The Volkswagen Golf has always been a formidable hatchback. It is practical, easy to drive and lots of fun. The Golf GTI has an even more special place in my heart, however - I've grown up hearing tales from my dad about his Mk1 Golf GTI and his Mk3 Golf. When my dad first collected the keys to his Mk3 Golf, he called up a couple of his friends and drove the car up to Genting for a coffee.
Naturally, when the opportunity to drive a Golf GTI to the Golf Fan Fest at Sepang Circuit came up, I jumped at it without hesitation. While the level of spontaneity is nowhere near, I am going to drive a GTI for a similar trip! And that was how I found myself a part of the event that ended up in Malaysia's Book of Records.
A quick drive up north
I wouldn't fault you if you think that the Golf GTI is best suited for carving corners, for I had the same idea. But driving the GTI for hundreds of kilometres at one go convinced me otherwise.
With 241bhp and 370Nm of torque, the Mk8 Golf GTI sure is a ballistic hot hatch - it has a top speed of 250km/h! But, it is also has all the amenities to make extended driving a breezy and enjoyable experience. Equipped with a quick-shifting DSG automatic gearbox, you wouldn't even have to worry about rowing the gears yourself.
Everything that you need for an awesome road trip is assured by the well-appointed interior. Ventilated seats ensure a cooling journey, an infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for you to enjoy your favourite playlist and handle all your navigation needs, and the rest of the cabin is well-built and a comfortable space to be in.
With the car in Sport mode, it was initially a little too stiff on bumpier stretches of the expressway, but with DCC (adaptive suspension), setting the slider closer to comfort alleviated the harshness of the ride.
370 Golfs at Sepang Circuit - The largest gathering of Volkswagen Golfs!
Over the years, I've been to Sepang Circuit on a semi-regular basis, either for my track days with my own car, or for driving experience events with various car brands. However, the Golf Fan Fest 2024 is the first event of its kind that I have attended here.
To celebrate 50 years of Golf, Volkswagen Malaysia organised an entire day of fun surrounding the illustrious Volkswagen hatchback. The agenda included the largest gathering of Volkswagen Golfs in Malaysia - examples from all over Malaysia and Singapore (including us) attended. And with 370 Golfs ranging through the eight generations present, the event made it into the official Malaysia Book of Records.
Adrenaline-pumping events were also happening throughout the day with drift taxi rides offered with the Golf R, along with a gymkhana session and track day segment for participants.
We took the completely original and unmodified Golf GTI that we drove up from Singapore to the Gymkhana Circuit, pitting against around 15 modified Golfs. Expectedly, these agile hot hatches felt right at home dodging cones on the tight circuit - we even managed to clinch a 3rd place finish! Driving the GTI on Sepang Circuit confirmed the hot hatch's pedigree - even without any preparation, the GTI was excellent fun to drive on track.
An incredible, heart-warming sight
Hundreds of Volkswagen Golfs from different generations in attendance is quite a sight to behold. Along with a display of every generation of Golf, various food and drink booths, as well as many other merchants, were at the air-conditioned area above the pits, offering participants of the event plenty of activities to partake in.
Golf Fan Fest 2024 is unlike many other events that I have been to - while it revolved around the car, it wasn't an event that catered only to drivers and car enthusiasts. This event highlighted the camaraderie between friends and family, and it was heart-warming to see how a car can bring everyone together to have an amazing time.
Oh, and the next morning I drove the GTI up to Genting for a cup of coffee with my co-driver and fellow colleague before we headed back to Singapore - almost like what my dad did with his Golf all those years ago.
