Volkswagen Virtus GT Plus MT
The Virtus GT finally gets a manual transmission linked up to its 1.5 TSI engine. Is this the choice of the enthusiast?
HE VIRTUS GT FINALLY HAS A manual! Okay, the GT Plus with all the bells and whistles, but this is a big deal! All this while, Volkswagen was gatekeeping the GT variants. They were exclusively available with the DSG and this made them expensive. If you wanted a manual Virtus, you had to look at the non-GT cars with the 1.0 TSI engines. No more. The manual GT Plus is `1.7 lakh cheaper than the DSG, and that’s proper money you can save. How much fuel would that buy you with which you can run your Virtus GT hard? Go do the math.
The transmission is not all that’s new. This MY24 GT Plus variant has got some minor updates. There are electrically adjustable seats for both driver and passenger (a segment first), there’s a new subwoofer and amp to add to the six speaker set up the Virtus always had and there are ambient lights in the footwell. Nothing earth shattering but bits like the power adjust seats elevate the in-cabin experience slightly, and the sound is genuinely good. That aside, the Virtus remains the same. On the outside, it is bang identical to before.
Now, that manual. It is worth noting that the manual is only available on the top-spec GT Plus models and not the regular GT variants. The former is the one with the cool-looking black alloys, black roof and top-of-the-line features like the sunroof, virtual cockpit and ventilated front seats. And the engine? Well it remains the same – the 1.5-litre TSI that makes a solid 148bhp and 250Nm. It’s a strong motor that is refined, pulls strongly and loves to rev. That’s where the manual comes in and brings in a new dimension to the experience. And as an enthusiast, I love it.
Why, you ask? Well because it gives me complete control of the drivetrain. I can choose which at what time, and the additional involvement of a third pedal and clutch
makes the driving experience more complex, and consequently more enjoyable. A redline shift in the manual is way more exhilarating than the DSG knocking in the next gear in some 0.0000000000001 milliseconds. An exaggeration but you get my point. And at city speeds, I find I can be much smoother on the downshifts with the manual as the DSG has a tendency to jerk during low speed downshifts. Worth noting though, is that the clutch isn’t the lightest around so for hardcore city driving you’d probably still be more comfortable with the automatic.
We have to, however, address the elephant in the room. The Slavia 1.5 has always had an MT. And Skoda doesn’t limit its MT to the top end variant, it is available from the entry level Ambition model and therefore at a much more affordable price as well. I ran a Slavia MT for a whole year as a long termer and the Virtus drives and feels exactly like its Czech sibling. Which is no bad thing, I can tell you from experience. So this drivetrain isn’t particularly new, it is just Volkswagen getting it into their sedan for the first time.
What hasn’t changed with the Virtus is the superb ride and handling balance. It remains best in class, dealing with undulating surfaces without getting unsettled and being a corner carving champ. It has SUV levels of ground clearance which allows it to deal with the worst that Indian roads can throw at it and yet it manages to handle like a sedan.
The new Virtus GT Plus manual comes in at `17.21 lakh, which like I said, is a whole `1.7 lakh cheaper than the DSG at `18.9 lakh (all prices ex-showroom). To my mind, this represents a significant amount of money and is plenty to tip the scales in favour of the manual. It would certainly be my pick of the Virtus range. That said, you also need to consider the rivals. Slavia 1.5 MTs start at `15 lakh and go up to `17.3 lakh (the latter being an equivalent variant to this GT Plus), while the Verna’s 1.5 T-GDI manuals start at `14.83 lakh and go up to `16 lakh, which makes both options more appealing if you’re on a budget. But with its GT badges and styling enhancements, the Virtus GT Plus is the pick of the lot at the upper end of the segment. ⌧
Engine 1498cc, in-line 4-cyl, turbo-petrol Power 148bhp @ 5000-6000rpm Torque 250Nm @ 1600-3500rpm Weight NA 0-100kmph NA Price `17.21 lakh (ex-showroom)
+ Fun to drive, looks smashing, ride and handling
- Rivals offer more affordable MT variants evo rating ★★★★⭐
A redline shift in the manual is way more exhilarating than the DSG knocking in the next gear