Volkswagen South Africa has confirmed the Golf GTI TCR will be offered locally in limited numbers, with sales expected to start in the first quarter of 2020.

The German firm made the announcement at the Festival of Motoring at Kyalami. Some 300 units of the five-door hot hatch (effectively serving as a swansong for the Golf 7 range) have been set aside for South Africa, with pricing for each set to start at under R700 000.

Revealed in January 2019, the front-wheel-drive VW Golf GTI TCR employs the Wolfsburg-based brand’s familiar turbocharged 2,0-litre four-cylinder, but in this case tuned to deliver 213 kW and 370 N.m, up on the standard GTI’s 169 kW and 350 N.m.

Fitted with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, Volkswagen says the special model is capable of sprinting from zero to 100 km/h in 5,6 seconds – a full eight-tenths quicker than the standard GTI. Maximum speed, meanwhile, is 250 km/h, although the automaker says this can “optionally be increased to 260 km/h”.

The standard equipment list is expected to include a front-axle differential lock, perforated brake discs, driving profile selection, front sport seats (with a new microfibre/fabric design), seat belts with red edging and an “exclusive” sports steering wheel.

From the outside, you’ll notice the 18-inch “Belvedere” forged wheels (or “Milton Keynes” alloy items in the same size as an alternative), black side-mirror caps, new sill extensions, fresh front splitter, TCR-style roof spoiler and a diffuser at the rear. In addition, the TCR logo is projected onto the road when the front doors are opened.

VW says the Golf GTI TCR can be further customised with options such as a new honeycomb decor foil for the side panels, carbon side-mirror caps, a black-painted roof, as well as various 19-inch alloy wheel designs.