2021 VW Golf GTI, GTE, GTD Videos Show Off The Hot Hatch Trio

Following the hotly anticipated unveiling of the Golf GTI last night, Volkswagen has now released a video to highlight the exterior and interior design of its eighth generation hot hatchback. In typical Wolfsburg fashion, the upgrades over a regular Golf are on a rather discreet level, with probably the biggest difference being the optional fog LED lights inside the honeycomb mesh of the front bumper à la Renault Megane RS.

We've already heard complaints about the wheel design, but rest assured VW will sell the Golf GTI with several types of alloys for customers to choose from. You'll be able to tell the gasoline model apart from the hybrid and the diesel by the signature color wide strip at the front fascia: red for the GTI, blue for the GTE, and silver for the GT. Needless to say, the electrified version also has an extra cap for the charging port mounted on the left-front fender.

All three cars featured in these videos are equipped with a dual-clutch automatic transmission, with seven gears for the GTI and GTD and six for the GTE. While you won't be able to row your own gears in the hybrid or the diesel, the GTI will have a six-speed manual as standard. The hotter GTI TCR coming later this year might be a DSG-only affair as its predecessor, and we're hoping the all-wheel-drive R will have both two- and three-pedal variants as the previous generation.

The classic checked pattern of the classic Golf GTI has been retained for the Mk8, but with a more modern touch and a new name – "Scalepaper." Depending on which version you go for, the seams of the gray and black seats with their integrated headrests are red in the GTI, blue in the GTE, and light gray in the GTD. The digital instrument cluster appears to have a dedicated lap timer screen that puts the rev counter in the middle to send out a race car vibe.