The Volkswagen Golf GTI is arguably the most famous and influential hot hatchback there has ever been, and continues to outsell nearly every other competitor out there. The latest GTI, the eighth generation, is not the best looking or most fun to drive, but it is the most technologically advanced and capable. In order to bring some of that lost rawness offered by classics such as the Mk1 and Mk2 back into the fold, many have taken to tuning modern turbocharged GTIs. We know these cars are pretty quick and their engines are receptive to tuning, but they don't sound all that great. Well, AWE Tuning is here to change all that. The Philadelphia-based company specializes in building performance products, including exhaust systems, and its latest offering is all you need to open up the vocal cords on your new GTI.

AWE is offering its customers a CNC mandrel-bent 2.5- or three-inch US-sourced .065-inch wall T304L stainless steel system - a mouthful, we know. Included in the upgrade is a bespoke mid-pipe resonator and tasty five-inch slash-cut tips. There are two levels of rowdiness available: Touring Edition or Track Edition. At cruising speeds, the Touring Edition is far more refined, as you can hear in the video below.

Each system features AWE's drone-canceling 180 Technology, a slip-fit inlet adapter for perfect factory downpipe fitment, and is a direct bolt-on to the rest of the factory system. AWE promises strong low- and mid-range torque gains when using the stock downpipe and software, as well as a no CEL guarantee. Customers can choose between chrome silver or diamond black slash-cut tips, and each system comes with a lifetime guarantee.

"We're back to where it all began!" said AWE vice president, Jesse Kramer. "We're on our fifth exhaust suite for the GTI platform and the Mk8 is the first and only GTI to receive our patented 180 Technology. The thing about this vehicle is that the transmission keeps wanting to drop a gear while you're cruising. That made it incredibly difficult to nail the sound. Almost two dozen iterations of the tone have led to what is sure to be the new standard for the Mk8 GTI exhaust: refined when you're cruising, and rowdy when you drop the hammer. Our engineering team absolutely crushed it on this one."

You can listen to the video above and decide for yourself if the GTI sounds better with the AWE system.