This year, Volkswagen is celebrating half a century of the Golf. Yup, this iconic namesake is 50 years old! In celebration of the legendary hatchback, the German marque has lifted the wraps off the updated Golf models, including the facelifted Golf GTI. So, what can you expect from the upgraded Golf?
Well, before we kick things off, as we only get the Golf GTI (and, of course, the pinnacle Golf R) in South Africa, let’s dive into this model’s details. Here are the highlights…
Viewed from the outside, the refreshed Golf GTI features a “sharper” front end, which, for the first time on the company’s popular hatch, features an illuminated “VW” logo on the nose. There are also “newly designed” LED headlamps, while the IQ.LIGHT LED matrix unit now incorporate a new “high-performance” main beam. The latter has a range of “up to” 500 metres. The taillamps have also been handed subtle revisions.
Stepping inside, the most notable change comes in the shape of an updated, free-standing touch-enabled display, measuring 13 inches. In addition, the touch-enabled sliders for volume and temperature are now illuminated.
“The Golf has been at the heart of the Volkswagen brand for half a century now, offering affordable mobility for all at the highest technical level. This is precisely what we are now building on with the new evolutionary stage – with even higher efficiency, comfort and quality and a new operating concept. The Golf does not get any better than this,” Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.
Imelda Labbé, Member of the Volkswagen Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, added: “With [the] Golf, we have written a unique success story. The Golf stands for the Volkswagen brand like no other model. A car for all generations. And this has been the case for 50 years. With the continuous technical development of the new Golf, we are now adding another chapter to this success story.”
