THE all-new Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI has seen its first official sales month in South Africa come to an end.
Launched in August, to plenty of hype, the car builds on seven generations of being the people’s hot hatch and continues with the recipe that’s won so many over.
Competitively priced at R669 300, the automaker’s local arm managed to sell an impressive 125 units across the country – according to the official sales figures released by Naamsa, the South African automotive business council.
At the August launch, Volkswagen South Africa said they were targeting between 600 and 700 units sales for 2021.
If the automaker continues to sell 125 units in each of the remaining months, Golf GTI sales will total 500 units.
About the new GTI
The Golf 8 GTI had been launched in some global markets in 2020, but its local introduction had been hampered by the damning effects of COVID-19 and the global microchip shortage. Units have been arriving on local shores sporadically, but Volkswagen SA finally had enough units for the car to be officially launched and sold to eager customers.
The car continues to ride on the MQB platform that underpins so many of the Volkswagen Group’s products, including the previous generation GTI, but it is markedly different in the 8. At the front, the car’s subframe has been made of aluminium, along with improvements on the suspension that increase stiffness.
Code-named EA888, the new GTI uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine as the previous GTI. Engine output has been increased to 180kW and 370Nm.
Power is still fed to the front wheels via the automaker’s acclaimed seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. 0-100km/h is cleared in a claimed 6.4 seconds, while the top speed is 250km/h.
Wheels24 editor, Janine van der Post, said, in her opinion of the GTI: “The VW Golf GTI is a cultural icon, especially here in South Africa. And while driving this car didn’t exactly blow my mind, there’s just something almost hypnotising about it.
“You’re drawn to it and constantly want to drive it. And that is something no car could ever take away, or another brand could ever recreate in any other vehicle. That’s why this is, and forever will be, the people’s car with its iconic cult status.”
