After 14 years at the top of Europe's best-selling car list, the Volkswagen Golf lost its throne to the Peugeot 208 in 2022.
In fact, the compact car from Wolfsburg didn't even make it onto the podium as the affordable Dacia Sandero came second, while Volkswagen's T-Roc crossover took third place. The small Fiat/Abarth 500 came in fourth place "closely" ahead of the Golf, while Toyota's subcompact hatchback Yaris is not far behind, writes Klix.ba
In order to improve sales, Volkswagen is working on a refreshed version of the eighth generation Golf, which will go on sale in 2024. Meanwhile, rumors are circulating that the German giant is thinking about the future and is preparing a popular name for the inevitable electric future. Autocar writes that ID. The Life concept presented at the Munich fair in 2021 is "dead", but that the new concept will be presented in March.
This concept will herald a new electric car that will be a production model for 2025, and will also become the first Volkswagen Group car to use the MEB-Plus platform developed for front-wheel drive. The platform is believed to support the two electric motors required for the four-wheel drive models. The British magazine calls the concept the ID.2 model, but insiders claim that the production car will actually carry the Golf name.
In terms of dimensions, the car will be longer than the Polo, but shorter than the conventional Golf with a length of around 4,250 mm. A dedicated platform for the electric car will result in a short overhang to maximize the wheelbase and allow for the interior space offered by the Golf. The car is expected to weigh between 1,600 and 1,700 kg and will also get a GTI version.
Autocar's source from the company revealed that the decision has been made to abandon the GTX suffix, which is currently used for the sportier versions of the ID.4 and ID.5 models. Also, the powerful hatchback ID.3 and the high-performance van ID are expected to follow. Buzz.
In May at the earliest, we could see a new electric concept that announces the electric GTI, and if that doesn't happen, then the premiere is possible in September.
Although the Golf based on the MQB platform and with conventional engines is produced in Wolfsburg, the electric model will be produced by SEAT at the Martorell plant in Spain. It is also where the Cupra Urban Rebel will be produced. Skoda will also get its version of a small electric car.
If the information is correct, it means that the eighth generation Golf will peacefully coexist with its electric "cousin" for several years. Given the arrival of a redesigned model based on the MQB platform in 2024, that means VW intends to sell it until at least 2027 or 2028. In the end, the company will be forced to consign the gasoline and diesel versions to history, as the European Union has voted to ban the sale of new vehicles with SUS engines from 2035 onwards.
