The World’s Best-Selling Volkswagen Will Channel Some Serious Old-School Charm

A new Volkswagen Golf is on the horizon as the current eighth generation is coming to the end of its series production lifecycle. That, of course, has everyone wondering what’s in store for Wolfsburg’s best-selling model of all time.

Despite the end being near for the current model, details have been rather sparse as VW’s been dealing with financial and electrification strategy challenges. But so far, we know there will be two versions of the new ninth-gen Golf. One will press on with the brand’s EV plans and be all electric, but another will still utilize internal combustion power.

With the latest development, however, the next-gen Golf and its variants will arrive not just with a completely new powertrains. But with a bit of nostalgia mixed in.

Styling that harks back to the….MkIV Golf?

Volkswagen

Our friends at Motor1’s Spanish division recently sat down with newly-appointed CEO Thomas Schäfer and the company’s chief of development Kai Grünitz. In their interview, Schäfer said that the new Golf’s exterior design is almost complete.

But Schäfer also apparently expressed approval with how the new Volkswagen Golf’s design is coming along. That’s because it apparently takes inspiration from the Mark IV Golf, or the fourth-generation Golf, from 1997 and up through 2006.

Volkswagen

Which, is actually an interesting choice and reference point as the MkIV Golf (pronounced “mark four”) wasn’t exactly the most well-received model.

“The team is working on the car. Last November, I saw the first full-size model, and all I could say was, ‘Wow. It’s so beautiful…’,” Schäfer said.

“It’s reminiscent of the Golf Mk4, which was a big step forward. But it’s a modern-looking vehicle, a timeless-looking vehicle,” Grünitz added, bouncing off of Schäfer’s remarks. “I think you’re going to love it.”

Volkswagen

Back when it was new, many criticized the fourth-gen Golf for being too bulbously soft and big. And that’s because it grew significantly in size and gained a lot of weight compared to its predecessors.

Volkswagen engineers and product planners at the time wanted to move the Golf more upmarket by injecting it with a little more premium and luxurious ambiance. However, purists argue those revisions compromised the original Golf’s core values of being lightweight, simple and compact.

Volkswagen

As a result, VW fans thought the MKIV Golf was too fat and lost some of its fun driving dynamics. While others praised the model for its Audi-like build quality, fit-and-finish, and more upscale feel.

Still no Golf for America, except the GTI and R

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If you’re in America and think this sounds rather irrelevant, not so fast. VW might’ve discontinued the Golf in the US in 2019 after the MKVII generation. The cancellation was due to slow sales and to make way for the Taos and Tiguan SUVs.

But we still get the latest Golf in its enthusiast, high-performance forms: the GTI and Golf R. So, whatever is shaping up for the new Mark VIIII will also affect our GTI and R models as they’re based on the standard Golf platform.

As of today, not much is also known about the performance variants. But word says the GTI and R models will also go the way of the electrons for the next-generation.

Volkswagen

It’s not known if Volkswagen made the final decision about going with the “multi-energy” approach with the GTI and R models. The latter being offered in both electric and internal combustion-powered ones.

But rumors suggest that VW is likely proceeding with that multi-energy approach by offering the GTI in both all-electric and gas-electric hybrid form. It’s more powerful flagship, the Golf R, will reportedly stick to high-output gas-electric hybrid power.

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