Gran’s a mover FACTFILE COUPé OFFERS STYLE & SPEED

ted with. The engine is very smooth and the gearbox sublimely slick.

I didn’t bother using the steering wheel paddles because in lazy mode the gearbox seemed to be always in the correct gear for the situation. The car is not exactly a sports car but with the rear-wheel steering it turns in sharply and feels very stable.

While 1.8 tonnes is not exactly light, it’s beginning to feel that way when electric SUVs can weigh half a tonne

more than

THERE’S an electrified version of the Golf on the way with a mild-hybrid powertrain.

VW calls it the eTSI and it combines the 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine that produces 150bhp with a 48-volt lithium-ion battery, that. Slip inside and you will see the same interior layout as the 8-Series Coupé with an attractive spread of traditional dials, digital screens and knobs and switches.

The problem is that you’ll see more or less the same arrangement in a £25,000 1 Series.

This isn’t such a problem in the entry-level model, but if you’d paid £120,000 for the M8 you would want to see something a bit more along with a 48v starter generator.

The starter generator operates as a small electric motor that provides a boost when pulling special – more like the interior of a Bentley. The reason for buying it over the even sexier Coupé is revealed when you climb in the back.

The latter has barely enough legroom to justify it being described as a 2+2, but it’s much more knee-friendly in the Gran Coupé.

Six-footers will have adequate legroom but might find headroom a bit of a problem, and passengers in the middle seat will find both an issue.

In short, this car still has to be considered a part-time five-seater and not a long-haul luxury saloon.

But that’s fine. It’s a brilliantlooking car that I will be buying for a couple of grand in 10 years’ time. away. Golfs fitted with the eTSI powertrain will see a

10% improvement in fuel consumption.

Life, Style and R-Line trims are available, from

£26,360.