The current version of the Volkswagen Golf with a combustion engine is likely to be the last as markets shift towards electric vehicles, according to Volkswagen’s brand chief.
Thomas Schaefer said in an interview with “Automobilwoche” that the eighth version of the compact car will receive another upgrade next year that should keep it attractive to customers throughout the second half of the decade.
“If the world develops completely differently by 2026 or 2027 than expected, we can also launch a completely new vehicle again,” he added. Schaefer said. “So far, this is unimaginable.”
The Golf was first introduced in 1974 and has been one of the best selling cars of Europe’s largest automaker for years. But demand for hatchbacks has declined as customers increasingly opt for more spacious SUVs.
Volkswagen surrounded the Golf with an all-electric sibling — the “ID.3” — about 3 years ago. Schaefer said Volkswagen could consider an electric Golf with new technology as early as 2028, but it would need to carry key features that differentiate it from the ID.3.
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/57I52P5YQZGVVDVQLEBFWZFVA4.jpg "57I52P5YQZGVVDVQLEBFWZFVA4")
