The ID brand could stick around despite the older model names.
The current Golf will change a bit in 2024.
The future of the model is connected to the SSP platform.
With the switch to electric vehicles, Volkswagen must consider what will happen to its popular models, such as the Golf and Tiguan. Since its entry into its electrified arena, the Wolfsburg giant has mainly relied on its ID nomenclature.
However, as the point of no return approaches – when the production of vehicles with internal combustion engines ceases towards the end of the decade – the brand’s strategists need to think seriously about the future. The unveiling of the ID.GTI concept last weekend at the Munich Mobility Show is of course at the heart of this debate on the future of these names that transcend borders.
2022 Volkswagen Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition | Photo: Volkswagen
In an interview with the British magazine Auto Express, Volkswagen’s CEO, Thomas Schafer, confirmed that the Golf, GTI and Tiguan badges would continue to be part of the brand’s plans. As for the other models, he indicated that each of these names would be evaluated individually.
This future electric Golf will probably be based on the new SSP (Scalable Systems Platform), and Mr. Schafer also pointed out that this model would respect the attributes of the model that has been part of the brand’s lineup since the mid-70s. Volkswagen will also be making mid-term changes to its current generation of the model, the one known as the Mk.8. The revised Golf will be unveiled in 2024, with a potential introduction of the electric Golf somewhere around 2028.
New Volkswagen Tiguan | Photo: Volkswagen
The top executive also added that the GTX badge, which has been brought to the forefront for the more powerful versions of the various ID models, was simply in place temporarily. Which brings us back to the future of the GTI, which is likely to make use of the SSP platform, the ID.GTI concept giving a good idea of what’s in store for fans of the model.
The publication also asked the head of operations what fate was in store for the Golf R. With all-wheel drive an integral part of the model’s formula, engineers will have to find a way to integrate this facet into the SSP platform by adding an engine to the rear axle, although this solution means the car will weigh more.
As for the future of the ID brand, let’s just say that the public’s response will be decisive for what happens next. Volkswagen may well decide to put an end to its existence or, if not, continue with this brand created from scratch for the electric age.
What is clear at the time of writing is that the names Golf, GTI and Tiguan are safe for the time being.
