WATCH | Vrr-pha! What it's like driving the new Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI

• The Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI was launched in SA earlier in August 2021.

• The car has always been a favourite among local buyers, making SA one of the most important GTI markets globally.

• Calvin Fisher drives the new car to better understand what the hype is about.

• For more motoring stories, visit Wheels24

After what felt like an eternity, the all-new Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI made its debut in South Africa. Powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine (codename: EA888) as the previous Golf GTI, the car sends 180kW and 370Nm to the front wheels via VW's familiar seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

The results are enticing, too. 0-100km/h is cleared in 6.4 seconds, while the top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h. And if one thinks that it's too much power for the front tyres to handle, don't fret because the new GTI's suspension - both front and rear - see a vast improvement over the seventh-generation GTI.

Wheels24 contributor Calvin Fisher, who also attended the car's local launch in Cape Town, said this after a day driving SA's favourite hatch: "My parting thoughts on the GTI? No surprises here, but plenty of delight and well worth the price of admission at a reasonable R670k.

"It remains the poster child for 'evolution over revolution', but I appreciate that with this eighth coming, they've at least hired a stylist to properly design its face. This feels like a newer, more digital instalment at last. That it still provides analogue thrills is only a pleasure."

To see what else Fisher thinks of the GTI, watch the full video above.

The Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI is priced at R669 300 (before options) and comes standard with a three-year or 120 000km warranty and roadside assistance, a five-year or 90 000km EasyDrive service plan, and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.

To watch Fisher's video of the GTI at its local launch, click here. For more cool car videos from Calvin Fisher, visit his channel here.