New VW Golf: Evolution not revolution

• Mk7 Golf will be longer & wider
• Could have three-cylinder engines
• Design will be evolution of current car's looks

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The all-new VW Golf, due to be unveiled at the Paris motor show in September, will be longer and wider than the current car, and could be powered by three-cylinder engines, Volkswagen's R&D boss Ulrich Hackenberg has revealed to What Car?.

Hackenberg, speaking at Detroit motor show, admitted that the Golf MK7 will have a longer and wider wheelbase and a lower roofline to give it more interior space, but also 'sportier' proportions.

The next Golf will be an evolutionary design. A radical new look is ‘not possible for a Golf’ said Hackenberg.

Golf buyers can expect a high-quality cabin with a 'sportier look' and lots of new materials designed to heighten perceived quality. However, Hackenberg was quick to point out that it wouldn’t move too far away from a traditional VW look: ‘Volkswagen doesn’t do flashy,’ he said.

The radical work may be reserved for the engineering though. A turbocharged version of the new Up’s three-cylinder engine is likely to be the entry-level motor, possibly with some hybrid electric assistance. There will also be a full electric version coming in 2013, previewed by the E-Bugster show car in Detroit. A plug-in hybrid version will also be available.

The Golf will be made using the VW Group’s new MQB platform – which will also underpin the all-new Audi A3, due to be shown at the Geneva motor show in March.