Some motor show unveilings will also draw people in and an all-new Golf GTi is certainly one of those. Power output it 210 bhp – it was 200 on the MkV – and it features an electronic limited slip diff linked to the ESP for the first time. The GTI is officially a concept but won’t change much before it arrives here in the spring.
The new GTi overshadowed the motor show debut of the sixth generation of Europe's best selling car - the new Volkswagen Golf. A staggering discovery that I made in Paris was that the new Golf has just six engine options, which is down from 20 in the current model. Expect others to follow VW's lead with this and other cost cutting measures.
Elsewhere, the new Passat BlueMotion debuted in Paris and this Euro VI-compliant saloon and estate returns up to 68.9mpg and a very low 114g/km. It features a stop-start system, advanced common-rail injection and longer gears for lower revs. While the Mk1 Passat BlueMotion wasn't sold here, you can expect to see this one next spring.
