The Volkswagen Sagitar GLI has arrived at Volkswagen dealers throughout China, it will officially debut on the Shanghai Auto Show later this month and it will be launched on the Chinese car market in early May. The Volkswagen Sagitar GLI is a sporty version of the China-made Volkswagen Sagitar sedan, which is based on the American Volkswagen Jetta.

The Sagitar GLI gets the same engine as the China-made Volkswagen Golf GTI; a 2.0 TSI with 200hp and 280nm, mated to a 6-speed DSG. The GLI loox faster with a sporty front bumper, GLI-badges, a small wing at the back, miniscule side skirts, and speedy 5-spoke alloys.

The Sagitar is made in China by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture. Price of the standard car starts at 101.800 yuan and ends at 185.800 yuan. Engines: 1.6, 1.4 TSI, and 1.8 TSI. Price for the Sagitar GLI will start just under 200.000 yuan.

The interior is made more sporty with red stitching all around, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and some alu accents on the pedals.

GLI badge-thingie in steering wheel loox kinda crappy but is kinda cool.

Many Chinese car buyers are indeed looking for something slightly more sporty than the normal range of family sedans. Still, it is a sedan they want. Volkswagen has spotted the trend early and will also launch a sporty variant of the Bora sedan. The Sagitar GLI comes with a truly strong engine and if Volkswagen can keep the price under 200.000 it is almost sure to be a success with speedy mid-level office men.

Alloys got the looks…

…but the way these brakes calipers are attached to the brake doesn’t look very reassuring.

Double exhaust pipe is Sporty.

Pics via: Autohome.