Volkswagen reveals GTE series Plug-in Hybrid – Delivering GTI performance at 188mpg

The modern age has put massive stress on manufacturers to produce more economical vehicles due to the strict european emission laws but on the other hand; consumers are mostly interested in speedy motoring. So how do you make both parties happy?

As we’ve seen how the high-end hypercar makers are busy combining the love of the internal combustion engine with a hybrid motor, Volkswagen has decided to go along with this idea and put it in their best selling hatch body, the Golf. Yes ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the world’s first mainstream plug-in hybrid hot hatch! VW calls in the ‘GTE’ and much to our surprise, it is no slouch in any way..

Powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 148bhp matched with an electric motor that is good for 101bhp. This gives the GTE a total combined power output of 201bhp and 350nm of torques at its disposal. With a Zerotohundred time of a decent 7.5 seconds sprint and a top speed of 135mph; it completes the Golf’s range of hot hatch for both petrol, diesel and now hybrid iteration.

If you are still unconvinced by VW’s approach to modern fast motoring, they claim that the GTE has a theoretical range of 584miles (934km) on a single tank and will do 188mpg in a combined cycle. We too are absolutely baffled by the numbers however with a 1.5l/100km claimed fuel economy, the Golf GTE might just be the ‘hatch of the century’ at this point.

The electric motor will run the car a full 50km on a single charge whilst the engine resides within the car. Also, it can be driven up to speeds of 129km/h solely on electricity. Whilst many used to think that hybrids are just people running around with green, eco-friendly flags.. VW will most definitely manage to change the general perception of things.

On the exterior, it still remains as a Golf Mk7 with very little cues to differentiate itself against the GTI or GTD variants. It also replaces the GTI’s red detailing with blue and features side skirts and a discreet spoiler on the back that are taken from the other two models. At the same time, GTE badges are replaced over the old GTIs or GTDs to ensure that people know that its something special. On the whole, there is very little difference to tell that its a hybrid.

Set to be revealed in the flesh next week at the Geneva Motor Show, the GTE is what the near future looks like. And it brings us, the petrolheads absolute joy to know that the future will not be so boring as we had imagined!