Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

This is the second review of the GLI DSG I've seen that notes the fact that the transmission automatically upshifts when set in manual mode. If that's the case it's quite different from the behavior of the same transmission in the GTI. I initially believed it was a failure on the part of the reviewer to engage manual mode properly. Now I'm not so sure. Here's the way the DSG works in my GTI. (1) Move the console shift to the right. That locks the transmission in manual (i.e Tiptronic) mode. (2) Select the desired gear with either the paddles or the console shifter (forward for upshift, backward for downshift.) Following that procedure the transmission stays in the selected gear all the way to redline. No automatic upshifts. While in manual mode the transmission will automatically downshift to second gear as one slows to a stop, first to second gear at about 5 mph and then to first gear as the car comes to a stop. Otherwise, however, the car remains in the selected gear regardless of throttle position and acceleration. It is possible to select manual mode temporarily by use of the paddles alone without moving the console shift to the right. If the transmission is in "auto" mode and either of the paddles is used the transmission changes to manual mode and can be controlled by the paddles for a short time. However, the car will revert to "auto" mode and automatically upshift after a few moments. Is it possible that was the procedure you guys followed? In addition to the possible difference between the GLI and GTI there's one other possibility. My GTI is a 2018 model with the six speed DSG. I haven't seen any reviews of the 2019 GTI with the seven speed DSG that mentioned any automatic shifts but I suppose it's possible the reviewers missed the behavior. In any event if the DSG behavior in the GLI is as you describe it, it's a big disappointment. And assuming it doesn't apply to the GTI, it's a significant difference between the vehicles despite supposedly having the same engines and drive trains. EDIT: Did some further checking with my local VW dealer and more importantly with my local APR tuning shop, Achtuning, who perform more tunes on VW's than just about anyone in the country. As I suspected, there's no difference between the DSG transmission tuning in the GTI and GLI. Furthermore, if the transmission is put in Tiptronic mode with the console shifter it will hold a selected gear up to redline. At that point it will upshift but not before.
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@historymjh I've long believed that someone at VW Canada has embarrassing photos of German VW executives. That would account for the different trim features available in Canada and the US. :) The difference between US and Canadian spec GTI's have historically followed the same pattern though to a lesser degree. In the case of the GLI I think VW has decided that their future in the US lies with the Jetta rather than the Golf. VW has found time after time that US consumers shy away from European spec models n favor of larger, cheaper vehicles. (e.g Euro Passat vs US Passat; Euro Tiguan vs US Tiguan; Touareg vs Atlas) VW has elected to drop the base Golf in 2020 in the US while the Jetta line-up has been extended to include the GLI. The Jetta is no longer even sold in Germany. There won't be a 2020 GTI or Golf R in the US either but that follows a pattern VW has employed in the past when the GTI and Golf R move from one generation to the next. (There was no 2014 GTI after the MK6 production ceased in Germany in 2013.) VW assures us that there will be an eighth generation GTI and Golf R for the US but unless each model retains its iconic status I suspect even that decision might be revisited in the next couple of years. Those of us who love GTI's and Golf R's are keeping our fingers crossed.
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@DeniJasmina There will be a MK8 GTI. That doesn't mean it will be available in the US before the 2021 calendar year. As far as the Golf is concerned, VW has announced it won't be exported to the US for the 2020 model year. Whether it comes back in 2021 is questionable at best. VW is putting more eggs in its Jetta basket and fewer in the Golf basket in the US.
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@DeniJasmina VW is following the same pattern they followed when the GTI MK6 was replaced by the MK7. The MK6 ended production with the 2013 model and the MK7 began with the 2015 model. Production of the MK7 has now ended and the next GTI will be the MK8. That model may be released in Europe as a 2020 model but it is doubtful that the US will receive any before the beginning of 2021 and it may be designated as 2021 model in the US.
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