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The Volkswagen Golf turns 50 this year and the iconic hatch is celebrating with an updated Mk 8.5 version about to be rolled out into dealers.
However, Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schafer has revealed that work is already underway on the next generation of Golf that will be all-electric.
Speaking to Electrifying at the Financial Times Future of the Car Summit in London, Schafer admitted that he and design boss Andreas Mindt had started work on a new Golf saying: “The next one, no matter when it is, is going to be electric.
“We have now put the first definitions together at the proportions, we have put the first design sketches together and, well, I’m so happy.
Our exclusive image shows how the next generation, all-electric Golf could look, with design details taken from the Volkswagen ID. CODE concept unveiled at the recent Beijing Auto Show. Schafer confirmed that the ID. CODE previewed some of the design features we’d see on future VWs.
“The ID code was first and foremost sort of a next step of evolution of the design; we've done an incredible job on that. We took our three design criteria – stable, likeable and secret sauce – into the future to get the guys from China on board to say what are the trends, how do we want to develop? And that's how ID. CODE came into play. So that'll be for us just a next evolution stage. That's not a vehicle that will come exactly like this in the next year or something. It'll however reflect that on the models that are being rolled out no matter what size.”
The ID.Code (above) is said to inspire the new Golf
Schafer’s comments reaffirmed what Andreas Mindt told us in Beijing when he was showing us around the concept. “Let's say all the design components, all the elements, the basic ideas that we develop right now are very, very close to this here.”
When we asked whether the next generation Golf would be called ID. Golf to reflect its electric powertrain, Schafer revealed that the decision hadn’t been made. However, from his comments, we’d say it was unlikely. “I don’t know yet actually,” he said. “Good question, because when it goes electric depends on the year. Let's start with defining what is the next goal. Of course, when you still have an MQB Golf [Mk 8.5], that can have another refreshment depending on how long it runs.
“We only make it, we're only going to call it Golf if it is a Golf – from the proportions, the performance, from the genes that a Golf has to have.
“You cannot just call anything a Golf. And we see in the industry a couple of attempts where cars were given a traditional name and they had absolutely nothing to do with the traditional car – it backfires. It has to be true Golf or call it something else.”
Schafer is clearly a big fan of the Golf, which features prominently in Volkswagen’s current Your Wagen advertising campaign across all its eight generations.
“The Golf is a phenomenon,” he said. “It’s almost like a timeless, classless vehicle that’s good for anybody from a student getting into mobility to a CEO driving a GTI or an R.”
The next-generation, all-electric Golf isn’t likely to be seen at least until 2028, giving the just-updated Golf 8.5 at least another four years in production. “We've just done a new one now to bring in a whole new Golf with full combustion engine. We’re going to have great one now with diverse powertrains all the way.
“For us it's a great car but to make a whole new one now there's no need for it because powertrain is competitive, the car is competitive.
“We’ll keep that one fresh and exciting, and then it’s time to switch to electric.”
The original e-Golf was replaced by the ID.3 
