The Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI was recently unveiled and it has made waves in the automotive world.
Whether it was praised for the sleek new design, or condemned for the all-digital interior, the eighth-generation GTI left an impression on everyone who saw it.
The new GTI is powered by a 2.0-litre, turbocharged engine that generates 180kW of power and 370Nm of torque.
The 0-100km/h sprint is done in 6.4 seconds and drive is handled by the 7-speed DSG gearbox that VW has become so famous for.
It also gets a new Vehicle Dynamics Manager system, which coordinates all the running gear functions to keep the hot hatch riding smoothly.
The cabin features the first all-digital interior on a GTI, and is fitted with several control displays that replace the analogue buttons and dials of yesteryear.
Unfortunately, the South African starting price for the Golf 8 GTI has not been made public yet – but it does have a price of €37,607 (R570,000) in the German markets.
However, based on the current R632,000 price tag for the seventh-generation GTI, and the history of cars becoming more expensive as soon as they touch South African soil, we would budget around R700,000 for a new Golf 8 GTI.
The competition
Now that we know what we’re getting and we have our budget, it’s time to see what else the local market offers.
The premium hatch segment is growing, and the Golf may not be seen as the default hot hatch king by all.
Here’s its competition.
Audi A3 Sportback 40TFSI
- Price – R629,410
- Specs – 140kW/320Nm
- 0-100km/h – 6.8 seconds
BMW 128ti
- Price – R687,418
- Specs – 180kW/380Nm
- 0-100km/h – 6.3 seconds
Hyundai i30 N
- Price – R679,900
- Specs – 202kW/353Nm
- 0-100km/h – 6.1 seconds
Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line
- Price – R698,420
- Specs – 165kW/350Nm
- 0-100km/h – 6.2 seconds
Mini John Cooper Works
- Price – R667,296
- Specs – 170kW/320Nm
- 0-100km/h – 6.1 seconds
Keyword: What the VW Golf 8 GTI will compete against once it arrives in South Africa