The writing was on the wall – but the reports were conflicting. So far; In the last day, the new CEO of Volkswagen, Thomas Schaefer, confirmed that the current generation, the eighth in number of the Golf presented in 2019 will be the last of its kind with a combustion engine, reports the Reuters news agency. This brings to an end a dynasty of Golf vehicles, various bodies, brands (GTI, R etc.) whose roots were planted in 1974. The current Golf will receive an extensive, significant update next year, but it will definitely be the last and close one of the biggest success stories in the industry in recent decades.
There aren’t many dramatic surprises in Schaefer’s announcement. But Volkswagen reserves the right to revive the GOLF brand in the future, on an electric floor. Volkswagen’s decision not to direct more resources to renewing the Golf stems from diverting many resources to electric drive systems, batteries and everything involved in establishing the concern’s electric ID family as well as injecting funds into the core brands; Just recently it was reported that the company will invest billions of dollars in upgrading Seat’s main factory in Barcelona (Mertoral) to accommodate the development of compact electric cars for Skoda, Cupra and Volkswagen’s privacy division.
The Golf dominated the top of sales in continental Europe for many years, maintaining high averages of more than 500,000 deliveries every month for more than two decades. But even that is no longer enough to keep her in the picture. “If the world develops completely differently than expected by 2026 or 2027, we could develop a whole new golf – but I don’t think that’s at all in the direction or goals. For now, it’s not expected,” Schaefer added, driving a final nail in golf’s coffin.
In the presence of Volkswagen, it was indeed announced that the company may return the Golf to its ranks as an electric vehicle – but not before the year 2028. At the same time, and until such a move is approved, ten electric vehicles will be in the lineup until 2026, one of which will be a cheap and popular electric vehicle at a price of 25 thousand euros about which we reported on several different occasions. In their estimation, 80% of the brand’s sales in Europe and 55% in North America will be of electric vehicles in 2030.