Golf 8 GTI set for ‘major overhaul’

LATEST reports from the automotive sector claim the upcoming mid-cycle facelift of the Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI will be a 'major overhaul' comprising extra power, an upgraded chassis and a revised cabin.

It is expected to be revealed 'early' in 2024.

This is according to leading British car magazine Autocar.

The refreshed version of the Wolfsburgbased firm’s C-segment hot hatch – informally known as the Golf 8.5 GTI – is likely to be the final Golf GTI with pure petrol power as the Golf 9 GTI is expected to feature some sort of electrification (with a fair chance it will be fully electric).

According to Autocar, the VW Group’s familiar EA888 turbo-charged 2.0 litre, four-cylinder petrol engine will be 'significantly updated for its final years', with the British publication speculating its peak outputs could rise from the current 180kW and 370Nm to about 195kW and around 400Nm.

Such improvements in power and torque would see the front-wheel-drive Golf 8 GTI’s claimed 0-100km/h sprint time fall from the current version’s 6.4 seconds to 'below 6.0 seconds', says Autocar.

The celebrated seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DSG) is likely to remain the default choice for most markets.

Autocar furthermore reports the refreshed Golf 8 GTI will adopt a raft of chassis tweaks, including a stiffer rear-axle carrier (meant to 'improve rolling refinement and cornering performance') and a more advanced version of the dynamic chassis control (DCC) adaptive suspension system, dubbed the 'DCC Pro'.

As for the cabin, Autocar claims the Golf 8 GTI’s interior will benefit from a 'widereaching revamp' to improve 'usability and reliability problems' that surfaced with the pre-facelift model.

A new 12.9-inch touchscreen and a revised 10.4-inch instrument display are on the menu, while the German firm is almost certain to ditch the divisive haptic controls used on the current model’s steering wheel.

As a reminder, the Golf 8 GTI debuted globally in February 2020, but arrived in South Africa only in September 2021.

The Jacara Edition of the GTI then touched down in Mzansi in October last year.