2020 Volkswagen Golf Mk8: Is This It Or Is Someone Trying To Fool Us?

What you’re looking is a prototype for the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf revealing a bold new design. However, these images might be the work of an unknown Photoshop artist.

The photos, found on a Chinese board, were allegedly taken at the parking lot of the VW and Audi R&D Center in Beijing. They show an Mk8 Golf prototype with very little camouflage across its front and rear fascias.

Viewed from the front, we can see an all-new look dramatically different from any Golf models to come before it. For starters, there’s a set of very thin horizontal headlights, angular air intakes, and a front grille split into three distinct sections. The shape of the bonnet has also been altered.

As for the sides, they too differ from the current Golf but have been covered in camouflage. The most obvious differences are changes in the shapes of the doors.

Last but not least, we come to the Mk8’s rear end. The blurry image of the vehicle’s rear depicts some oddly-shaped taillights and dual tailpipes.

On first impressions, the Golf pictured may seem to be the real deal. However, we’re not convinced.

For starters, it would be extremely odd for Volkswagen to have parked a top-secret Mk8 Golf in broad daylight like this, particularly with so little camouflage on. Additionally, previous Mk8 Golf prototypes spied testing throughout the world have been using shells of the outgoing Golf to hide their identity.

Once development of a vehicle reaches a certain point, automaker’s usually remove out-dated bodies and replace them with finished body panels of the new model. However, these panels are almost always hidden from prying eyes by thick body cladding and camouflage. This Golf doesn’t have any cladding.

In addition to these points, the car doesn’t have any license plates. Some elements of the front bumper also look a little strange to us.

All things considered, we think there’s a strong possibility that these images are fake(d).

Nonetheless, we are still looking forward to the Mk8 Golf and already know a few details about it. For starters, production will commence in June 2019 and we believe the car will enjoy a slightly larger wheelbase than the current model. Semi-autonomous driving functionality is also thought to be on the cards.