Volkswagen Golf VIII will reveal itself on 24 October

Having pulled the all-new Golf VIII from its expected debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month, Volkswagen has now confirmed that the eighth generation of its iconic hatch will make its long awaited unveiling at a special showing in Wolfsburg on 24 October.

In an email addressed to motor1.com on the matter, Volkswagen indicated that the covers will officially come off of the Mark 8 in its hometown at 16h00 GMT under the slogan, “Life Happens with a Golf” with the mail further stating that the newcomer “set(s) new standards with its unmistakable design, intelligent digitalisation, networked assistance systems, and the entire range of efficient and electrified powertrains”.

While already seen online wearing no disguise both inside and out on a number of occasions, a series of software glitches relating to the mentioned digital over-the-air updates and system have resulted in the initial launch being pushed back to this month so that the problems could be sorted out before it goes on sale.

“Due to their online connectivity there is a lot more software especially in the area of security, which is a real challenge since the car is no longer a closed ecosystem,” Volkswagen Brand Chief Jürgen Stackmann told Automotive News Europe at the Shanghai Auto Show back in April.

“A customer might get angry if their smartphone doesn’t work, but you do a debug the next day. A car is different — if something goes wrong it can become critical, so the security requirements are far higher”.

Although Volkswagen has remained tight lipped on the Golf’s mechanicals, the provided statement confirms that extensive use will be made of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system for both petrol and diesel engines, while the architecture will be a heavily revised version of the current MQB platform known as MQB Evo.

As before, the Mark 8 will spawn GTI and R variants, plus Variant estate models for certain markets, while the all-electric e-Golf has reportedly had its plug pulled following the unveiling of the ID.3 in Frankfurt. Also unlikely is a three-door model with all hatchback derivatives set to have five-doors only.

Expect the Mark 8 to become available in South Africa next year.

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