The Mk8 Golf GTI is expected to arrive later this year, and will go on to rival the likes of the Hyundai i30 N and the Peugeot 308 GTI in the European markets
Volkswagen had unveiled the eighth-gen model of its most popular hatchback ‘Golf’ late last year, and a performance-oriented GTI version of the Mk8 was revealed in February 2020. Fast forward three months, Volkswagen conducted an online press conference earlier this week, revealing more information about the upcoming hot hatch ahead of its launch.
Talking about the basics first, the Mk8 GTI will be plonked with the same EA888 2.0 litre turbocharged TSI petrol engine under the hood, that was available with the Mk7.5 GTI. However, the engine now puts out 245 PS of max power and 370 Nm of peak torque, which is 15 PS and 20 Nm more than its predecessor, and on par with the Performance Pack version of the outgoing hatch.
The said engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, while buyers can also opt for a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch auto gearbox. The Mk8 GTI also gets XDS electronic differential lock as a standard fitment, along with a new ‘Vehicle Dynamics Manager’ that controls both the XDS function and the lateral functionality of the Dynamic Chassis Control adaptive dampers.
Volkswagen claims that it has been able to completely eliminate understeer during cornering, partly due to the ability to increase the differential’s locking torque in the car’s Sport settings. The 8th gen Golf GTI also gets an Individual drive mode, apart from the Comfort, Eco and Sport settings. In this mode, drivers can adjust the DCC damping with a slider, instead of using the presets of Comfort and Sport modes, hence increasing the softness or stiffness according to their requirements.
The spring rates have been increased by 5 per cent up front, and 15 per cent at the rear, providing the car with a better handling and improved agility. The front subframe is also now made out of aluminium, which helped VW reduce three kg from the car’s weight.
To sum it up, Volkswagen has improved the rear-end stability at higher speeds as well as made it more agile in tight low-speed corners, along with providing a more neutral steering and higher cornering grip. The German carmaker claims that the upcoming Mk8 GTI is four seconds faster than the Mk7 around the Ehra-Lessien test track, which is situated in Lower Saxony, Germany.
