Photo: Volkswagen
Ahead of the upcoming 2020 Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen has revealed the 8th generation of the iconic Golf GTI hot hatch, the version for the European market. It's now available exclusively as a 5-door and differs from its predecessor mostly in the cosmetic department.
Starting with the powertrain, we notice immediately that it's the same one as before, a 2.0 TSI making 245 horsepower and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) of torque. This is a carry-over from the 2019 GTI Performance, and they haven't even added any hybrid tech. For some reason, the engine cover is the only thing they decided to change under the hood.
As early as 2018, engineers were toying with the idea of introducing 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. However, they decided against it, since the fuel-saving benefits would mainly be felt while the car was coasting, and that defeats the whole goal of a hot hatch.
Unlike the Cupra Leon, the GTI will be offered with a manual gearbox to keep the purists happy. Also, the XDS-type electronic differential is standard. Volkswagen has also confirmed that a 300 horsepower GTI TCR is coming at the end of the year.
A couple of smaller details we noticed may have completely changed the GTI's character. The hot hatch now uses a multi-link rear suspension, while the old one had IRS. Also, the new driving dynamics control system known as the Vehicle Dynamics Manager better integrates the XDS diff and dynamic chassis control.
Styling is as subdued as you'd expect from a GTI. At the front, the main difference from a regular Golf is that large honeycomb grille with ten hexagons forming the daytime running lights. An illuminated strip now goes from one headlight to the other, so you'll immediately recognize the car at night.
At the rear, the diffuser element has been made a little sportier, while the GTI badge sits in the middle of the trunk hatch. The interior is perhaps what really sets this car apart from its rivals. Stand-out features include the dual screens, a lumpy steering wheel, and the tiny DSG shifter.
As early as 2018, engineers were toying with the idea of introducing 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. However, they decided against it, since the fuel-saving benefits would mainly be felt while the car was coasting, and that defeats the whole goal of a hot hatch.
Unlike the Cupra Leon, the GTI will be offered with a manual gearbox to keep the purists happy. Also, the XDS-type electronic differential is standard. Volkswagen has also confirmed that a 300 horsepower GTI TCR is coming at the end of the year.
A couple of smaller details we noticed may have completely changed the GTI's character. The hot hatch now uses a multi-link rear suspension, while the old one had IRS. Also, the new driving dynamics control system known as the Vehicle Dynamics Manager better integrates the XDS diff and dynamic chassis control.
Styling is as subdued as you'd expect from a GTI. At the front, the main difference from a regular Golf is that large honeycomb grille with ten hexagons forming the daytime running lights. An illuminated strip now goes from one headlight to the other, so you'll immediately recognize the car at night.
At the rear, the diffuser element has been made a little sportier, while the GTI badge sits in the middle of the trunk hatch. The interior is perhaps what really sets this car apart from its rivals. Stand-out features include the dual screens, a lumpy steering wheel, and the tiny DSG shifter.
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