VW Vows to Keep Petrol-Powered Golf GTI Alive Into the Next Decade

VW has vowed the petrol-powered Golf GTI will remain part of its plans into the next decade. 

VW Golf GTI rear

Image: Volkswagen

Since its introduction, Volkswagen’s ‘GTI’ (Grand Touring Injection) nameplate has garnered a cult following – the Golf, the first VW do don this moniker, especially. Now in its eighth generation, the Golf GTI will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026, and to commemorate its illustrious heritage, VW unveiled the Edition 50 model in June 2025.

However, with the ever-stringent European emissions regulations, and with VW having confirmed an all-electric Golf GTI is in the works, the internal combustion-engined (ICE) Golf GTI’s future looked somewhat uncertain. However, some good news for ICE Golf GTI fans have now surfaced.

VW Golf GTI to remain ICE into 2030

In an interview with VW enthusiast Jamie Orr, the German marque’s CEO, Thomas Schäfer, said the ICE Golf GTI will “definitely” be kept alive into 2030, where we’ll still see a “strong presence” of ICE vehicles. However, Schäfer did mention that it will probably be “a little bit” electrified. “It’s not only about the noise and the engine. It can also be transferred into the future – into the electric world. And we have a clear plan for that,” said Schäfer.

In the conversation, Schäfer also noted the importance of the GTI brand, saying it is one of the Wolfsburg company’s most important sub-brands – known worldwide and with a big following. (If you weren’t aware of just how big this following is, attend the GTI Fan Festival and you’ll experience it first-hand.)

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