Whether or not you put any credence in those COTY awards from various publications — and you shouldn't — this year the VW Golf/GTI did quite well, snagging everything from to the . So Volkswagen, in their infinite wisdom to increase sales did the sensible thing, and raised the price.

That'll make Americans buy your cars, Volkswagen! Great job!

In April 2014 VW published a with 2015 GTI pricing-

VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES PRICING OF 2015 GOLF GTI

MODELS, STARTING AT $24,395

The latest Golf GTI adds more standard equipment and exciting new optional

features

 Seventh-generation Golf GTI is bigger, lighter, faster, and more fuel-efficient

 Price rises just $195 over previous-generation GTI, despite more standard equipment and an increase of 10 horsepower and 51 pound-feet of torque from new EA888 TSI® engine

 Golf GTI Performance Package provides a great value at just $1495, includes electronically-controlled torque-sensing limited-slip differential

 Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive damping to be offered as an option for the first time in the U.S.

New York – Today, Volkswagen of America, Inc., announced pricing of the 2015 Golf GTI models. The entry-level S trim starts at $24,395 (plus $820 destination and handling) in two door form with a six-speed manual transmission, an increase of just $195 over the base price of the previous-generation two-door GTI.

Only $195 more than the MK6, with all those new features sounded like a steal. Apparently, VW thought so too. In the fall when I was becoming , the price of the GTI matched the press release (at the time only the 4-door was available).

I spend a lot of time on manufacturer websites configuring various cars and trucks. Sometimes I…

Now that the automotive awards season has officially ended, VW was able to very quietly increase the price on the GTI -

Original base price on a 2-door 2015 GTI was $24,395, now it is $24,795. The fact that I am griping about a $400 increase on a new car, is one of the many reasons my partner Tavarish and many of you refuse to buy new. But that is not the point...the point is that the folks over at VW know how to do math. Well, they might not be real good at sales goal math, but I'm sure they know how to price a car so they can make enough profit margin to justify its existence in a given market. They did the math and determined that $24,395 was an appropriate base price. Now the question remains, what other surprises to they have in store? Will the $1495 performance package increase as well? How about the $995 lighting package or the $695 Driver's Assistance package, or the $800 Dynamic Chassis Control (not yet available for sale).

Sometimes automakers will increase or decrease the price of a car in the next model year. I could understand if the 2016 GTI jumped up by a few hundred bucks, but it's almost as if once VW realized how they decided the only way they could make money is to increase the price on the one car that is a hit.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the year is over. The holidays are behind us, the decorations are…

I'll admit that the 2015 GTI is a damn fine car. I think it's so good, in fact, I ordered one for myself (more on that later). I'll even go as far to say it is about $600 better than the last generation, but instead of doing the smart thing and actually making a high profit vehicle like a 3-row crossover, VW decided to squeeze more dollars out of a very small enthusiast market.