The CEO says combustion engines will remain a major part of the lineup next decade
The Volkswagen Golf GTI has lost some of its old charm. The manual transmission is gone, the interior doesn’t feel as premium as the Mk7, and the Mk8’s design is perhaps a little too restrained. Still, VW is committed to keeping its iconic hot hatch alive in a shrinking segment, even as stricter emissions rules and higher taxes—especially in Europe—speed up the decline of gas-powered performance cars.
Speaking at the Nürburgring with VW enthusiast Jamie Orr, CEO Thomas Schäfer confirmed that the GTI isn’t going anywhere anytime soon: “Definitely in the 2030s, still strong presence of the ICE vehicles.” He hinted that future versions might be “a little bit electrified,” which could point to a mild-hybrid system—or even a merger with the plug-in hybrid GTE, which already pairs a 1.5-liter engine with an electric motor for 268 hp. The GTI, meanwhile, still tops out at 320 hp in the new Edition 50 (not sold in the U.S.). The U.S. also misses the 296-hp Clubsport, both remaining front-wheel drive.
Schäfer’s comments refer to the current Mk8 GTI, which could remain in production until 2035, when the EU bans new combustion-engine cars. VW has already confirmed that the ninth-generation Golf, arriving later this decade, will be fully electric and built on the new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP). For a few years, VW may sell both the gas-powered Mk8 and the electric Mk9 side by side.
The GTI’s smaller sibling, the Polo GTI, is still available in select markets, though it’s expensive for its size. In Germany, it starts at €35,450 ($40,600), about €10,000 less than a base Golf GTI. The little hot hatch will likely bow out first.
For enthusiasts willing to go electric, VW is already teasing a future GTI EV that Schäfer calls a “monster,” with a fully electric Golf R to follow. Both will be based on the Mk9 due in 2029, developed with help from Rivian on software and electrical architecture.
Despite this commitment, the Golf’s glory days are behind it. VW produced over one million units in 2015, but only a little more than 300,000 last year. Production is expected to fall to 250,000 in 2025—a 75% drop in just a decade. As VW works council chief Daniela Cavallo told Reuters, “the trend is an unstoppable decline.”
