11. The eighth iteration of the legendary Golf GTI lives up to its illustrious predecessors

VISI / REASONS

The latest generation of a bona fide automotive legend has arrived on local shores: we take a look at the new Volkswagen Golf GTI and its seven illustrious predecessors.

umber one was nearly a nein. Back in 1975, a handful of VW engineers were keen to put a more powerful engine into their new boxy hatchback, but the VW board wasn’t all that convinced. Fortunately, the engineers were enthusiastic and persuasive enough for the Herr Direktors to sign off on a run of just 5 000 examples of what was badged a Golf “GTI”.

They ended up selling 461 690 examples of the first series as the public took to the free-revving little hot hatch with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for bratwurst at Oktoberfest. Unfortunately, we had to wait a few more years before the GTI was launched in South Africa: it only hit our showroom floors in 1982 but, true to form, it proved to be as popular as our own favourite barbecued sausage. A COMEBACK FROM THE WILDERNESS Unfortunately, once they got old enough to afford a GTI, the badge had lost its way a bit. While generations three and four boasted a few more horses under their bonnets, visually they were less exciting. Gone were the double headlights and the red stripe on the grille.

And then they were all back… Under the slightly confusing and altogether un-woke slogan, “For boys who were already men back then”, the fifth-gen GTI saw the welcome return of the characteristic red trim line around a honeycomb grille, and striking new “telephone dial” alloy wheels housed under muscular wheel arches.

That pretty much set the template for all that followed. Generations six and seven kept the faith, blending the

signature GTI design accents with increasingly powerful engines and an ever more sophisticated chassis. The GTI’s silhouette grew sleeker and sharper to match its athletic abilities; the interior design also kept pace by introducing high-end finishes, as well as impressive driver-aid and infotainment tech.

Two years later, the next-generation Golf – the “Jumbo” Golf – was revealed. By then, the GTI was no longer an afterthought, but an integral part of the model lineup. Although significantly larger than its predecessor, the GTI design DNA was clearly visible in the red stripe on the radiator grille, the black headliner and the four-spoke steering wheel with familiar round hooter buttons. In 1986, the legendary 16-valve engine was introduced – and that little red “16V” badge on the bumper was about as aspirational as it got for pimply young petrolheads. THE MASTERCLASS CONTINUES Which brings us to number eight and its recent arrival on the southern tip of Africa. It is car that’s both similar

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PRICE: R669 300, including 3-year/120 000km warranty and 5-year/90 000km service plan

THIS PAGE The fully digitised interior includes the InnoVision Cockpit’s crisp 10.25-inch touchscreen, as well as App-Connect, cruise control with speed limiter, park distance control, phone interface with inductive charging, and 30-colour ambient lighting. Kings Red is one of the four metallic colours available; the others are Dolphin Grey, Atlantic Blue and Refl ex Silver.

to and radically diff erent from its predecessor. The similar bits include the engine and the silhouette – it has #7’s 2.0-litre turbopetrol under that sculpted hood, but with 180kW and 370Nm, power is up 20kW and 20Nm over its predecessor. If you squint, #7 and #8 don’t look all that diff erent either – until your eyes take in details. Headlights are slimmer, sharper and more elongated. And, of course, the red trim is there, now accentuated by an eye-catching light bar. Below that, a striking new fl attened honeycomb grille stretches from fl ank to fl ank, cleverly incorporating the fog lights.

It’s inside that the real revolution has happened, with a fully digital cabin of fl at screens, haptic feedback “buttons”, and a small gear selector that will have you re-calibrating exactly how you operate a car. It’s a triumph of functional minimalism that may not be everyone’s stein of Weissbier – but not only will you get used to it a er a day or two behind the wheel, you’ll also fully understand what a complete masterclass this latest GTI is in the art of building a hot hatch. It’s a quick but supremely sophisticated vehicle that, yet again, shi s the red-accented bar a few notches higher. vw.co.za