How Will Volkswagen Build The Greatest Hot Hatches In The World?

May. 27, 2015 10:17 AM ET by Jay Traugott Rumor / 16 Comments

Always stay ahead of the competition.

When the original Golf GTI was launched in 1975, we doubt that Volkswagen could have imagined just how popular it would become. It is, after all, the original hot hatch. Each subsequent generation has become more powerful than its predecessor, with the current seventh-gen producing up to 220 hp. And now that the 292 hp-Golf R is here and the R400 on the way, how will VW make the next GTI even better? According to Automobile Magazine, VW is planning a so-called holy trinity of hot Golf hatchbacks, starting with the eighth-gen Golf.

The next GTI will reportedly have 300 hp, while the Golf R will have 350 ponies. The R400 will be replaced by a new trim, the Golf RS, which will have at least 400 hp. The "base" GTI, more than likely, will come powered by a 2.0-liter turbo four, which is what's found in today's Golf R. However, there are a couple other alternatives being discussed. One is a narrow-angle V6 displacing 2.5- or 3.0-liters. The second option is for the GTI to "become a high-output hybrid or an emission-free EV with two motors - one with 170 hp, one 95 hp." The latter is less likely than the other possibilities.It'll also be lower and wider and will rest on a longer wheelbase. Expect the next GTI to premiere in about three years, with the R and RS to follow sometime after.