Although a new Ferrari, Lamborghini or McLaren may grab more media headlines, a new Volkswagen Golf is much bigger news for the global auto industry. And now, the first tantalizing details of the next Golf are being released by VW, and it appears the mark-eight version of the hatch will go into production in June 2019. However, the more interesting news is that the GTI and Golf R version will get more power, and the e-Golf looks like being dropped completely.
According to reports from Auto Express, the eight-generation Golf will make its debut at next year s Geneva Motor Show, the GTI will be upgraded to 250 horsepower, and the Golf R will then boast an impressive 350 horsepower. These power uplifts will place the Golf GTI on an even footing with rivals such as the Ford Focus ST and Subaru WRX, and the Golf R will then be a genuine competitor for the likes of the Focus RS and Mercedes-AMG CLA45, at least in terms of power and performance.
But perhaps the most surprising news at a time when automakers are keen to tell us how many electric cars they are going to be producing in future, is the revelation that the e-Golf will cease to exist once the eighth generation comes around. It appears the demise of the e-Golf is a result of the German auto giant s focus on the new I.D. Line, and the I.D. hatchback in particular. The problem with the current e-Golf is it only has a range of 186 miles when many rivals are looking at far more ambitious figures for their upcoming models. The I.D. hatchback is due to launch a year after the next-generation Golf, and Volkswagen is already claiming an all-electric range for it of 373 miles on the European cycle of measuring such things.
It s believed the next generation will deliver the most substantial transformation of the Golf in its 43-year history, so expect more and more details to be revealed as its eventual unveiling gets closer
