GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI previewed

The first official teaser image of the new Volkswagen Golf GTI has been released ahead of its world debut at the Geneva motor show on March 3.

As you can see from this single sketch of its new snout, the all-new VW Golf GTI looks almost identical to the diesel-powered Golf GTD that was previewed last week.

Sporting the same huge lower air intake that neatly packages five individual LED light elements flush within the hexagonal grille, the petrol GTI differs from the diesel GTD by featuring a prominent red stripe above the full-width white LED light bar.

Volkswagen says its next-gen hot hatch will be a "high tech sports car for the digital age" and that the power delivery of the GTI's turbo-petrol engine will "exceed expectations".

The German car-maker's latest rival for the upcoming Ford Focus ST should also offer improved ride and handling thanks to its next-gen DCC adaptive dampers.

Little more has been revealed, other than inside the cabin the VW hot hatch's famous chequered seat covers, which can be traced back to the original 1976 GTI, live on in the eighth-generation Golf GTI.

Volkswagen hasn’t released any official details on the new Golf GTI powertrain, which will stick to the tried-and-tested formula of a powerful 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, aided by bigger brakes, stiffer suspension and an aero-enhanced body kit.

Originally, it was reported that the GTI might switch to an electrified mild-hybrid set-up like most other variants in the new Golf range in Europe, but the iconic German hot hatch will keep its current EA888 turbo four.

A recent leaked internal document posted on Instagram reveals that the standard Golf GTI will come with 180kW – the same amount of power as the outgoing GTI Performance model.

The latter has been the standard Golf GTI in Australia since the Golf 7.5’s release, and the 180kW/370Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine will continue to power our new GTI, which will be released alongside the mainstream Golf 8 hatch range Down Under late this year.

Meantime, the next VW Golf GTI TCR will push out 221kW (9kW more than the current model -- the Australian launch of which has been delayed until July), while the turbo-diesel Golf GTD will offer 147kW and the plug-in hybrid Golf GTE a GTI-matching 180kW, although none of these models are likely for Oz.

Even the power figure for the new all-wheel drive Golf R flagship that will follow in 2021 has been detailed at 245kW – which is somewhat down on the 300kW reported elsewhere, although a more powerful Golf R Plus is expected to follow.

We already know that, like the rest of the Golf 8 range, the new GTI and R will be based around developments of their predecessors’ MQB chassis architecture and EA888 turbo four.

The plug-in GTE will once again combine a 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder with a lithium battery, possibly with a power density of around 13kWh.

For 2020, the electrified hatch will boast a pure-electric range of at least 70km and should be capable of cruising up to 140km/h before the petrol engine kicks in.

For the Golf GTI and R models, both six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions will be available in Europe, although the former DIY cog-swapper might not make it Down Under.

The Golf R is set to make its public debut this July at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.