MoneywebDRIVE Issue 2 | Page 32

MoneywebDrive: Review In accelerating out of sharp corners the system really comes into its own, and for track day fun this car is going to be really good. to dial in the rate of suspension stiffness or compliance you desire. These range from Comfort through Normal, to Sport. Pushing the button to Sport also quickens engine response to the throttle and releases a bit more in-car entertainment in the form of extra induction noise from the engine. Also new is an electronic differential lock, exclusive to the Performance Pack GTi. It employs a multi-plate clutch unit located between the differential and the right-hand drive shaft, and is activated to “lock up mode” by an electric motor that controls the amount of hydraulic pressure to activate diff lock-up or let the diff run free. Sensors employ lock-up when they detect a difference in rotational speed between the two front wheels, thus ensuring 30­ maximum torque to the wheels with the most grip. its own, and for track day fun this car is going to be really good. In practise it works well, but under certain conditions the system can be a tad alarming. When pulling away hard and then driving over a ridge or join the roadway – which happens all too often in my area of Randburg – you can experience a disturbing knocking noise through the suspension. I believe it is the dampers topping out – rather than bottoming out - as both wheels momentarily fight for traction and then are launched off the tar, just for a millisecond. Normally, without the diff lock, one wheel would spin some of the power away and you may have to fight the steering a bit to keep it straight. There is a noticeable tightening up of the damping when Sport is dialled in, but over normal (okay, still a bit bumpy) tar it is quite acceptable in terms of ride quality. In accelerating out of sharp corners the system really comes into For the Performance Pack, power has been upped ever so slightly through a slight increase in turbo boost, from the standard GTi’s 162 kW to 169 kW. Torque is rated on both cars as 350 Nm. GTis have been criticised in some areas by being a bit short, in the hot hatch stakes, in terms of peak power outputs, but for me I find the power is spot-on because it is so linear, and delivered so undramatically. The rest of the car