A new chapter in the history of Volkswagen’s best-seller begins with the world premiere of the eighth Golf - digitalised, connected, and intuitive to operate. Never before has a Golf been so progressive. With hybrid versions launched at the same time, it is electrifying the compact class.

Its digital interior enables a new dimension of intuitive operation. Speeds of up to 210 km/h are possible with assisted driving. It is the first Volkswagen to use swarm intelligence from traffic via Car2X, meaning it can warn against hazards on an anticipatory basis.

“Over the course of seven generations, the Golf has impressed more than 35 million customers. The entire automobile industry expects a new Golf to set the standard”, explained Dr. Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG.

In terms of its technology, the model generation is claimed to be making the greatest leap forward since the original debuted 45 years ago.

TEEING UP THE FUTURE

Volkswagen’s most important model re-invents itself for the future. The eighth-gen Golf continues the nameplate’s tradition democratizing dynamics and technology for the masses.

Ralf Brandstätter, Chief Operating Officer of Volkswagen Passenger Cars: “This car is completely new. But of course, a Golf always remains a Golf. Because the underlying concept is timeless. This car has defined our brand over decades. The Golf has consistently made new technologies available for everyone.”

Volkswagen states that the new Golf aims to make sustainable mobility accessible to many people. Additionally, it also marks the brand’s move toward enabling digitalised, self-explanatory operation in cars.

According to Klaus Bischoff, Head Designer at Volkswagen, “In a world where complexity is ever-increasing, the new Golf allows the driver to operate the vehicle intuitively.”

Practically all displays and controls are digital: the new instruments and online infotainment systems meld together into a display landscape featuring touch buttons and touch sliders. Selected markets will get heads-up display as an option.

Carrying on from its predecessors, the new Golf will come with a wide selection of powertrains that cover the usual assortment of petrol and diesel mills plus no fewer than five different hybrid setups.

Mild hybrid versions featuring 48V electric architectures will be offered in three output levels 110 PS, 130 PS, and 150 PS, all labelled with the eTSI badge. Alongside them is a pair of plug-in hybrid variants with outputs of 204 PS and 245 PS, both capable covering approximately 60km in full electric driving.Traditional combustion engine offerings consist of four-cylinder petrol (TSI) and diesel (TDI) powerplants with outputs ranging from 90 to 150 PS plus a natural gas TGI variant with 130 PS is also on offer.

The new petrol TSI variants have particularly low consumption values and emissions thanks to elements including the innovative TSI Miller combustion process. Meanwhile, the diesel models are fitted with two SCR catalytic converters to significantly reduce nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx) by up to 80%. In addition, TDI consumption is lowered by up to 17% compared with its predecessor.

On the connectivity front, the new Golf’s systems have not only been linked to each other, but thanks to an online connectivity unit (OCU), they have also been connected to the world outside the car. The standard OCU featuring integrated eSIM links to “We Connect” and “We Connect Plus” online functions and services.

The new Golf is also the first Volkswagen to connect with its environment as standard, via Car2X: signals from the traffic infrastructure and information from other vehicles up to 800 metres away are notified to the driver via a display. The Golf also shares these warnings with other Car2X models. Swarm intelligence is becoming a reality, representing the beginning of a new phase of traffic safety.

The new Golf will be available in European markets from December 2019 onwards, progressively reaching other parts of the world after that.

History of a Best-Seller

45 years of the Volkswagen Golf