2019 will be an important year for Volkswagen. Not only is this the year when the automaker's first I.D. electric car will launch, but it's also when the next-generation Golf will arrive. During its Golf 8 Supplier Summit at the start of the year, VW released a vague design sketch of the new Golf.

Fast forward nearly a year later, and the automaker has presented a slightly more revealing sketch of the eight-generation Golf's familiar-looking profile as part of a presentation detailing the company's 2019 product roadmap. Given the Golf's iconic status, don't expect the new model to have a dramatically different design.

Billed as "the benchmark and icon of compact cars," the new Golf will debut in the second half of 2019 according to a slideshow showing the brand's upcoming models penned for 2019. It's already been confirmed that production will start in June, but the Golf appears on the timeline towards the end of the year, suggesting that customer deliveries in Europe won't begin until the third quarter.

Volkswagen describes the Golf as "brand's most important and familiar model for over 40 years," adding that the new model will "not only feature all those proven characteristics loved and cherished by customers but will, in addition, be fully connected. You could say that the new Golf opens the door on the digital world of Volkswagen," the automaker added. Rumors suggest the new Golf GTI and R will also be lighter and more powerful. The Golf GTI's power could be increased to 250 hp, while the next Golf R is expected to produce around 350 hp.

A new Passat is also slated to launch in Europe and Brazil next year along with a separate US model. The European version is likely to be a facelifted version of the current-generation midsize sedan and wagon but showing a separate US model suggests it will either be a dedicated model for the US market or closely resemble the Chinese-spec Passat launched a couple of months ago.

The presentation also reiterated plans to launch the production version of the electric I.D. hatchback in late 2019. The US will also be getting a midsize five-seater SUV and a compact SUV by 2021. The former will be a five-seat version of the Atlas previewed by Atlas Cross Sport concept and the latter will be a new model positioned below the Tiguan.