German publication leaks initial details.
While many of us are still getting to grips with what Volkswagen dubs their Mk7.5 Golf, it appears that Wolfsburg won’t be giving us much time to get used to it. The facelift was supposed to stave off a full model change until about 2020, but it seems that the bigwigs in VW want the Golf, considered to be an important model for the marque, to receive a brand-new iteration sooner, with the deadline pushed up to late-2019.
As predicted, the Mk8 Golf will sit on an updated version of VW’s MQB platform, allowing the car to shed some 50kg in weight and also make use of the advanced powertrains and driver-assistance technology that MQB was designed to allow for from the get-go. As such, the Mk8 will utilise a range of EA211-evo engines from VW, allowing for cleaner, leaner combustion engines, variable-geometry turbocharging, and even mild-hybrid powertrains.
Interestingly, EA211 engines were designed to run the more economical Miller cycle (for petrol engines, naturally), further improving fuel economy. However, the 2.0TSI engine, sourced from Audi, will remain as part of the lineup.
With the move to an eighth-generation, the Volkswagen Golf will drop its electric variant, though the GTE Hybrid is expected to remain.
Thanks to the utilisation of MQB, the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf will be able to offer advanced driver assistance systems, upmarket infotainment systems, and various state-of-the-art convenience technologies from larger (and plusher) VW variants. Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is expected to make an appearance, along with the usual gubbins like adaptive cruise control and adaptive headlights. Auto Motor Und Sport suggests that perhaps many of these systems will be made available as options rather than as standard kit (which would drive the price up), allowing customers to option on exactly what they want from their Golf.
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