How sporty will Volkswagen dare to make the new Jetta? Logically, that’s down to how the company measures market demand for its newest small sedan, but also to how it will play into the more exciting persona that VW wants to cultivate for itself.
Taking a look at these renders done by XTomi, it wouldn’t necessarily be something we’d object to seeing. With a more coupe-like roofline and sharper styling all-round, there’s little doubt that the Jetta looks more dynamic than before. Until VW announces it, though, these enticing renders are as close as we’ll come.
At this year’s Detroit Motor Show, Volkswagen unveiled an all-new generation of their Jetta sedan. While no one doubted the model sorely needed a replacement to reinvigorate the nameplate, the aligning of platforms and powertrains means that it would be easier now more than ever for them to release a high performance version.
The all-new Jetta, long before its 2018 reveal in North America, was developed fro the start to be a more globalised product, eschewing the region-specific forking that took place with previous generations of the car. Now sitting a atop the MQB platform that underpins nearly all VWs, including the current and forthcoming Golf MK8, the stretching distance to a potential Jetta GTI or Jetta R has been reduced significantly.
Much more than before, the Jetta is essentially a saloon version of the Golf. It stands to reason, then, that the same suspension and powertrain package could simply be ported over to the bodystyle without much need for adaptation work.
It’s clear that the GTI and R variants of the Golf have proven to be successful variants of the popular VW hatch. Now that it’s armed with a more modern architecture and a body that decidedly exudes more sportiness than the version prior - even having some echoes of the Arteon thrown in - a Jetta R or GTI almost seems a no brainer.
Should Volkswagen see a business case for its existence, styling cues and specifications should mirror the Golf’s high performance variants nearly identically. Both, then, are to be powered by a 2.0-litre EA888 turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with the R variant tuned to produce around 213kW and drive sent to all four wheels.
For more on Volkswagen cars, check out our Showroom.