NEW VW GOLF TO HEAD UPMARKET
Bigger, plusher hatch will harness sophisticated technology unprecedented in its class
The next Volkswagen Golf will move upmarket to carve out a distinctive new niche in the family hatchback market.
The Mk8 Golf, due to go into production in less than 11 months, will have levels of fuel-saving technology, connectivity, autonomous driving capability and refinement that promise to render the mainstream competition second best.
The Golf’s exterior styling, hinted at by a sketch shown at a suppliers’ meeting at the start of the year, will be an evolutionary design that again emphasises a wide, flowing C-pillar.
VW will use the Mk8 Golf to introduce a powerful 48V mild-hybrid power train, most likely on the R and GTI models — which will offer a previously unseen brand of instant performance — and a new range of microhybrids. There will also be versions powered by compressed natural gas, but there won’t be a pure-electric Golf because VW will begin introducing its new ID range of electric cars shortly after the Mk8 is launched.
The model’s range will be simplified, with the three-door and estate bodystyles the most likely candidates for the axe. With consumers increasingly turning to SUVs and crossovers, insiders say the Golf Mk8 will attempt to lure buyers who are downsizing from larger cars and premium models such as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class by offering more cabin and luggage space than is normal in this segment, outstanding refinement and exceptional fuel economy.
Although still based on the MQB platform, the new Golf will have a noticeably wider track and even more room in the already spacious cabin, as well as a marginally longer wheelbase and a bigger boot than its hatchback rivals.
The car is also expected to have an interior that’s almost completely devoid of conventional switches, at least on the higherend models. Touchscreens will replace the traditional instrument binnacle and the climate controls. Even the headlight switch could be replaced by a touchpad.
The Golf Mk8 will get a range of 12V mildhybrid engines for the entry-level and midrange variants. The 1.5-litre TSI ACT petrol unit will be carried over from today’s Golf Mk7 but this will be joined by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol motor and an all-new 1.5-litre diesel, which is also likely to be sold as a 12V mild-hybrid. Until now, 48V mild hybrids have only been used in premium VW Group cars such as the Bentley Bentayga and Audi SQ7.
One of the more intriguing rumours is that the 1.0-litre petrol engines might not be turbocharged at all but could instead rely solely on direct assistance from a beltdriven starter/generator motor (SGM). The thinking is that the SGM will provide enough extra power and torque for the base engines, allowing the turbocharger, intercooler and associated piping and control systems to be dropped.
VW sources have already promised that the next Golf will be permanently connected to the internet. This will allow the car to tap into 3D satellite mapping, hybrid radio (where the audio system finds the strongest signal for a station, whether analogue or digital) and the option of live information such as the latest pricing at nearby fuel stations.
The permanent connectivity opens the way for these future models to ‘read’ the topography of the road from 3D mapping, for example, and switch to coasting when heading downhill, or approaching a junction.
Also expect a level of autonomous driving capability hitherto unseen in this segment of the car market. It is expected to include a degree of hands-off driving on motorways.