The Volkswagen Virtus is here and it’s ready to bring fun and excitement back to the sedan segment! Volkswagen has done a smart job by launching two ‘lines’ to differentiate the powertrains from the sedan’s lineup. The Dynamic Line will be the bread and butter line since it comes with the more affordable 1.0 TSI engine. The Performance Line comes with the meaty 1.5 TSI engine which will cater to enthusiasts. However, the changes are not just limited to the powertrains! Let’s take a look at what sets them apart:
Design
The Virtus features a clean and understated design that we have come to see in other Volkswagen cars. The front features a thin grille with chrome outlines on the top and bottom. The chrome lines merge into the LED DRLs of the LED headlights which form a C-shape. The lower half of the bumper features a large black air dam with vertically placed LED foglamps on each side. The side features 16-inch alloy wheels. The rear gets blacked-out LED taillamps and a chrome element on the lower half of the bumper.
The GT variants add a host of bits to make it look sporty. The grille and fenders get a GT badge. Though the 16-inch alloy wheels are similar to the ones found in the dynamic line, they are now blacked out. Speaking of blacked out, the roof and ORVMs also get the same treatment. Lastly, the brake calipers are painted red and the rear gets a black boot lid.
Interiors
The Virtus gets dual-tone black and beige interiors. The overall layout is typically Volkswagen with clean lines. You will notice a lot of parts shared with the Taigun SUV such as the multifunction steering wheel, the door handles, the touch-sensitive climate control unit, and the gear knob.
The center stage is taken up by a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system which comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Again, the GT variant adds bits such as a red panel on the dash and door panels, aluminum pedals, red ambient lighting, and red stitching on the seats. Even the virtual cockpit gets a red theme in the GT variant as opposed to blue in the standard one.
Powertrain
Coming to the most exciting part, the GT variant comes with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder TSI engine which produces 150hp and 250 Nm of torque mated to a 7 speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. This engine also comes with cylinder deactivation technology. The Dynamic line comes with a turbocharged 1.0-liter 3 cylinder TSI engine that produces 115hp and 178 Nm of torque mated to a 6-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.