The Volkswagen Golf and Golf GTI will allegedly be reborn as compact electric cars in the coming years.
Nothing has been confirmed by the manufacturer, but insiders have told British publication Autocar that the Golf nameplate will replace the ID.2 nomenclature. The five-seater hatchback is expected to go on sale in 2025, and Volkswagen is targeting a starting price of €22,500 (approx. $24,000).
Sources also added that the compact EV will be underpinned by the MEB-Plus platform that uses lithium iron phosphate prismatic battery cells.
Last year, Thomas Schafer said the Golf nameplate remains part of the company's success. "[We want to] make the brand shine again. To do this, we need core models that run really well, like the Beetle or the Golf," he said. There's more reason to believe the Golf will live on in the electric future.
At the time, Volkswagen said it would never abandon the famous Golf nameplate and said the electric variant would be sold alongside the ID.3. These models are similar in size, and many have speculated that the Golf would cannibalize ID.3 sales. But Autocar sources implied that the Golf will be a smaller vehicle, and slot beneath the rest of the range.
"The true value of the Volkswagen Golf lies in a car the size of the ID.2," said insiders.
Size-wise, the future Golf EV will slot between the existing Polo and Golf models, with the exterior length to sit around the 167-inch mark. The electric setup will allow for a flat floor and a shorter hood to provide "the sort of interior space of models typically one segment higher."
It should be the same size as the fourth-generation Golf that went into production in 1997.
"We have [a] great tradition and product strength in this segment. It is not a whole new beginning but a logical continuation of what Volkswagen has excelled at in the past, albeit with electric drive," said another source.
The ID.2/Golf will receive a single electric motor that sends power to the front wheels. The advanced MEB-Plus platform can, however, support a dual motor all-wheel drive setup. Perhaps this paves the way for a future all-electric Golf R?
Volkswagen is aiming to create a relatively lightweight vehicle, and the company is aiming for 3,527 lbs and 3,747 lbs. That's considerably heavier than the current Golf 8 GTI, which tips the scales at 3,190 lbs when fitted with a dual-clutch transmission.
Thomas Schafer has said the GTI brand is too valuable to let go of and, as such, will replace the GTX badging used for sporty VW electric cars.
"The GTX is dead," said a senior insider at Volkswagen. "A decision has already been made to replace it with the traditional GTI name and it is being considered for the ID.2." We have no doubt the Golf GTI will live on, as it is probably the most iconic vehicle in the brand's storied history.
It's safe to assume the future Golf GTI will borrow from the Cupra Urban Rebel, an all-electric hot hatch that is also expected to touch down in 2025. The Volkswagen Group-owned brand says the pocket rocket produces 222 horsepower and can accelerate to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds.
Comparatively, the Golf GTI uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 241 hp to sprint to 60 mph in just over five seconds.
Inside, buyers will rejoice at the new rotary controller for the infotainment screen. This will replace the cumbersome touchscreen controls that have plagued modern VWs.
The ID.2/Golf will go through a massive overhaul before it reaches customers. This is part of a company-wide reworking, which includes heavy revisions to the range-topping Project Trinity concept. The latter will no longer arrive as a liftback-style sedan but rather a lifted crossover to battle the Model Y and Mustang Mach-E.
This report comes weeks after VW design chief Josef Kaban was ousted from his position, with reports indicating that the automaker's CEO was dissatisfied with Kaban's work.
"It's a balance but, in the end, it is the product that we are judged upon," added a source. "With the changes taking place, we want to get back to a position of strength with new cars reflecting traditional Volkswagen qualities and with names that will be familiar to long-time customers and other new car buyers alike."
