Tuned GTI is a BIG hitter

Here is car that has earned its stamp of approval as a good second-hand buy in another section of this motoring supplement.

The previous generation Golf - more especially the GTI version - is a firm favourite among enthusiasts, this writer included.

They have on their side, equal-minded companies such as Schmidt Revolution, who provide direction to turning the GTI into an even more exciting little monster. The core of any GTI is its engine and chassis setup, also the foundation of this tuning programme.

For this beauty, the tuner has retained the four-pot 2.0-litre TFSI engine and applied modifications to the air-intake and optimised the ECU for more drama.

Figures supplied by Schmidt suggest 202kW of power. We'll excuse their tardiness in not supplying us with torque figures, but we are confident it produces a number that engulfs the 280Nm of the series production version.

We are also pretty sure it will blow away just about any peer hatchback, thanks to its well-sorted chassis, which is world renowned.

Schmidt has equipped it with a lowering kit so it stands low on the road and the suspension is tuned to make fantastic use of its extra whack.

The wheels are a striking alloy set painted a garish red that matches the red tail lights

Just on the looks alone, there is no questioning its function, buyer profile and performance potential.

With the black paint option, this GTI also boasts a sports exhaust system that snakes its way around the belly of the car and exits centrally, R32 style.

And yes, there is an original R32 rear bumper fitted here, instead of a DIY job just to ensure a professional end product free of skew shut lines. most of the profiled buyers are likely to fit a deafening sound system in this car, and this is no criminal offence.

However Schmidt has only speed related ideas for the car and as such, has kept it as standard to maintain weight to make better use of its power. A navigation system is fitted as well as Marangoni rubber for the wheels for optimal traction.