HORSEPOWER, HAIRPINS, AND HAPPY GRINS

The Volkswagen Virtus GT Plus Sport

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THERE WAS A TIME, NOT SO LONG AGO when the phrase “enthusiast’s car” brought to mind low-slung coupes that had about as much practicality as a suitcase on wheels, seats that looked as though they had been designed by someone with a very peculiar idea of comfort possibly inspired by the Spanish Inquisition, and suspension so unforgiving that hitting a pothole felt like receiving a rather stern talking-to from your chiropractor.

The kind of car where, rather than enjoying the ride, you simply gritted your teeth and hoped the end of the journey came soon. But, as is often the case, the world has moved on. Or at least Volkswagen has.

Because here we are, waxing lyrical about a sedan. Not an SUV. Not a hatchback. It’s just a good, honest, four-door sedan. And yet, the Volkswagen Virtus GT Plus Sport has gone and done something rather remarkable, and it’s walked away with BBC TopGear’s Enthusiast’s Choice of the Year 2025 award. When you stop and think about it, it is quite something.

Now, if you weren’t paying attention, that means the public voting has deemed this car to induce an uncontrollable degree of glee in the person behind the wheel. The sort of glee that results in spontaneous outbursts of giggle, animated discussions at dinner parties about “steering feel,” and, if left unchecked, a distressingly detailed internet forum post beginning with the words, “Actually, the thing about sedans is...” Naturally, being professionals, we felt it necessary to conduct a thorough re-examination of the Virtus GT Plus Sport in the only way that makes sense: by taking it to a stretch of road that a very excitable friend insists is “basically India’s Stelvio Pass.”