PARIS, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Hoping to restore glory to its
once-mythic Golf GTI, Volkswagen debuted a new generation of the
sports hatchback at the Paris car show, promising that its
200-horsepower engine and a renewed marketing focus would put it
back in the fast lane.
Introduced in 1976, the original GTI virtually created a
whole new segment -- the hot hatchback -- by turning an economy
car into an affordable road rocket that enthralled young baby
boom car buyers in Germany and around the world.
More than 1.5 million were sold over the past 28 years, but
a host of imitators, sexier alternatives, changing consumer
tastes and a lack of direction robbed the GTI of its cachet.
Recent models have failed to capture the appeal of the
110-horsepower original.
"VW certainly has made the mistake of allowing the GTI to
degenerate over the years to being just an options package (and
not an independent model)," said Volkswagen Chairman Bernd
Pichetsrieder told Reuters this week.
"When I was still at BMW, I used to get really aggravated
that I was always seeing GTIs in the left lane. Suddenly they
had a Golf that was faster than the normal BMW 2002," the former
BMW boss said, referring to a 1970s predecessor of the BMW
3-series.
"Today you don't find them there any more," he said.
Nonetheless, the GTI retains a name-recognition rate of
93.2 percent in Europe, Volkswagen VOWG.DE says, and
Pichetsrieder wants to exploit it.
Germany's Bild tabloid even reported that more Germans know
the GTI than their own chancellor.
With a price of 24,200 euros, his main goal is not achieving
a windfall in unit sales, but projecting a sporty image that
will help sell more mainline Golf models.
This could prove critical considering the Golf V failed to
significantly increase unit sales in the first half of this year
over its predecessor Golf IV in 2003, even though the IV was in
its last year of production.
"The sales figure (of the GTI) aren't the core point. The
core point is the Golf brand, and the GTI is certainly a key to
this," said Pichetsrieder.
"It's about getting young, sporty people excited about the
Golf again," he said, drawing on his cigar.
STREET CRED
Available in Europe in November, the GTI aims to restore its
sports car credentials, catapulting to 100 kilometers an hour
from a standstill in just 7.2 seconds, and topping out at 235
kmh.
It has received strong reviews in the motor press, but the
GTI faces some stiff competition from premium brands which are
muscling into the Golf's core market.
In addition to its wildly popular Mini Cooper hatchback, BMW
BMWG.DE is offering its brand new 1-series hatchback for about
1,000 euros less than the GTI, with a 2-litre, 150 horsepower
petrol engine hat can do 0-100 kmh in 8.7 seconds. Fiat's
FIA.MI Alfa-Romeo is launching a revamped version of its 147
hot hatchback.
Competition also will come from Mercedes' redesigned A-class
DCXGN.DE and VW's own Audi A3 Sportback. Not to mention,
nearly every mainstream manufacturer continues to offer a sporty
version of its own Golf competitor. Also debuting at the show
was a concept version of General Motors Corp's GM Opel Astra
GTC boasting 240 horsepower -- 40 more than the GTI.
Pischetsrieder hedged his bets by calling the GTI a niche
product, nonetheless an important one for the Golf brand.
((Reporting by Christiaan Hetzner, editing by David Lawder;
Reuters Messaging: christiaan.hetzner.reuters.com@reuters.net;
+49 69 7565 1270))
Fri Sep 24 15:22:24 2004 -GMT- pnac (nL24315889) = 1 15:22
once-mythic Golf GTI, Volkswagen debuted a new generation of the
sports hatchback at the Paris car show, promising that its
200-horsepower engine and a renewed marketing focus would put it
back in the fast lane.
Introduced in 1976, the original GTI virtually created a
whole new segment -- the hot hatchback -- by turning an economy
car into an affordable road rocket that enthralled young baby
boom car buyers in Germany and around the world.
More than 1.5 million were sold over the past 28 years, but
a host of imitators, sexier alternatives, changing consumer
tastes and a lack of direction robbed the GTI of its cachet.
Recent models have failed to capture the appeal of the
110-horsepower original.
"VW certainly has made the mistake of allowing the GTI to
degenerate over the years to being just an options package (and
not an independent model)," said Volkswagen Chairman Bernd
Pichetsrieder told Reuters this week.
"When I was still at BMW, I used to get really aggravated
that I was always seeing GTIs in the left lane. Suddenly they
had a Golf that was faster than the normal BMW 2002," the former
BMW boss said, referring to a 1970s predecessor of the BMW
3-series.
"Today you don't find them there any more," he said.
Nonetheless, the GTI retains a name-recognition rate of
93.2 percent in Europe, Volkswagen VOWG.DE says, and
Pichetsrieder wants to exploit it.
Germany's Bild tabloid even reported that more Germans know
the GTI than their own chancellor.
With a price of 24,200 euros, his main goal is not achieving
a windfall in unit sales, but projecting a sporty image that
will help sell more mainline Golf models.
This could prove critical considering the Golf V failed to
significantly increase unit sales in the first half of this year
over its predecessor Golf IV in 2003, even though the IV was in
its last year of production.
"The sales figure (of the GTI) aren't the core point. The
core point is the Golf brand, and the GTI is certainly a key to
this," said Pichetsrieder.
"It's about getting young, sporty people excited about the
Golf again," he said, drawing on his cigar.
STREET CRED
Available in Europe in November, the GTI aims to restore its
sports car credentials, catapulting to 100 kilometers an hour
from a standstill in just 7.2 seconds, and topping out at 235
kmh.
It has received strong reviews in the motor press, but the
GTI faces some stiff competition from premium brands which are
muscling into the Golf's core market.
In addition to its wildly popular Mini Cooper hatchback, BMW
BMWG.DE is offering its brand new 1-series hatchback for about
1,000 euros less than the GTI, with a 2-litre, 150 horsepower
petrol engine hat can do 0-100 kmh in 8.7 seconds. Fiat's
FIA.MI Alfa-Romeo is launching a revamped version of its 147
hot hatchback.
Competition also will come from Mercedes' redesigned A-class
DCXGN.DE and VW's own Audi A3 Sportback. Not to mention,
nearly every mainstream manufacturer continues to offer a sporty
version of its own Golf competitor. Also debuting at the show
was a concept version of General Motors Corp's GM Opel Astra
GTC boasting 240 horsepower -- 40 more than the GTI.
Pischetsrieder hedged his bets by calling the GTI a niche
product, nonetheless an important one for the Golf brand.
((Reporting by Christiaan Hetzner, editing by David Lawder;
Reuters Messaging: christiaan.hetzner.reuters.com@reuters.net;
+49 69 7565 1270))
Fri Sep 24 15:22:24 2004 -GMT- pnac (nL24315889) = 1 15:22
