New Volkswagen Golf 8 GTD to gain ‘significant increase in performance’

Volkswagen has confirmed the new Golf 8 GTD will be revealed at the Geneva International Motor Show in early March 2020, promising the diesel-powered hatchback will gain a “significant increase in performance”.

The Wolfsburg-based firm released a teaser image giving us a look at the front end of the new GTD, along with some fresh information.

VW says the new GTD’s four-cylinder powerplant will be both the most powerful and cleanest TDI engine ever to be installed in a Golf. While the firm has yet to reveal a peak power figure, a slide leaked in January 2020 suggested the new GTD would offer 147 kW.

“Volkswagen will introduce one of the most economical and at the same time sporty compact models to the market with its Golf GTD,” the company said.

“A significant increase in performance is accompanied by lowest emissions: the performance TDI’s efficiency has been significantly optimised and CO2 emissions have been cut even further, all while simultaneously improving responsiveness,” VW added.

Thanks to a new twin-dosing selective catalytic reduction system with double AdBlue injection, VW claims emissions will be “greatly reduced as compared to its predecessor”.

Of course, it seems unlikely the new Golf GTD will be sold here in South Africa, what with the Golf 7 GTD – which offered 130 kW and 350 N.m (and a claimed 7,4-second sprint to 100 km/h) in SA-spec guise – having been discontinued locally in July 2019.

Indeed, the Golf 8 is expected to debut in South Africa late in 2020 in GTI form, with a 1,4 TSI model and the Golf R to follow.