The man at the top says it will be "cool as hell."
After a slight hiccup caused by a software issue, the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf's reveal has been delayed until October of 2019. Even after the Golf is revealed, it will be a while before it arrives in the United States, if it does at all. Volkswagen has said it doesn't plan to sell the base Golf in the US when the next generation arrives but it will continue to offer the GTI. While this news isn't perfect, we are happy to hear VW is committed to the GTI even if the base Golf is getting the cold shoulder.
Speaking with Automobile Magazine, Scott Keogh, CEO of VW of America, weighed in on how important the GTI is to the company's future. "That's the heart and soul of our brand," Keogh said. "Even if the volume is small, it's our most loyal people, our most enthusiastic people."
Keogh went on to say, "we will be launching the Golf VIII, which will be the next-gen and it will have a GTI, so we're 100% on board [with that model]. But right now the GTI is going to stay GTI. And the [eighth-generation version of that] will come, and it's going to be as cool as hell." Basically, Keogh is politely saying that it will be quite a while before we see the eight-generation GTI but that we won't be disappointed when it does finally arrive. The current seventh-generation model is already fun with 220 horsepower on tap, but the new model is rumored to produce around 300 hp.
We know the next-generation GTI will avoid becoming an all-electric car, at least for the foreseeable future. It may, however, use some form of mild-hybrid technology to improve efficiency and performance, which would be a welcomed addition. The eight-generation GTI still remains mostly a mystery, a mystery that is shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated reveals of 2020.
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