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Base-Spec 2020 Volkswagen Golf Is an Eyesore With Unpainted Parts

We're not huge fans of "base-spec" renderings, but this one makes some sense. The 2020 VW Golf is closer to the Mercedes A-Class than the Dacia Sandero, but the heritage behind this iconic hatchback adds a layer of authenticity.
Base-Spec 2020 Volkswagen Golf Is an Eyesore With Unpainted Parts 1 photo
Photo: X-Tomi Design
Volkswagen is intertwined with the history of the front bumper. Unless we're mistaken, the Golf 3 was the first mass-market car with a front bumper integrated into the overall design, for example. That was decades ago, but the German automaker still offered the basic unpainted body parts for a long time.

You may still find a few Golf 6 models out there with black door handles and mirrors, belonging to the base Trendline models. Obviously not the bumpers too, as probably not even Dacia does that anymore, not unless you special-order a batch of fleet cars.

When you crash your ride and have it fixed, that's how the replacement parts arrive, all unpainted and rough-looking. And it's not uncommon for the dealer to charge more for the re-color than the actual part. It's kind of a waste of money when you consider it's probably getting scratched again anyway.

As for the wheels on this X-Tomi Design rendering, they look super-basic as well. The little circles punched into the steel sheet remind you more of the Golf 2 than the Golf 8. Headlights look like cheap plastic crap too. Without seeing the official configurator, we have no way of knowing if Volkswagen didn't hide a basic setup with bulbs. Let's hope not, as a new car in 2020 without standard LEDs is rather shameful, especially when it's the most popular model in Europe.

Then again, there are huge advantages to a basic Golf 8. If and when the LED headlights stop working, the repair would cost a decent chunk of change compared to just a couple of euros for a new H7 bulb. Rumor has it that sometime next year, Volkswagen will launch something called the Golf Light, offered only with sub-120-horsepower engines, simple features and Skoda-rivaling prices.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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