Volkswagen South Africa says it has sold some 85 percent of its Golf 7 GTI TCR allocation ahead of the special-edition model's official retail launch.

At the end of April 2020, the Wolfsburg-based firm’s local arm confirmed 300 units (all in five-door form) had been set aside for South Africa. By our maths, that means just 45 units are still available.

As a reminder, the Golf GTI TCR is set to hit VW dealerships later in August 2020 as something of a swansong for the Golf 7 range.

The TCR-badged model is priced at R669 000 (that's now R63 900 more expensive than the standard Golf 7 GTI and some R58 400 short of the all-paw Golf 7 R). The Golf 8 range, meanwhile, is expected to launch locally early in 2021, with the GTI model scheduled to arrive first.

Revealed in January 2019, the front-wheel-drive Golf 7 GTI TCR employs the Wolfsburg-based brand’s familiar turbocharged 2,0-litre four-cylinder, but in this case tuned to deliver 213 kW and 370 N.m (up from the standard Golf 7 GTI’s 169 kW and 350 N.m).

Fitted with a dual-clutch transmission, Volkswagen says the special model is capable of sprinting from zero to 100 km/h in 5,6 seconds – a full eight-tenths quicker than the standard GTI. Maximum speed, meanwhile, is 264 km/h, with the limiter removed as standard.

In South Africa, the GTI TCR is offered in three colours (Pure White, Pure Grey and Tornado Red), with standard features including a panoramic sunroof, dynamic chassis control, park assist, active info display and We Connect Go.

The TCR body kit (complete with honeycomb decals along the flanks) is complemented by matte-black side-mirror caps and 19-inch "Reifnitz" alloys (rather than the 18-inch “Belvedere” items offered overseas) framing "performance" disc brakes.

Inside, you'll find a numbered plaque, special Alcantara-trimmed sports seats (a material repeated on the gear cover and doors inserts) and a TCR steering wheel complete with a red centre marking. In addition, the TCR logo is projected onto the ground when the front doors are opened.

Original article from Car