Yes. Fun-to-drive; lots of fun. With 200 horsepower at my command, for me every Stop sign was a temptation for a full-throttle blast.
Back nearly thirty years ago the Volkswagen brand “owned” the fun-to-drive characteristic or purchase reason. The venerable Beetle was fun to drive, but it all really kicked in with the introduction in the US market of the Mk1-based GTI in 1983. A year later the first Jetta GLI followed.
Fast-forward to today and there are now many other brands on the market that offer fun-to-drive models. It’s no longer a VW exclusive. But that’s ok.
The Jetta was all-new in 2011 and has been selling very well. It’s VW’s top selling model. Capping the Jetta lineup for 2012 is the GLI. The 2.0L TSI turbocharged four-cylinder generates 200 horsepower…double that of the original…and 207 lb-ft of torque. Drive is through the front wheels. The standard 6-speed manual is smooth to shift. Gone is the sloppy-shifter of the old days. Optional is the DSG dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters. I love hearing the quickness of the shifts with the DSG transmission…and perhaps a better choice if you live in a heavy traffic city like Chicago.
Back nearly thirty years ago the Volkswagen brand “owned” the fun-to-drive characteristic or purchase reason. The venerable Beetle was fun to drive, but it all really kicked in with the introduction in the US market of the Mk1-based GTI in 1983. A year later the first Jetta GLI followed.
Fast-forward to today and there are now many other brands on the market that offer fun-to-drive models. It’s no longer a VW exclusive. But that’s ok.
The Jetta was all-new in 2011 and has been selling very well. It’s VW’s top selling model. Capping the Jetta lineup for 2012 is the GLI. The 2.0L TSI turbocharged four-cylinder generates 200 horsepower…double that of the original…and 207 lb-ft of torque. Drive is through the front wheels. The standard 6-speed manual is smooth to shift. Gone is the sloppy-shifter of the old days. Optional is the DSG dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters. I love hearing the quickness of the shifts with the DSG transmission…and perhaps a better choice if you live in a heavy traffic city like Chicago.
No comments:
Post a Comment