VOLKSWAGEN’S new flagship Golf GTI is now open for order in the UK with a starting price of £34,135 RRP OTR.

The race car-inspired, 290hp Golf GTI TCR is named after the race of the same name, the international Touring Car Racing series, which the Golf has won twice.

It features a seven-speed DSG (dual clutch) gearbox and has a 0-62mph sprint time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 164mph.

Fitted with 18-inch ‘Quaranta’ alloy wheels as standard, with 225/40 R18 tyres, the GTI TCR is marked out by its distinctive front and rear bumpers, matte black exterior mirrors and TCR motif on the rear quarter panel.

Exclusive TCR seats feature inside as well as a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel with a track-inspired red marker at the 12 o’clock position. The gear gater is finished in Alcantara to match the door inserts, and the TCR logo is projected onto the street below when the door is opened.

A £2,000 option pack comprising 19-inch Reifnitz alloy wheels, suspension lowered by 20 mm and fitted with Dynamic Chassis Control and the top speed restriction removed – allowing a maximum speed of 164 mph.

Combined consumption is 42.2 mpg and official CO₂ emissions are 153 g/km.