A very special 'mule' has been spotted in South Africa. Are you the new Volkswagen Golf GTI?

The eighth generation of the benchmark compact already has test cars of what could be the new Volkswagen Golf GTI for 2021

It is hard for a test car to go unnoticed wherever it happens to be. From hypercamouflaged models to cars subtly disguised, manufacturers put pre-production cars on ordinary roads, which are fully rolling laboratories, exposing themselves to any enthusiast, curious passer-by or surprised onlooker capturing one of the well-known mules or test cars.

That is what has happened with a unit of the new Volkswagen Golf spotted in South Africa, close to the location of one of the most important factories of the brand and the main one on the African continent.

The images show an example of the eighth generation of the Volkswagen Golf without any kind of camouflage, close to what could be found at a dealership for sale but with an appearance different from the images published at the official presentation of the car.

Could this be the Golf 8 R? Spotted in Uitenhage! #Golf pic.twitter.com/YvUzqJT2Cz

— Caleb J Schroëter (@cjsvlog) November 26, 2019

The front bumper shows a design and configuration different from what has been seen so far. In fact, the honeycomb-shaped grille covering the full width of the lower section recalls the grille of the fifth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI and is flanked by two appendages similar to those found on the R versions.

Furthermore, beneath these elements, a set of lower spoilers accompany the view towards the side, where side skirts appear below the doors.

In addition, the wheels, around 18 or 19 inches, considerably fill the wheel arch, and the distance between the tyres and the body arch has also been reduced.

This bumper design with greater aerodynamic influence, a more sporty set of wheels with wider tyres and lower profile, together with a modified suspension that brings the body closer to the ground, could mean that this eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf is one of the test cars in the full development phase of the new Volkswagen Golf GTI for 2021.

The new Volkswagen Golf has been unveiled and described as a completely new car. That is why, from the most basic versions to the most performance-oriented ones, it will feature new technological solutions.

In fact, it is not ruled out that the most powerful versions of the Volkswagen Golf will have an electric system supporting the main engine, as will happen with the upcoming Volkswagen Touareg R, which will equip a plug-in hybrid system.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackVolkswagen Golf28 versions · from 24,450 €