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RACING THE JETTA GLI

photographed by HERBERT FERNANDES

“You will realise that this is more car than you are driver�/span>

GLI

What is a Jetta?

The Jetta, also known in some countries as the Bora, is basically a Golf that Volkswagen extended into a traditional three-box saloon car to make it more palatable to the American market, which traditionally has never responded well to anything small, especially hatchbacks. Now spread over the world, it is known by a variety of names, depending on which country it is sold in.

Given its lineage, you could be forgiven for closing your eyes and buying one right now if you want a rock-solid saloon car. The Golf, a classic that became the world’s third-best selling model, is such a proven formula that its styling has changed little, and Volkswagen is on the verge of introducing its sixth generation in markets all over the world later this year, which it says, predictably, will be its best ever.

And if the Jetta is a Golf with a back then the Jetta GLI would be like a Golf GTI: pumped with enough testosterone while maintaining a misleadingly straight face. Because the Jetta GLI, just unveiled in Oman, is a racer pretending to be a family saloon. While the fifth generation has enough curves wrapped around its solid German frame that many will still recognise, it would never be called flashy. Till you get in and hit the pedal that is. Even worse, hit it in ‘S�mode on the tiptronic.

PERFORMANCE

How much car do you need?

Six seconds later, as you nick 100 and very quickly blur towards 180 before you run out of road, you will realise that this is more car than you are driver. The GLI is a monster that many should not be allowed to unleash. Indeed, the pedal seems so tuned to speed that it takes a little practice perfecting a smooth, easy start when the lights turn green. Initial taps tend to evoke a surge that you hastily scramble to dampen, and it isn’t much fun cruising inner city streets, because you have to kill every other revv.

As far as interiors ago, the styling is probably more luxurious than it’s ever been, but the bread-and-butter models of the company,

the Jetta and the Golf, have never been known for opening the floodgates when it comes to flair. It could even be argued that they have none. Instead, they have been bought and re-bought by people who treasure them for what they stand for, and what they can do. Still, the Jetta is undeniably good looking, even if those looks never stray very far from the traditional. While the dashboard itself is utilitarian the steering wheel is gorgeous, wrapped in leather, knotted and twisted to fit the hand perfectly. The automatic stick is barely more than a discreet knob, so to-the-point you might think this was a manual. The best part of this lever is the lowest position, where you shift from ‘D�to ‘S.�This is the real traffic destroyer, because even in Drive mode you can out-accelerate everyone. In Sport you can do some serious damage.

If you press down hard enough and keep that needle wavering just to the left of the red, the car will leap forward, and the question you have to ask yourself �very quickly �is just where you intend to go. We tried this around Bander Jissa, which lasted about half
a minute.

FLIP SIDE

What’s wrong?

What wouldn’t you like about this car? Nothing particularly. If you want to be nitpicky the speedometer has too much detail, substituting a lot of lines with numbers, which makes you look at it a few milliseconds longer than you would have needed to. The styling is mainstream. It makes you look good but doesn’t get people clapping. The door lock is a bit further away than we would have liked. The back tends to look a bit blank. The rear view is too narrow.

DECISIONS

What to do

If you have to think too hard you probably are better off with a traditional 1.6-litre Jetta, without the extra letters attached to it. That lets you save RO3,000 while still keeping your sanity. For all the others �you know who you are and what you want �go ahead, close your eyes and aim for the horizon. At RO10,900 the two-litre turbo GLI (there’s also a 2.5-litre Jetta, pegged at RO9,900) is too much for someone who just wants a saloon �and an absolute bargain for those who are looking for the drive of their life.

To have a closer look, call Wattayah Motors on 24 573755