Volkswagen Jetta R GT
The fifth generation Volkswagen Jetta, known as the A5, debuted at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show in January. It is built in Puebla, Mexico and exported to North America and Europe. The car is larger than its predecessor with a more upscale design and more interior space, equaling that of the then-current Passat. It introduced the first independent rear suspension in a Jetta.
In North America, the base engine is a 2.5 L (2480 cc) I5 with 110 kW (150 hp DIN) and 168 ft·lbf (228 N·m) of torque. It is based on the engine from the Lamborghini Gallardo, adopting a similar head design and the same bore and stroke dimensions (82.5 x 92.8 mm). It is replaced by a turbocharged 2.0 L 16-valve I4 with 147 kW (200 hp DIN) and FSI. There is also the PD diesel engine, a 1.9 L TDI unit with 74 kW (100 hp DIN) and 250 N·m (177 ft·lbf) of torque. It is equipped with a DSG transmission, stability control, and electro-mechanical steering.
The A5 Jetta went on sale in March 2005 in North America as a 2005 1/2 model, overlapping the final model year of the A4 Jetta. A GLI version was released in late summer of 2005. It was designed by Walter de'Silva and sales of the New Jetta in the U.S. were disappointing, except for the TDI diesel version, which sold well due to rising fuel prices. In 2006, Car and Driver named the GLI an Everyday Hero. A station wagon version of the A5 Jetta was promised for 2007.
In Europe, Volkswagen announced the Jetta in late May 2005, bringing back the Jetta name, rather than Bora or Vento. In other parts of the world, including Mexico and China, it retains both names.
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