German Tuner’s VW Golf VIII Looks Like It’s Up to Some Evil Deeds

We can all agree on one thing; the VW Golf is among the most popular family hatchbacks available on today’s auto market. Sure, this little guy may not exactly be your first pick if you’re looking for a hot hatch that’ll eat tarmac for breakfast, but it’ll definitely do the trick for those seeking to purchase a reliable, yet budget-friendly vehicle with a touch of meticulous German craftmanship.

Take, for instance, a Golf VIII 2.0 TDI DSG variant in Volkswagen’s lineup. It is put in motion by a 2.0-liter turbodiesel inline-four engine that’ll gladly generate up to 150 hp between 3,500 and 4,000 rpm. On the other hand, a solid torque output of 265 pound-feet (360 Nm) will pe achieved at approximately 1,600 rpm.

A seven-speed DSG automatic transmission enables this power to reach a front-wheel-drive system. As a result, the Golf will accelerate 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in 8.8 seconds, while its top speed is rated at 138 mph (223 kph). Right, this is clearly no Civic Type R, but it’s certainly no toy, either.

Now, if you’re in search of something with a little more oomph under the hood, then the GTI 2.0 TSI DSG might just be the one for you. This bad boy is brought to life by a fierce 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, with a total of 16 valves.

At optimal revs, the powerplant is capable of generating up to 245 ponies, along with 273 pound-feet (370 Nm) of brutal twisting force between 1,600 and 4,300 rpm. This whole shebang leads to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph (250 kph) and a 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) acceleration time of just 6.2 seconds.

Suspension duties are handled by a MacPherson strut setup at the front, coupled with an independent multi-link unit on the opposite end. The entire thing crawls on a set of 17-inch hoops that wear ventilated disc brakes and ABS on all four sides. Lastly, VW’s hot hatch has a dry weight of 3,060 lbs (1,388 kg).

Sure enough, even the range-topping GTI will fall short of some adventurous gearheads’ expectations. At the end of the day, its design language isn’t particularly imposing in any way and this fact alone will be enough to put some petrolheads off. To be fair, Wolfsburg’s hatchback could really do with some extra visual muscle.

As such, the aftermarket gurus over at JMS have developed a comprehensive body kit that’ll have your eighth-gen Golf look seriously malicious. At the front, you will find an assortment of red accents around the edge of the hood and on the front bumper. These subtle tweaks bring about an ominous aesthetic that keeps things classy.

Additionally, the car’s overall appearance is a lot beefier, thanks to an ominous front splitter lip and a pair of bulky side skirts. At the rear, we notice an aftermarket diffuser that hosts dual exhaust tips. The stock wheels were also removed to make room for 19-inch alloy counterparts.

Last but not least, a coilover suspension kit from KW’s inventory brings the Golf a tad closer to ground level. At the time of this publishing, JMS hasn’t revealed any details on pricing and their package is yet to be released.

One thing’s for sure; we’re definitely looking forward to seeing some angrier Golfs around!