Top Cars

The 2009 Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mark VI) is upon us, and as suspected, the thinly-veiled "concept" shown in Paris is an exact duplicate of the production model we'll be getting in the States this summer.

With redesigned front and rear fascias, artfully sculpted haunches and Scirocco-inspired headlamps, the Mark VI is a subtle evolution of the outgoing model that lends a bit more aggression to the three- and five-door hatch. Power is provided by a tweaked and turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four putting out 210 horsepower (10 hp more than its predecessor) and 206 lb-ft of torque beginning at 1,800 rpm. The run to 60 mph comes in at 6.9 seconds with a top speed of 149 mph.

A six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch gearbox are available, along with a standard sport suspension, DCC adaptive damping (with settings for Normal, Sport and Comfort) and an XDS electronic differential that monitors traction and sends power to the outside wheel. The interior remains largely unchanged, with standard plaid seating (leather is optional), along with stainless-steel pedals, aluminum shift knob and a flat-bottom leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The new GTI will hit dealers in Germany later this week, while those of us in the U.S. will have to wait until this summer to get our hands on VW's latest hot hatch.