The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI gets priced, smart features missing

Volkswagen earlier today that they’ll be bringing the new 2021 Golf GTI to Mzansi from as soon as 1 September. Unveiled back in February of 2019, the 2021 Golf GTI is the most potent versions of the eighth-generation car – for the moment, at least.

For specifics, the new Golf GTI has a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, that’s good for 180kW with a torque peak of 370Nm. VW has combined it with a McPherson front axle and multi-link rear suspension system, along with its new Vehicle Dynamics Manager to control the suspension, the optional dampers, and other drivetrain configurations. Pricing for the Golf GTI 2.0 TSI 180kW DSG is set at R669 300.

For Mzansi, there are some bad news

Back when the new car was revealed, Volkswagen punted the model as a the most digitally connected car yet. And that’s true, to some markets. The Golf 8 debuts plenty of new technology for Volkswagen, with its Car2X system being the biggest impact.

Car2X is VW’s branding for a combination of vehicle-to-vehicle (aka V2V, car-to-car, or C2C) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X). In effect, it allows a connected car to communicate with either another vehicle nearby, or a piece of infrastructure, and share time-sensitive information.

While the theory is straightforward, there are several different ways by which Car2X-style technologies can be implemented. Some automakers are waiting for 5G to be popularized before they start deployment, since the next-generation connectivity has features like low-latency and low-power modes which could be beneficial for C2C. VW, though, is opting for another standard, known as WLANp. Volkswagen confirmed today that the Car2X service will not be making its way to South Africa as the Golf 8 line-up launches.

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Papi Mabele

Papi Mabele has a marketing background, he is a digital marketing expert with extensive experience in launching and building global brands in the emerging markets. Papi is also an avid tech writer, enthusiast and all round tech junkie. As a freelance writer and analyst he has been numerously published in Popular Mechanics (SA), GQ South Africa, Premier Magazine, Driven Magazine, Bloem News, Courant, The Weekly, Enthooze Magazine and PiE magazine amongst others.