First pictures of Golf GTI Convertible released

HERE are the first pictures of Volkswagen’s most powerful Golf Cabriolet ever built which will be revealed at next week’s Geneva Motor Show.
With the same performance as the hatchback, but with the added pleasure of open-air cruising for up to four people, this quick convertible is sure to find some fans.
Its electrically powered fabric roof can fold down in just 9.5 seconds at speeds of up to 18 mph.
The Golf GTI Cabriolet has all the classic GTI design cues.  The radiator grille has a honeycomb structure with red edging and the GTI badge, while the front bumper incorporates a deep honeycomb air dam and distinctive vertical fog lights.  Side sill extensions help give the GTI a wide, well-planted stance, while a bespoke rear diffuser is framed by a chrome tailpipe on either side.  Smoked LED tail lights complete the look.  As on the GTI hatchback, standard wheels are 17in Monza alloys.
Under the insulated fully automatic roof are four individual seats covered in the classic tartan ‘Jacara’ cloth upholstery; ‘Vienna’ leather upholstery is optional.  The bespoke GTI multifunction steering wheel is wrapped in leather, as are the handbrake and gear lever gaiter, all finished with contrasting red stitching.  The pedals have brushed stainless steel caps, while there are black ‘Edge’ decorative inlays on the doors and facia.
Under the bonnet is the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in the GTI hatchback, mated to either a standard six-speed manual gearbox or optional six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox and producing 210 PS.  The benchmark zero to 62 mph sprint is covered in 7.3 seconds with either transmission (versus 6.9 seconds for the hatch), while top speed is 147 mph (146 mph for the DSG).
Safety is every bit as much a priority as performance.  As with all Golf Cabriolet models, the GTI comes with automatically deploying rollover protection, front and side head/thorax airbags and a driver’s knee airbag as standard, all of which helped it to achieve a five-star (96 per cent) rating for adult occupancy in Euro NCAP crash tests.
The Golf GTI Cabriolet goes on sale in the UK in the second half of the year.