Reports say yes, but VW says ‘nein.’
The German juggernaut Volkswagen is preparing to release the 8th iteration of its massively-successful Golf, and all eyes are on Wolfsburg as the perennial family hatch nears the end of its testing phase. But while speculation has been rife about a debut at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show, new reports are suggesting that the Golf could give Frankfurt a miss, thanks to electronic gremlins that have cropped up during testing.
The Golf is an immensely important model for Volkswagen, considering that it still holds the title of being Europe’s best-selling car. And with more and more buyers opting for SUVs, as well as premium manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW creeping on turf that used to exist almost exclusively for the Golf, it’s become essential that the Mk8 delivers all that the Golf always has in terms of practicality, reliability and packaging, but also in terms of modern-day connectivity, powertrain versatility, and even autonomy.
It seems that making all those digital touches, like the fully-digital instrument cluster and cutting-edge infotainment system work together is what’s caused the delay of the Mk8 Golf. Rather than a debut sometime soon & deliveries slated for year-end, it seems that the debut could be pushed to early-2020 as VW tries to iron out the wrinkles.
While boardroom sources spilled the beans to German newspaper Bild, Volkswagen is officially denying that any sort of issue is what’s holding up the new Golf, saying instead that it’s a considered and calculated sales strategy instead.
“We think it’s better to come early next year with a full-throttle offensive. It doesn’t have anything to do with production. It’s a sales decision since you don’t try to put cars under the Christmas tree when no one is paying attention.” – Jürgen Stackmann, Volkswagen Boardmember (Sales, Marketing & Aftersales), Volkswagen AG
Originally, it seems Volkswagen intended to arrive at Frankfurt with a one-two punch, showing off the Mk8 Golf as well as the all-new I.D. hatchback (that indirectly replaces the battery-electric e-Golf). But it seems a reshuffle has taken place, and more space & time will be dedicated to the I.D. there.
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