Volkswagen Golf GTD Performance Diesel On The Way

Volkswagen has shown its hand with the new Mark VI Golf GTI, but don’t expect that to be the end of the sporting story.

There is still more to come from the high performance Golf line-up, and the first of those offerings is being prepared for an unveiling at the AMI Car Show in Leipzig, Germany next month.

The Golf GTD will offer the same handling and styling package as the GTI, but with a 126kW (170hp) 352Nm (258lb-ft) 2.0 litre TDI tubodiesel engine taking the place of the GTI’s 2.0 litre petrol mill.

It's the same engine as found in the Audi TT TDI, and with it the GTD should be capable of an 8.2 second 0-100km/h sprint and sip less than 5.8 litres/100km (better than 40mpg) on the combined cycle.

Volkswagen appears to be following the performance diesel precedent set by cars like the Å koda Octavia TDI and the RenaultSport Megane dCi 175, both of which take their donor cars sports models and add a frugal - but punchy - diesel engine.

While Europe is a certainty to receive the Golf GTD the rising popularity of diesel cars around the world, particularly in Australia, means that the GTD hopefully won't be too far away for those looking to ride the high-torque performance wave.