Surely the very first sentence of the try for the new Volkswagen Golf GTI will get created without making reference to the market? Maybe not. However there's a really good reason behind it. It's time to make a recommendation.

'The greatest', with tons of emphasis, is a completely subjective phrase, however, you just must look at what is happening to vehicle sales, and interest levels and Gordon Brown's stress lines, to realise that we are all, for the time being, shafted. Then a Golf GTI begins to make a great deal of sense.

Time it was, not too long-ago, when a midThirties dealer using a spouse up the duff plus a maxi-mortgage Victorian semi in South-west London would place a biggish deposit back on a brand-new Porsche-911 Carrera S in black on black and purchase the missus a run-around like a 1.4litre Volkswagen Polo. No more. Or something similar.

Therefore twocar households have become onecar households. Which could mean just one thing: Porsches have become hot hatches.

And there are sure to be loads more 'ities' which it does better-than everybody else. The Mark VI Golf GTI is what occurs when, that Porsche, ideologically speaking and that Polo are susceptible to some form of stem-cell research to find a remedy for the reality that no one can afford quick autos any more. It's the hybrid love child of conservatism and extravagance. And in this regard it's, basically, ideal.

This all began five years ago whenever the Mark V GTI was released and the entire world sat to take notes. Like its forbear, the Mk V was agile, lithe, truly rapid and still relatively inexpensive. And in one fell swoop the hatch was reappropriated from oleaginous seventeen year-olds and set back where it belonged, in the control of the Yuppie.

This next offering, in what's now the GTI's 33rd year, is a quite subtle development of the Mk V, a vehicle that itself has not shown the smallest hint of aging since its coming.

The motor has become 3kg lighter and more compact. However, for that it's also more fuel-efficient, greener, 10bhp more strong and able enough to produce its peak torque 100 rpm quicker. Little issues, but that increase up an even more notable whole.

Probably the most critical developments to the brand new car are aesthetic ones. Albeit one still trimmed because now trademark red, as the grille is actually an easier, slim parallel slit, the headlight lenses are somewhat more geometric. The front fogs are pushed as far as possible to the corners of the bumper to give the vehicle a better awareness of breadth, and with that more aggression and threat.

The somewhat difficult side-edging that flicked around the back arch of the old vehicle is dispensed with in favour of a much slighter section of black trim. This offers the effect of narrowing the vehicle's hips, a bit such as the kink of the coke-bottle, and although a card-taking Volkswagen bloke guaranteed us there was some form of theerodynamic advantage to the plan, even he was more worried about how much more agile and poised it makes the vehicle appear far away.

The brand new GTI's back-end is actually a minor success of symmetry also. The bespoke back fender is made to align perfectly with the angled area that houses the number-plate, as the twin exhausts, at some considerable cost of commitment for the engineers, are put in the far corners, similar to the front fogs.

The entire effect is small but marked, producing the new GTI forthwith recognisable and creating more than the peculiar doubletake to the day of our test-drive in Europe.

In a matter that usually boils down to individual taste I must guess the view that Volkswagen has somewhat cocked up one of the essential principals of the GTI, which is its category. A number of the detailing, especially within the headlight lenses, grille and new black inserts for the Monza alloys, seem a bit aftermarket, even though it is still certainly an expensive and completely Germanic auto. A large proportion of folks having the wherewithal and cash to purchase this type of vehicle neither want, nor desire, to sour this up. And also the style of auto butchery that supports this form of thing goals the Golf GTI since it's traditional and understated in the very first place.

A fresh controls overdoes what was virtually perfect within the old vehicle, now being fussy, somewhat too cumbersome and fiddly. The gear knob features a vibrant crimson - Touch of color to tie in with the stitching that appears to be everywhere.

There's also newer door trim that you could be forgiven for lacking, as well as the tartan fabric seats, the inclusion which was so welcome within the Mk V, have gone contempo too.

The brand new-generation also brings with it some useful additions to security and comfort, including knee airbags, higher insulation plus a changeup index to the dashboard that assists you to maximise economy. Oops. There's that phrase again.

For these gradual yet positive upwards movements that have been made by a car, you had expect a positive and similarly gradual advancement in the experience, which is nearly spot on.

What appeared outstanding last time around still pretty much is, because the GTI stays a really comfortable and tasteful highend hatch, but the one that instils an abnormal amount of confidence in its driver. The steering is light but communicative and good, a characteristic it appears to get attained with greater aplomb than numerous sister ships at Audi. The gear-change, although much less brief and instant in actions as you may want in a vehicle with that much immediately accessible functionality, is still light, simple and direct. Change the chassis from Relaxation to Sport as well as the steering weights up nicely, the dampers get firmer as well as the entire car appears to go limpetlike.

Bags of grunt, both in low-down torque and sky-high hp, makes the GTI sense fast in every section of each gear. Hit it up a clear straight and it is difficult to envision ever getting a need for higher amounts of acceleration. Need an aggressive stop and it complies with composure and lightning pace, before picking up the rate again with lagless immediacy. And all the while you are in possession of a huge trunk, appropriate back seats and all the tick-box modcons of modern motoring.

And this can be Porsche meets Polo, the operation car for the times. Just competent and as rapid as you'll ever want ona British, or European, route, and truly simple to live with. And, comparatively speaking, to purchase too.

The very first righthand - drive vehicles will arrive in-may and will cost from?22, 000 for the variation. That's approximately?3,000 less-than Ford's Focus RS, the automobile against which the GTI is necessarily going to be benchmarked. I have not pushed the RS yet, but strongly suspect it is definitely going to be noticeably more competent the GTI. However it's likewise likely to become a chest wig of the vehicle in comparison to the Golfing, its aftermarket detailing however. When the VW GTI is now's 911 then the RS is likely something similar to a TVR Tuscan. And I understand what type I had rather be viewed in.