200bhp from a 1.4? It's no joke, says VW

• VW launches turbocharged, supercharged engine
• 1.4-litre unit available in Golf, Golf Plus and Touran
• Units have 140bhp and 170bhp; 200bhp possible

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Fancy a 1.4-litre engine in your Golf GTI? New TSI engine technology from Volkswagen has the potential to dramatically downsize from the 2.0-litre currently used to power the flagship hot hatch.

The new engine uses both a supercharger and a turbocharger, along with the latest in precise fuel injection, to dramatically boost the output of smaller-capacity engines and maintain strong fuel economy.

Initially, the new 1.4-litre powerplant goes on sale in the Golf, Golf Plus and Touran this month, at £15,995 for the 140bhp unit and £18,095 for the 170bhp unit, but that's not the end of the engine's potential.

TSI technology for Golf GTI? Maybe not…
Dr Hermann Middendorf, head of engine development for the Volkswagen Group, told What Car? that 200bhp versions are already being tested.

Middendorf would only shrug at suggestions that it will actually find a home in the GTI, however. Volkswagen may well be worried that buyers could be put off by the engine's diminutive size.

None of the cars using the 140bhp and 170bhp versions of the powerplant flag up the size of the engine, and won't be badged as 1.4s.

The engine is also more unrefined than the GTI's 2.0-litre, especially at low engine speeds, which could also act against it.

TSI for other VAG cars - but not Audi
A drop in refinement is the main reason you won't find it in any models from sister company Audi. It will stick with smoother, larger-capacity engines that better reflect its more upmarket status.

While Seat and Skoda are almost certain to get TSI engines in time, Middendorf says it's exclusively reserved for Volkswagen for the time being.

Over the course of this year, it's going to power a range of models including the Polo, Eos convertible and Passat family car.