How do you replace an icon? Well VW has certainly had a good go with the new Golf Mk8 - taking the stylish looks of the Mk7.5 and finessing them, adding a friendlier, more rounded front end to a familiar rear has given the Golf a new personality.

But as a GTi it requires a certain type of styling - it's always been sporty but not too aggressive, enough to show subtly that you have the performance and you can use it, but you're not shouting about it with massive wings and a noisy exhaust.

The familiar EA888 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo engine produces 242bhp and 370Nm, meaning performance is certainly sprightly without being silly. The only gearbox you can have now is the 7spd DSG dual clutch - a brilliant gearbox that will win over even the most die-hard manual enthusiast,

As for tech - the Mk8 Golf has it all - literally anything you could have imagined on a top-end Mercedes 5yrs ago is now available on a Golf. Bring it on!

Win the brand new Golf GTi in the BOTB Dream Car Competition!