VWS GOLF, POLO, PASSAT NAMEPLATES WILL DISAPPEAR IN ID MODEL ONLY MARKETS
In electrified-only markets, the VW Golf, Polo and Passat nameplates will disappear as ID models take over.
As countries around the world move towards an electrified future, vehicle manufacturers need to move with them, otherwise, they'll become obsolete. Volkswagen understands this, hence their ID range of models that are on their way. Unfortunately, this means that their most iconic nameplates will disappear.
When asked by Auto Express if the Golf had a future alongside the ID.3 in countries that plan to ban internal combustion engines, Jurgen Stackmann, VWs boss of sales and marketing says, “Probably not.”
The United Kingdom is one such country, looking to implement this ban as early as 2030, but in the meantime, Stackman says, “I am convinced that you will see Golf 9 coming, still as Golf, and probably with the boundaries that we have now introduced.
“I think Golf will have a lot of interesting technologies until the boundary of full-electric. The fully electric ID goes into the ID family, and that decision is of a divide within the family.
In electric-only markets, like the UK, full electrification is reserved for Volkswagen’s forthcoming ID. models, which doesn't include the Golf. “So, for full-electric, we want to have optimised platforms doing just electric and they will be called ID. for the future,” says Stackman.
Other markets will continue to enjoy the current and future Golf models, likely with mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid electrification, though. “Golf will remain as a strong effort of the brand in many places where they probably don’t have the capacity to go full electric so fast,” said Stackmann
“What technology Golf 9 will bring we will see. It will again be leading edge as we are now seeing with Golf 8 – whenever we come with next-generation Golf, it will be a mark for the rest of the industry to beat for the next five or six years to come.”
What does Stackman think about only being able to purchase one or the other, he says, "...you would probably be a very happy ID.3 owner, and we’d be very happy as well.”
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