Differences between GTI & non-GTI (6R)

[6R2T3]

Hi all,

Trying to edcuate myself about the differences between a GTI & non-GTI. What I'd eventually love to have would be a full list of every single change. Please post any resources, past threads, part numbers, and any other links that may be helpful!

I'm not interested in options e.g. Xenon lights, sunroof, parking sensors. Looking for a list of changes on a zero-option GTI vs a zero-option SEL for example.

So far I've found:

Exterior:

• Front bumper
• Lower honeycomb grille
• Upper honeycomb grille & badge
• Extended side skirts
• Rear spoiler
• Rear bumper & diffuser
• Exhaust tips
• Rear GTI badge
• Is there anything else?

Mechanical:

• Obviously the engine!
• Transmission (code?)
• 15mm lower springs
• Larger front brake discs & calipers
• 17" Monza wheels
• eLSD
• Rear battery (and everything required)
• Are any bushings different?
• Engine mounts different?

Interior:

• Steering wheel
• Instrument cluster
• DSG shift boot
• Seats
• Pedals
• Black headliner
• Gloss black radio & vent surround
• Door sill strips

Hopefully that list indicates the sort of detail I'm looking at

[iichel]

exterior, in addition:
red brake calipers, CAVE engine has 288mm (same as TDI/TSI 105hp), CTHE has 312mm
front fog lights as standard

mechanical:
XDS (electronic diff) is also standard on a highline spec polo with ESP
17" detroit/denver wheels
sports suspension as standard
dual radiator fan
suspension and engine bushes are no different

interior:
I'm not sure about floor mats but I think GTI has a red lining
the trim around the light switch is also gloss black

[SRGTD]

@6R2T3; are you just looking for spec differences between a 6R GTI and SEL or also additional spec changes that VW made during the life of these models? VW traditionally introduce model year (MY) changes each year during a model’s lifecycle. These are usually small spec changes / enhancements (some years there may not have been any MY changes).

A good place to start with the base spec and subsequent MY spec changes might be the model year brochures. As they’re a sales-focused brochure, the emphasis tends to be on cosmetic differences between the different trim levels in a model range. The link below is to the August 2010 Polo brochure (from memory, VW used to update the brochures maybe once or twice a year). If you do an internet search you should be able to find other year’s brochures - but maybe not all years - if you search on ‘YYYY VW Polo brochure’ (substitute YYYY with the year you’re interested in).

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/idhub/cont ... g-2010.pdf

I’m interested to know what you’ll eventually do with the information you collect - will you be using this to help you decide whether to buy a 6R GTI or SEL? Whatever you plan to use the information for, good luck with your quest in compiling the a list of differences.

[6R2T3]

exterior, in addition:
red brake calipers, CAVE engine has 288mm (same as TDI/TSI 105hp), CTHE has 312mm
front fog lights as standard

mechanical:
XDS (electronic diff) is also standard on a highline spec polo with ESP
17" detroit/denver wheels
sports suspension as standard
dual radiator fan
suspension and engine bushes are no different

interior:
I'm not sure about floor mats but I think GTI has a red lining
the trim around the light switch is also gloss black

Many thanks iichel.

Always knew about the different disc sizes but good to know why now!

Surprised to learn bushings are the same - so the only suspension difference is the dampers and springs?

@6R2T3; are you just looking for spec differences between a 6R GTI and SEL or also additional spec changes that VW made during the life of these models? VW traditionally introduce model year (MY) changes each year during a model’s lifecycle. These are usually small spec changes / enhancements (some years there may not have been any MY changes).

A good place to start with the base spec and subsequent MY spec changes might be the model year brochures. As they’re a sales-focused brochure, the emphasis tends to be on cosmetic differences between the different trim levels in a model range. The link below is to the August 2010 Polo brochure (from memory, VW used to update the brochures maybe once or twice a year). If you do an internet search you should be able to find other year’s brochures - but maybe not all years - if you search on ‘YYYY VW Polo brochure’ (substitute YYYY with the year you’re interested in).

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/idhub/cont ... g-2010.pdf

I’m interested to know what you’ll eventually do with the information you collect - will you be using this to help you decide whether to buy a 6R GTI or SEL? Whatever you plan to use the information for, good luck with your quest in compiling the a list of differences.

To sum it up, I’d like to know “what makes a GTI a GTI?”, exactly HOW is it different?

Maybe it’s best to compare the same MY, and I’m not too bothered between S, SE, SEL, etc. Of course an SEL might have options (like front fog lights) which are the same, but it’d be good to identify them to begin with.

I’d be curious to know how different a MY10 vs MY14 is too, but that’s a different topic.

I already have each MY brochure downloaded and have used that to help create my original list. Whilst I would like to know every cosmetic difference, mechanical differences (engine aside) are as interesting to me, maybe even more.


Eventually, if it isn’t too ambitious, a complete OEM Polo GTD would be my wish. A Polo R is the dream but I don’t fancy sacrificing an Audi S1