Volkswagen confirms unveilings of all-new Golf GTI, GTD and R

Following the uncovering of several details last week, Volkswagen has officially announced the world debut unveiling of not only the eagerly awaited eighth generation Golf GTI, but also the diesel-powered GTD and the red-hot R.

In accordance with the report from Britain’s Car Magazine last week, Autocar claims that the GTI will keep the EA888 2.0 TSI engine, but without the 48-volt mild-hybrid setup that was rejected by Volkswagen Group Chairman, Herbert Diess, in February last year.

Contradicting Car’s claims further, the report also alleges that the GTI will produce 180 kW instead of 173 kW, while the TCR will become the Clubsport and not the GTI Cup. In Clubsport guise, the GTI will deliver the same 213 kW as the outgoing Mk 7.5 TCR.

As with previous generations, both the Mk 8 GTI and GTI Clubsport will be front-wheel-drive and have the option, in Europe at least, of a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmission. Top speed will once again be limited to 250 km/h with 0-100 km/h likely to fall below six seconds.

Like the standard Golf, the GTI will ride on the evolutionary MQB platform and come with a tweaked chassis, sharper steering and GTI bespoke exterior and interior details. Only coming with five-doors, the GTI has been confirmed to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Also ruled out from the getting the hybrid system in spite of the Car article, the flagship four-wheel-drive Golf R will debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July and feature the same engine as the GTI, albeit in two states of tune as well; 221 kW for the standard model and 257 kW in the so-called R Plus.

Little however is known about the GTD apart from the fact that it will use the reworked 2.0 TDI motor that will produce more than the Mk 7.5’s 130kW/350Nm. Based on the publication, it looks set to debut alongside the GTI in Geneva.

As mentioned previously, the GTI will arrive in South Africa first followed by the R and a 110 kW 1.4 TSI version of the standard Golf, all equipped with the DSG ‘box. For now, both the GTD and Clubsport are not earmarked for local introduction.

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