By now we already know pretty much what the Mk8 Volkswagen Golf will look like, thanks to revealing spyshots of almost completely undisguised test mules earlier in the year. But almost completely undisguised is not the same as completely undisguised, and during a commercial shoot for the new family hatch, an errant snapper managed to take a few photos of the real McCoy.
Those photos were reportedly posted by Instagram user @_adrianmay and have since been taken down – but not before Carscoops managed to obtain them via a reader. As you can see, the images shed light on the few details that were covered on the development prototypes, particularly the lights.
At the front, one can now clearly spot the “tails” that extend from the slim headlights, almost reaching the wheel arches. The full-width air intakes on this particular unit also sport what look to be three body-coloured strakes, although the low resolution of these images mean it isn’t an absolute certainty. As the arrangement looks a little different from the one in the spyshots, we can assume that this car wears the R-Line kit.
Moving to the rear of the car, the large stickers that covered the tail lights have been stripped away, revealing a pair of slim L-shaped lamps that stretch across the tail gate. The reflectors are also mounted higher up than they appeared on the spyshots, and the large diffuser-like insert, chrome trim and fake twin tailpipes lend credence to the fact that this may very well be an R-Line model.
Previous spyshots have also shown the interior of the Golf, which will feature details such as a full-width air vent design and an upright display panel that integrates both the instruments and the infotainment touchscreen – in a similar fashion to Mercedes-Benz’s Widescreen Cockpit.
Under the skin, the new Golf is set to ride on the updated MQB platform and will reportedly weigh up to 50 kg less. It will get a 48-volt mild hybrid system on both the standard 1.5 TSI model and the GTI – the hot hatch should also gain an electric turbocharger boost power to up to 290 hp, more even than the hardcore limited edition Golf GTI Clubsport.
Meanwhile, the EA288 Evo 2.0 litre TDI turbodiesel will get a 12-volt version of the mild hybrid system and will be offered in power outputs ranging from 136 hp to 204 hp. Elsewhere, the current 1.6 litre unit is expected to be replaced by a new 1.5 litre unit, while on the petrol side the 1.0 litre three-cylinder engine introduced on the Mk7 facelift is also likely to soldier on.
Last but not least, the GTE plug-in hybrid model will likely receive significant improvements that will boost its electric-only range beyond the current car’s 50 km. The October window will put the Mk8 Golf’s introduction just after the new ID.3 electric hatch, which is set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
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