan and Passat.
Volkswagen is one of several firms moving away from the manual gearbox as manufacturers look to slash emissions, meet prevailing customer demand and reduce complexity in their line-up. Mini, for example, recently revealed a special-edition JCW hot hatch as its final manual car, and the Mercedes line-up has been automatic-only since 2021.
In conclusion, the Volkswagen Golf GTI going automatic-only marks the end of an era for the iconic hot hatch. While the move was made for reasons of emissions compliance, it remains to be seen how fans of the GTI will react to the change. Nevertheless, Volkswagen is just one of many manufacturers moving away from the manual gearbox as they look to reduce emissions and streamline their line-up.