I have to admit I was a little worried about Volkswagen's future in the USA. The products were outdated, overpriced and largely unloved. However, in the space of about 12 months they seem to have turned everything around.
The best news is, of course, the new GTI. It really is an amazing drive and I already like the way it looks. Yes, there was some concern it looked a little blobby, a bit like everything else but in the flesh the GTI stands out. That black grille really gets noticed, and with its 2.0T we know there's plenty of power to be unleashed from the motor - another reason to get the six-speed manual so you don't have to worry about how much torque the DSG can take.
The GTI has also benefited from one of the best ad campaigns in many years, which has really got people talking about this car. So let's hope the enthusiasm stirred up around the GTI is carried through to some exciting products from the aftermarket.
More good news is it looks as if the R32 will be coming to America after all. Originally VWoA was bypassing it in favor of a more powerful R36, but that seems to have been delayed so it's looking at the R32 very seriously.
With that kind of lineup, we can all rejoice.
Then there's the Jetta. To my eyes this is still fugly and it's going to take a little while for us to get to grips with it. Given time, somebody will hit on the right way to modify it to make it more eurotuner. Obviously, the widebody SEMA show car was the perfect solution, but in the absence of anything on the market to resemble that we've decided to have a crack at the Jetta GLI. We've got one of our own and we're going to speak to some of the industry experts about what will restore the GLI's luster. Look out for our United gray GLI in future issues.
Obviously we like a challenge and we've also got a GTI, so we'll be giving that the et treatment as well. The GTI belongs to our NY/NJ photographer, Josh Brown, so look out for his Candy white example at East Coast shows.
Then there's the new Passat. With very little effort this car has been accepted by the mainstream. It's less sporty or "Euro" than the outgoing model but VW needs some mainstream success to pay for all our expensive performance models.
And let's not forget the GX3 concept reviewed in this issue (p44). Despite its wacky appearance, this crazy concept is so close to production they're picking the fonts for the new sales brochure. Whether it passes the final approval process hangs in the balance as we write but this can only be an exciting development for VWoA.
And then there's the new Scirocco model. This is no longer a rumor, it's really happening. Our sources tell us it's a powerful-looking, wide-stance hatchback that should look very distinctive on the road. We're going to do a little digging and see what other information we can uncover for the next issue.
And of course there's the Eos Convertible. Originally this looked like an exciting roadster but it seems to be fading to grey. However, the inclusion of the 2.0T and 3.2VR6 means it's still fair game for tuners and could be an exciting proposition for those who like to comb the smog out of their hair.
So as you can see, it's an exciting time for VW enthusiasts. And that's just as well because it looked as if BMW and Audi enthusiasts were going to have all the fun with the arrival of the M5 and RS4. Admittedly these are significantly more expensive than the GTI but it's a sign that European performance is alive and kicking and continues to lead the world.
I need to tell you to check eurotuner.com for details of the upcoming Kreuzerfest tour to Waterfest. However, we won't be on the NOPI Tour this year. We're leaving that to Super Street mag and will be putting our effort into more Euro-centric events. Apologies to all the Euro owners who look forward to joining us on Tour but hopefully we'll see you at other events around the country.
Greg Emmerson
Editor
eurotuner@primedia.com