Volkswagen introduced the 2019 Jetta at the North
American International Auto Show earlier this year and a new report is
suggesting it will soon be joined by a performance-oriented GLI variant. In an
interview with an unnamed Volkswagen representative, Autoblog was told the
Jetta GLI will be introduced sometime in the next year. It will be unveiled at
an undisclosed auto show and the publication speculations it could debut in Los
Angeles this November or in Chicago next early next year.
Regardless of where the car is unveiled, it should
be a significant improvement over the standard model as the representative
reportedly confirmed it will eschew the torsion-beam rear suspension for a more
modern multi-link setup. The representative also said the Jetta GLI will have a
turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
There’s no word on how much the engine will produce
but the Golf GTI’s four-cylinder develops 220 hp and 349
Nm of torque. If those numbers carryover to the Jetta, it would be a
significant improvement over the turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder which
produces 147 hp and 249 Nm of torque.
While the final numbers remain unconfirmed, the
Jetta GLI will reportedly be offered with both a six-speed manual transmission
and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Besides the performance modifications,
the GLI should receive a handful of interior and exterior styling updates. If
the outgoing model is any indication, the car could have sportier bumpers, unique
side skirts and a honeycomb mesh grille. We can also expect some special
interior touches which may include alloy pedals, a flat-bottom steering wheel
and sport seats.
While the 2019 Jetta starts at US$ 18,545, the Jetta
GLI will likely be pretty pricey as the current model has a base price of US$ 29,545.
