Volkswagen Working on Cheaper "Golf Light"

Want more proof that cars are turning into smartphones? Well, just like the best smartphones also have cheaper "Lite" versions with inferior specs at a lower price, Volkswagen is looking to launch a "Golf Light."

This is the first time we've ever heard of the project, and we thought we'd share the info with you guys. German magazine Auto Bild published a quick video about the Golf Light, though we needed to fill in a lot of the details.

As you may know, the Golf is one of the longest-living nameplates in the business. But through seven generations, it's gradually become more expensive and advanced. Keep in mind that when VW came out with the Golf, Germany wasn't exactly the industrial powerhouse it is today.

Why the Golf Light? Also because for first-time buyers and pensioners, the Up! just isn't cutting it, being too small. This falls in line with the fact that the Up! project will be scrapped, and all that will be kept is the formula for the electric city car.

Keeping things nice and simple, the Golf Light will be boxy with a simple design. This rendering they made has a cool retro vibe to it, a bit like that Honda EV. The main powertrain will be a 1.0-liter turbo hooked up to a 5-speed manual, though we can't imagine VW skipping the DSG option. The interior will feature more hard plastics and a simplified setup that's easy to assemble.

Regarding price, this car will sit somewhere between a very expensive Dacia and a low-spec Skoda. That also hints at MQB A0 underpinnings. By comparison, we can expect the real Golf, the Golf 8 to be very technologically advanced, with hybrid systems, a UX infotainment and more.

Lower ram and last year's processor might work for phones, but we still think the Golf Light needs a good safety rating, so auto emergency braking is mandatory. But more space from a cheaper VW is something we'll get behind.