SA Order Books Open for the Golf Mk8.5 GTI
September 2025
A market in which the GTI badge has traditionally thrived, the introduction of the latest version of this popular hot hatch was made possible after rigorous local testing and evaluation by Volkswagen Group Africa to ensure that this high-performance hatchback can run at its full potential, including emissions, using locally sourced fuel.
As the brand celebrates 50 years since it unveiled the Golf Mk1 GTI at the 1975 Frankfurt Motor Show, the newest car (known as Mk8.5) features 195 kW and 370 N.m of torque derived from its uprated EA888 turbocharged 2.0-litre engine. This performance is delivered to the car’s front wheels via a 7-speed DSG transmission and a VAQ electronically controlled, torque-sensing, limited-slip differential.
The new GTI, which joins the recently introduced MK8.5 1.4TSI range, is priced at R908 000, including Volkswagen’s 3-year/120 000 km warranty and a 5-year/90 000 km service plan.
Pre-order your new Golf GTI here
Announced to gathered media at the Festival of Motoring, hosted at Kyalami International Racing Circuit, the updated eighth-generation Golf GTI is now available to order, with a total of 300 units allocated to the South African market for the remainder of 2025. This number will increase once the new year commences.
Significantly, Volkswagen Group South Africa is offering the new GTI with the choice of exterior colour as the only available option. The car’s comprehensive standard specifications list includes LED Plus headlamps with illuminated front logo, a Panoramic Sunroof, Park Assist Plus, Discover Media with Navigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control and Rear View Assist Camera, Front assist with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, and 19-inch “Queenstown” alloy wheels, which hark back to the five-hole “telephone dial” examples of the Mk7 GTI.
