It must surely be one of the most anticipated new car reveals of the year, especially for South African fans, and earlier today the VW Golf 8 GTI broke cover. It was expected that the hot Golf 8 would be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show starting in a few days, but VW were eager to show its latest baby to the world. Golf 8 GTI was shown with more additions to the range, the electric GTE and GTD. Read our original Golf 8 story here.

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Three flavours of GT

The new VW Golf GTD, GTI and GTE

VW sees these three models as the sportier variants of the Golf 8 range. Each has LED headlights as standard, a different radiator grille to other Golf 8 versions and each has a dedicated colour – red for the GTI, blue for the GTE and silver in the GTD to help differentiate them.

Golf 8 GTI

VW Golf 8 GTI

VW hasn’t given away all the info relating to the new model, but the most important bit has been made public. Golf 8 GTI is powered by 2,0-litre turbocharged direct-injection engine. Maximum power is rated as 180 kW with peak torque of 370 N.m. Two transmission options are available, a six-speed manual gearbox, which is standard or an optional seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG).

Click here to read our Golf R driving review.

Golf 8 GTD

The new Volkswagen Golf GTD

The GTD has a 2,0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with a power output of 147 kW and maximum torque of 400 N.m. Volkswagen offers the Golf GTD with a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox as standard.

Golf 8 GTE

The new Volkswagen Golf GTE

The Golf GTE is the hybrid of the family. Its powertrain consists of a four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 110 kW and an electric motor with 85 kW. Total system power is rated as 180 kW with maximum system torque of 400 N.m. A six-speed DSG gearbox is standard. All-electric range from the lithium-ion battery is quoted as 60 km. The Golf GTE can be driven at speeds of up to 130 km/h in all-electric mode.

Volkswagen Germany made the Golf 8 GTI available to a few select media ahead of its debut which is why you get to have a closer look in the video below.