VW has sold an impressive total of 694 Golfs in the past six months in South Africa.
Adding weight to this number is the fact that the Golf is only sold in its two high-performance specifications in our market comprising, the GTI and R, which have starting prices of R776,800 and R945,100, respectively.
The current-gen GTI was first introduced to local showrooms in September 2021, while the flagship R was only launched in May 2023 – more than a year after it was initially projected to arrive.
You can see a breakdown of the Golf’s sales over the past seven months since the launch of the R, based on Naamsa’s sales data, below:
- May – 27 units
- June – 116 units
- July – 125 units
- August – 74 units
- September – 95 units
- October – 149 units
- November – 108 units
Unfortunately, Volkswagen does not provide separate sales figures for its two Golf flavours.
However, it is interesting to note that the car’s combined sales jumped up significantly since the launch of the R, as the Golf’s previous best month in 2023 achieved 77 sales instead of the triple-digit figures that later months produced.
In any case, the German carmaker has earned a minimum take-in of roughly R540 million in the span of half a year thanks to its popular hatch – bearing in mind that this sum will actually be higher when accounting for the R’s sales as well as accessories and optional extra purchases.
A long-running favourite
Currently in its eighth generation, both the Golf GTI and R deliver impressive performance thanks to turbocharged engines and a variety of other sporty enhancements.
On the GTI, power is provided by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol plant with 180kW and 370Nm, which connects to the front wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
This allows it to race from 0 to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds before hitting an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h.
The R, in contrast, uses the same seven-speed transmission and 2.0-litre drivetrain, but produces a greater 235kW and 400Nm, which is delivered to the tarmac thanks to a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.
These enhancements mean the flagship Golf can soar to 100km/h in just 4.8 seconds, and customers also have the option of lifting the capped top speed up to 270km/h.
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