VW has delivered the first 2015 Golf GTI in the United States to Karoly Gyetvai at Stevens Creek Volkswagen in San Jose, California, over Memorial Day weekend.

In addition to taking delivery of the car, Mr. Gyetvai also got a $500 Shell gas card and a GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition camera as gifts from Volkswagen. To celebrate the car’s U.S. launch, Volkswagen will offer free GoPro cameras to customers who purchase or lease the 2015 Golf GTI by June 30, 2014.

“I owned a 2010 GTI and loved it, so I couldn’t wait for the 2015 version. I tested several other cars before purchasing the GTI, and nothing else compared to its performance, style and value for the money,” said the first customer of the 2015 model. “I am an avid mountain biker, and the 2015 GTI has the cargo space I need for all my gear, combined with awesome performance and a more sophisticated interior design,” he added.

The new Golf GTI is powered by Volkswagen’s EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injection TSI engine producing 210 horsepower and 258 pound-feet (350 Nm) of torque – 10 hp and 51 lb-ft (69 Nm) higher than in the previous generation.

Standard equipment of the 2015 Golf GTI includes a new Driving Mode Selection feature, VW Car-Net connected services, a touchscreen infotainment system, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, ambient and footwell lighting with LED reading lights, and LED foglights.

Pricing starts at $24,395 for the entry-level S trim in two-door form with a six-speed manual transmission (excluding a $600 destination and handling charge), making it $195 more expensive than the previous generation’s base model.

By Dan Mihalascu

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