The next-generation Volkswagen Golf has been confirmed to enter production next year.
At the Golf 8 Supplier Summit last week, Volkswagen's top executives met with 180 managers from 120 key suppliers for the hatchback's eighth generation. During the meeting, the German automaker revealed that they have invested about $2.2 billion in the new Golf model and that development is already in the second stage.
Production of the 2019 Golf was said to begin 75 weeks from now — which will be sometime in June 2019 — at Volkswagen's automotive plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. Currently, the facility already produces 2,000 units of the Golf vehicle family each day.
According to Volkswagen, the 2019 Golf's its launch will be very important for the brand. The eighth-generation hatchback's arrival is expected to happen alongside the rollout of the I.D. electric family. Despite more focus on electrification and hybrid technology, the Golf will still continue to be the automaker's core product. It will also be equipped with the latest technologies.
"The next Golf will take Volkswagen into the era of fully connected vehicles with extended autonomous driving functions. It will have more software on board than ever before. It will always be online and its digital cockpit and assistance systems will be the benchmark in terms of connectivity and safety," said Karlheinz Hell, head of compact cars at Volkswagen.
Official details about the 2019 Golf have yet to be revealed. However, according to reports, the upcoming hatchback will be built on an updated version of the MQB platform. The use of lightweight materials will translate to weight savings of up to 154 pounds. The exterior design of the 2019 Golf isn't expected to deviate from the current-generation hatchback but it will have a sleeker front fascia with a lower nose and sharper LED headlights as well as a more squared-off rear.
Alongside diesel and gasoline powertrains, the 2019 Golf will be offered with mild hybrid capabilities via a 48-volt electric system.
