Volkswagen CEO wants new Golf out by end of the year

Reports are coming out that Volkswagen's boss wants the new, eighth generation Golf to debut before the end of the year. Company CEO Herbert Diess has expressed his desire for the Golf to be launched before 2020, including delivering the first vehicles.

In addition to some engineering setbacks, including making sure the car's over-the-air update capability will not be compromised by hackers, the deadline is challenged by some Volkswagen executives who would rather see the car launched in early 2020 instead of speeding up the debut, reports Automotive News. Volkswagen brand chief Jürgen Stackmann is reportedly in favor of a February launch to keep the car from getting clouded by the usual Christmastime bustle. As for Diess, it has been said the CEO was even adamant about an October presentation date for the motoring press. With the expectations for a launch date differing by several months, there is a distinct possibility of the car arriving half-baked in terms of early production reliability.

Another thing the Golf has to account for is its electric cousin, the ID.3. Volkswagen will officially launch the ID.3 at the Frankfurt IAA show in September, meaning most of the capability of its publicity machine will be focused on the electric lineup for quite some time. The dust will have to settle enough for the Golf to be noticed. No matter how good the eighth-generation car will be, the ID.3 looks further into the future while wearing the familiar German family car silhouette, while the Golf will be "just another Golf" despite its abilities. Factor in the likelihood that the North American market will not receive any other Golf versions than the GTI and R, and the new car's birth can be rather stressful.

Still, the Golf will come suitably advanced. It will have a fully digital driver environment as standard and an available 48-volt mild hybrid option.