Volkswagen has teased the eighth-generation Golf GTI, ahead of its debut at the Geneva motor show next week.
The teaser sketch released by the Wolfsburg carmaker exposes the GTI’s front end, which bears a close resemblance to its hot Golf GTD and GTE siblings, with a wide, honeycomb-mesh grille with chequered-flag-inspired LED daytime-running lights.
There’s also an obligatory red accent stripe across the top of the fascia, as has been the case on all previous generations of GTI bar the Mk3 and Mk4.
Other exterior and interior styling elements expected to feature – though not seen in Volkswagen’s teaser image – include dual exhaust tips, sporty rear diffuser, rear spoiler, tartan plaid cloth seats and GTI-specific ambient interior lighting modes.
The Mk8 GTI is expected to utilise the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine as its predecessor, with a leak from January claiming it will be available in two distinct tunes: ‘base’ models will produce 180kW, while a top-spec, hi-po TCR is set to offer a Type R-rivalling 221kW.
The eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI is scheduled to make its public debut – though likely as a near-production ‘concept’ – at the Geneva motor show, which kicks off on March 3. A European sales launch will follow in the second half of 2020, with an Australian release expected before the end of the year.
