Volkswagen is discontinuing manual transmissions for the GTI and Golf R, despite a notable spike in demand from U.S.

The Mk8 Golf GTI has been taken off sale as we await the Mk8.5, but it was priced from just under £40,000 when it was available – a healthy sum given the base GTI's relatively tame power output.

All three, as with the rest of the Mk8 Golf range, are now five-door ... presented in typical colours – red for the GTI, grey for the GTD and white for the GTE – but one detail we nearly ...

The Mk8 Golf GTI measures 4287mm long ... vehicle replaces the standard tartan-patterned cloth trim with supple white and grey Vienna leather – a worthwhile upgrade, in my view – plus heating ...