The new Volkswagen Golf 8 GTD has hit the market in the United Kingdom. Let’s take a look at the “diesel GTI” that South Africa won’t get.

Revealed alongside the Golf 8 GTI back in February 2020, VW says the latest GTD offers a combination of “high performance and long range”, with up to 965 km possible on a single tank of fuel.

As a reminder, the 2,0-litre, four-cylinder TDI (EA288) engine offers 147 kW and 400 N.m, directed to the front axle via a seven-speed DSG transmission.

VW says the GTD’s top speed and acceleration figures are “very close to those of the Golf GTI”, with the oil-burning model topping out at 245 km/h and reaching 100 km/h from standstill in a claimed 7,1 seconds (benefitting from what the Wolfsburg-based firm terms particularly “strong in-gear acceleration”).

In the UK, the new Golf GTD ships standard with items such as an illuminated front grille, 18-inch “Bakersfield” alloy wheels, keyless entry, three-zone climate control, front sports seats and a heated (leather-wrapped) sports steering wheel. Pricing starts at £32 790, which translates to around R695 000 at the current exchange rate. 

As mentioned, the new GTD is not on the menu for South Africa. Towards the middle of 2019, VW SA pulled the Golf 7 GTD from the local market, explaining that “customer uptake” had been “slow”. However, the new Golf 8 GTI is scheduled to hit local roads in the first quarter of 2021...

Original article from Car