Volkswagen of America Inc. announced that its all-new sixth generation GTI has been named the 2010 AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year. This marks the second time in its history that the GTI has won this prestigious award. In AUTOMOBILE Magazine's 20-year history of awarding their top honor, the Volkswagen GTI is the only make and model to ever win it twice.

"At a time when the world's economy is in shambles and fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are on everyone's minds, there remains only one car that ticks all the enthusiast boxes without setting off a single wretched-excess alarm. That's the Volkswagen GTI, and that's why it is, once again, Automobile Magazine's Automobile of the Year," said Joe DeMatio, executive editor, Automobile Magazine.

"Having our GTI named AUTOMOBILE Magazine's Automobile of the Year once again is a tremendous honor for our brand," said Mark Barnes, chief operating officer, Volkswagen of America Inc. "We're thrilled that the staff of AUTOMOBILE Magazine acknowledged that today's sport's car consumers are looking beyond horsepower and going fast, rather they are looking for vehicles that are practical, fuel efficient, and fast. The GTI truly embodies what the Volkswagen brand is all about--affordable, efficient, and fun-to-drive German Engineering," Barnes added.

First introduced in the U.S. in 1983, the GTI drew admiration for its combination of sporty performance and practicality. The 2010 GTI is Volkswagen's definitive return to its groundbreaking, hot hatch sports car, offering a modern and dynamic extension of the automaker's original "pocket rocket."

The 2010 GTI is a solid and aggressive sports model that features Volkswagen's highly acclaimed 2.0-liter 16-valve DOHC turbo-charged four-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 lbs.-ft. of torque. It's available with an automated manual DSG® transmission that utilizes direct shifting, which essentially automatically depresses clutch-shift points more efficiently and quicker than even a professional driver can. For those driving enthusiasts who want the unique control of a clutch, the GTI comes with a standard six-speed manual transmission. Top speed is electronically governed at 130 miles per hour in the U.S. The 2010 GTI starts at $23,490, and attains a fuel economy rating of 32/24 highway/city when equipped with the DSG transmission.

New for the 2010 GTI is a standard Electronic Limited Slip system that Volkswagen has named XDS. The system electronically monitors input from various wheel sensors and, in the event of slippage, transfers extra torque to the wheel or wheels with the most traction. The 2010 GTI also comes standard with numerous other safety features including: a three channel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Anti-slip Regulation (ASR), Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), Engine Brake Assist (EBA), Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and like all 2010 Volkswagen's, Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP®).