Hot hatch God!

It's a Volkswagen Golf. No, no, don't yawn just yet, you philistine. This is the GTI. The legendary, the iconic, the very essence of a proper hot hatch!

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VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI

₹53 Lakhs (ex-showrrom) / volkswagen.co.in

It's been teased, it's been whispered about, and now, much like the monsoon (albeit slightly less damp), it has officially arrived on our shores. This isn't just a car; it's a statement. And that statement, for those who truly understand, is a rather loud, slightly unhinged cackle.

From the outside, it's a Golf. Plain. Unassuming. Like a particularly well-ironed shirt. But then, you spot it: the flash of red across the grille, a visual siren call for the petrolhead. The honeycomb mesh, the X-shaped fog lights that scream “I mean business, even in a Delhi fog,” and the rather smart 18-inch Richmond alloys. It’s a bit like finding out your quiet librarian neighbour moonlights as a competitive cage fighter. “Oh, that's what's going on.

But ₹53 Lakh! That's a tough ask in a market that loves SUVs and sensible sedans. But then again the first batch of 150 cars is all booked up...

The OG sleeper

It doesn't shout like some of its Italian brethren, nor does it look like it's perpetually startled, a common affliction among modern German cars. No, the GTI prefers a knowing wink. It knows what it is. And if you don't, then frankly, you're missing the point.

Fast and furious