CARS FOR THE PEOPLE
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF
The hype surrounding Volkswagen’s upcoming electric range is huge, but there’s one car that will reign supreme long after its arrival: the Golf. To be unveiled early this year, the eighth-generation model will move upmarket to carve out a distinctive new niche in the family hatchback market.
While the design will only be evolutionary, it will have levels of fuel-saving technology, connectivity, autonomous driving capability and refinement that are intended to render the mainstream competition second best.
There won’t be an electric model but the Golf will get a 48V mildhybrid powertrain, most likely on the R and GTI models (which will offer a previously unseen brand of instant performance), and a new range of micro-hybrids.
The Golf will have a noticeably wider track and a marginally longer wheelbase, resulting in more cabin and boot space. But the most dramatic change will be the high-tech interior and related connectivity. Volkswagen design boss Klaus Bischoff has been quoted as saying that the Mk8’s interior is a “total” digital environment, with the steering wheel the only conventional component. Touchscreens will replace the traditional instrument binnacle and the climate controls.
The Golf will be permanently connected to the internet, and will feature advanced autonomous technology. Talking about the set-up, Volkswagen has said: “It will always be online and its digital cockpit and assistance systems will be the benchmark in terms of connectivity and safety.”
All of this intends not only to retain loyal customers but also lure those downsizing from bigger cars. Volkswagen knows the Golf, as its biggest-selling car, is crucial to its medium-term success and must deliver significant returns to help the firm’s broader product plans.