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(NewsUSA) - In German, Volkswagen's name translates to "the people's car," and here in the United States, in the wake of the recent release of Volkswagen's 2007 GTI, the people and press are making their opinions clear: The GTI is one hot ticket.
The sporty GTI was recently named Automobile Magazine's 2007 automobile of the year. The magazine profiled the GTI in its February 2007 issue and presented Volkswagen with a trophy at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The industry publication commended the GTI's 200-horsepower engine and unique DSG gearbox, describing it as "simply the best automatic-type transmission we've ever driven."
Some drivers have already noted the 2007 GTI's solid and aggressive design, with alloy wheels forged into a racy horseshoe pattern and a honeycomb-like grill accentuated by the outline of an eye-catching red stripe.
The car is available with an automated manual transmission with direct shifting, which depresses clutch-shift points more quickly and efficiently than even a professional driver could.
For the car enthusiasts who want to manually control a clutch, the GTI is also available with a standard six-speed manual transmission. Top speed is electronically limited to 130 miles per hour.
First introduced in the U.S. in 1983, the GTI quickly drew admiration for its combination of sporty performance and practicality.
The most recent edition of the GTI could be perceived as Volkswagen's return to its hatchback sports car concept, offering drivers a modern and dynamic extension of the automaker's original "pocket rocket." In fact, as a nod to the original GTI, Volkswagen reintroduced the car's first-generation badge, helping to make it a bona fide blast from the past - one with an array of modern technology and abilities that consumers have come to expect from Volkswagen.
The GTI starts at $22,220. For more information, visit www.vw.com.