The 245 PS Golf GTI Performance and new 150 PS 1.5-litre TSI EVO engine are available to order now - bringing high performance and further frugality to the Golf range.

Two versions of the 1.5-litre EVO engine are available with outputs of 150 PS and 130 PS, both are turbocharged four-cylinder units and are available with six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG gearboxes. The 150 PS unit is available now, and the 130 PS derivative will join later in the summer.

Active Cylinder Management (ACM) is an integral part of these new EVO units’ efficiency, which shuts down cylinders when the driver lifts off the throttle. In the 150 PS unit two of the four cylinders are shut down while in the 130 PS BlueMotion version all four cylinders are paused when the car is coasting. The 150 PS unit develops a maximum torque of 250 Nm from 1,500 rpm thus taking the Golf hatch, whether equipped with the six-speed manual or the seven-speed DSG gearbox, from rest to 62 mph in 8.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 134 mph.

Combined economy is put at 55.4 mpg for the 150 PS 1.5 TSI EVO hatchback in six-speed manual form (56.5 mpg for the DSG-equipped hatchback), with CO2 figures of 116 g/km for the manual and 114 g/km for the DSG automatic. Figures for the 130 PS 1.5 TSI EVO BlueMotion models will be available at a later date.

This advanced engine will become available in 130 PS BlueMotion specification on the Golf SE and SE Navigation in both hatchback and Golf Estate forms. The 150 PS EVO engine is available in the Golf GT and R-Line hatchback trims, and in the Golf GT Estate, with prices starting at £23,445 OTR.

The updated Golf GTI Performance model has become a more potent proposition thanks to its new output of 245 PS. With an increase of 15 PS compared to the previous model, today’s GTI Performance model is now the most powerful Golf GTI available. The upgrade results in a torque increase of 20 Nm to 370 Nm. This is available in a broad band from 1,600 rpm to 4,300 rpm.

Standstill to 62 mph is reached in 6.2 seconds, and those figures apply to the six-speed manual as well as the newly developed seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The GTI’s top speed is 155 mph in manual form, and 154 mph when equipped with the DSG gearbox.

Larger brake discs, with red-trimmed front calipers, and an electronic front differential add to the 'dynamic ability' of the Golf GTI Performance, which is available to order today, priced from £29,280 RRP OTR.

With five seats and a 380-litre boot, or up to 1270 litres with the rear seats folded, its available in three- or five-door configurations. The GTI Performance is fitted with Volkswagen’s advanced Active Info Display as standard which turns the instrument binnacle into a 12.3-inch high-resolution TFT screen to allow the driver to choose from an assortment of potential car and journey information.