Is the reign of the Volkswagen Golf in danger? The quintessential compact on the European market is facing a “perfect storm” that seriously jeopardizes its future. The best-selling car in Europe in 2021 must deal with the stock crisis in dealerships, the rise of the electric car and much more.
The volkswagen golf It has established itself throughout its eight generations as the reference compact in the competitive European market. A model that has numerous commercial successes behind it. The most recent was last year. And it is that the Golf became the best-selling car in Europe in 2021. Despite all the problems plaguing the industry, the Volkswagen model once again won this very important title. However, unlike on other occasions, it was a tight victory.
Are we facing the twilight of a symbol of the German automotive industry? The sales figures of the last few months have set off all the alarms. It is not at all unreasonable to say that the Golf is in danger. And not only because of the tuning of some of its most direct rivals such as the Peugeot 308 or the Opel Astra. Right now the compact volkswagen you are facing a “perfect storm”.
The stock crisis at dealerships weighs down sales of the Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen, like every other automaker, is no stranger to a global shortage of microchips. The shortage of these crucial components for vehicle production has led to a real stock crisis at dealerships. It is a global problem. However, and in the specific case of Europe, we must also add the lack of certain components that came from Ukraine.
This situation, logically, is negatively affecting Golf registrations. A model that in the last month has disappeared from the Top 10 best-selling cars in Europe. After being the best-selling car in February, it has been losing positions until reaching fourteenth position in April. By the way, in April it was surpassed even by its “little brother”, the Volkswagen Polo.
It is not ruled out that, if this trend continues, the Golf will not be the sales leader in the Old Continent in 2022. The shortage of components, added to excessively long delivery times, will be determining factors.
The role of the new Volkswagen ID.3 as an electric compact
The loss of ground for the Golf occurs in parallel with the rise of the electric car. Volkswagen made a very important decision when facing the development of the eighth generation of its compact. It would not have a 100% electric version. Therefore, the entry on the scene of the current model supposed, in the end, the death of the Volkswagen e-Golf. Until now, the e-Golf had been Volkswagen’s flagship in terms of sustainable mobility.
Volkswagen did not take the decision to drop the e-Golf lightly. And it is that at that time I was already working on giving life to the ID family. of electric cars. The first member of this fledgling family of models is the Volkswagen ID.3, a compact five-door hatchback body. A model that Volkswagen places at the same level, in terms of importance, as the Golf and the Bettle.
Bearing in mind that the automotive industry is accelerating its transition to fully electric mobility, it is clear that the ID.3 has a lot of room for growth, while the Golf is already hampered to some extent by its status as a car. thermal. The Volkswagen ID.3 not only replaces the e-Golf.
Will there be a ninth generation of the Volkswagen Golf?
At this point, and after having analyzed all the problems that the Golf is facing, a decisive question must be asked. Will there be a new generation of the Volkswagen compact? At the moment there is a lot of uncertainty about the hypothetical ninth generation Golf. An uncertainty that we already echoed at the end of last year.
Volkswagen is directing its colossal machinery to the electrical offensive that it is carrying out. The economic investment that is being made in the creation of a large family of electric cars is spectacular. However, all these economic resources must come from somewhere, and if there is not enough money in the box, you have to take out the scissors and drop certain models, even if they are authentic icons.
We must also add the fact that the combustion engine already has an expiration date in Europe. The sale of thermal cars will be prohibited in 2035 and, as we have previously pointed out, the Golf no longer plays the role of Volkswagen electric compact. The new ID.3 now bears that title. Therefore, and to a certain extent, we already have an expiration date for the Golf with a thermal engine.
Video test of the Volkswagen Golf, we tell you all the keys to the German compact
The future of Golf falters and it is not ruled out that, to avoid a premature death of the model, in Volkswagen they choose to repeat the same strategy that they already applied in the past. That is, to develop a deep “restyling” to market it as a new generation and thus save some time without facing the enormous expense that the development of a totally new model would entail. These are turbulent times.