Today will not be the best day for car enthusiasts like us, as sadly Volkswagen recently announced that their upcoming 2024 batch of hot hatches.
The upcoming Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R will be the last with the manual transmission. Check out the video below by "Ben Hardy" for a closer look at the VW Golf GTI.
Along with this news, the German manufacturer also revealed the hotter Golf GTI 380, and it will be included with every GTI that comes with a manual transmission. Also, the 2024 model year will also mark the end of the 6-speed manual transmission for both the Golf R and GTI models.
After the recent launch of the limited edition 2023 Golf R 333, which was sold in under 8 minutes, the news hit us like a truck. With that said, at least the manufacturer is giving a proper farewell to some of the fastest cars from Volkswagen.
The upgrades include 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels that are taken straight from the 20th-Anniversary Edition Golf R, wrapped in summer performance rubber. Volkswagen also gave the roof and mirror caps a gloss black treatment, which perfectly complements the GTI’s red exterior accents.
This refresh from back in 2022 marked the eighth generation model of the Golf name in the U.S. and only got minor cosmetic changes this year. It will only be offered on the FWD drivetrain, with no option for the AWD drivetrain. That said, the 2024 Golf R packs the AWD drivetrain as standard.
Coming to the performance aspect, the adaptive dampers which were originally reserved for the top-of-the-line Autobahn trim are now standard across the 2024 manual GTIs. The heart of the matter here is the familiar EA888 2.0 liter turbocharged inline-4 engine producing 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.
Attached to a manual transmission, the 380 GTI and Golf R are also available with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that they will continue to offer with the next generations until electricity takes over. The Golf R 2024 on the other hand is powered by a 2L turbo-4 that produces 315 hp and 310 lb-ft.
In terms of performance, the 2024 GTI does the 0-60 MPH run in just 5.1 seconds with the DCT automatic. The Golf R on the other hand does the same sprint in a blistering-quick 3.9 seconds with the dual-clutch automatic while the manual is exactly a second slower. Both models get a claimed top speed of 155 MPH
On the inside, the changes are kept to a minimum, where you can see the signature golf ball-inspired shift knob. With the GTI S and SE trims, the manufacturer is offering the classic Scalepaper Plaid cloth seats as standard, and the Vienna leather seats are standard on the Autobahn trim, while you can choose them as an option for the SE.
Talking about the exterior, in 2024, the automaker added an exclusive exterior color option for the GTI 380, called Graphic Gray Metallic. However, for the sake of choice, they have also kept the other standard colors, such as Atlantic Blue Metallic, Kings Red Metallic, Opal White Pearl, Deep Black Pearl, Reflex Silver Metallic, and Moonstone Gray, relevant for the model.
The price of the 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI 380 starts at $31,765 for the S trim, which can go up to $39,905 for the top Autobahn trim. Prices for the 2024 Golf R start at $45,455 for the manual and $46,225 for the automatic. Please note that these prices do not include destination and handling fees.
The elimination of the manual transmission is unfortunate, and sadly every manufacturer is going in the same direction. The most relevant reason we can think of right now is the neck-pressing European emissions regulations. According to the reports the manual GTI produces slightly more carbon dioxide than the automatic sibling, which is probably enough for Volkswagen to pull out the plug.
Adding to that, there are monetary reasons as well since only 8423 Volkswagen GTIs were sold in 2022, which is the reason they are streamlining the GTI assembly process to simplify and lower the cost of production.
As dejected as it may sound, the manual transmission is facing the end phase of its timestamp; it will be obsolete in one or two years at max. Therefore if the end is inevitable we car enthusiasts can no longer “save the manuals,” rather than we can just “embrace the manuals” as far as they are here.
