« Reply #5 on: 02 November 2016, 13:23 »
The performance models account for a hefty slice of Golf sales so they won't drop them any time soon.
VW are in business to sell as many cars as they can and the whole point of MQB is production flexibility.
While BMW, Merc, Ford and the other big players in Europe are making things that go fast and handle well then VW will have to compete so long as there are willing customers.
You just have to look at VW's in house sister companies which compete in the Golf segment. Audi and SEAT have models up to and above R performance and sensible Skoda have a GTI level car.
The Golf can take so many different types of power plant on its platform and sells in enough volume to accommodate all types of engine to make it viable to produce all manner of variants.
That means petrol high performance models at one end of the spectrum and zero emissions at the other until technology catches up or public demand drops.
While there are still plenty of willing buyers for A45 AMGs and M140i's and Focus RS's (not to mention healthy waiting lists for 5.0 V8 Mustangs which compete on price with R's) then there will be a requirement for VW to have flagship petrol hatches.
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