2013 Volkswagen Golf GTD Adds More Sport To Diesel Flagship

The rollout of new Golf variants continues this week, with the online unveiling of the new diesel-powered 2013 GTD 'warm hatch'. 

Like its predecessor in the current sixth-generation Golf line-up, the new GTD takes styling cues from the petrol GTI hotbox and matches them with a torquey new diesel engine. 

Producing 135kW and 380Nm, the 2.0 litre turbodiesel driving the new GTD betters the outgoing model's 125kW, while properly besting its 280Nm of torque.

A choice of six-speed manual and six-speed DSG automatic transmissions are offered and, while it isn't GTI quick, a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.5 seconds is nothing to shrug at.

Frugal fuel use is the GTD's top trick, of course. In manual form, Volkswagen promises a return of 4.2 l/100km, while the DSG auto lists a similarly slight 4.7 l/100km. 

As with the GTI, the top diesel gets a honeycome grille, sporting new bumpers and skirts, a hatch-mounted spoiler, darkened LED tail-lights and chromed dual exhaust tips. The package sits on 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 225/45 rubber.