2013 Volkswagen Golf Mk VII

The Volkswagen Golf is another iconic shape from Germany. The original Rabbit started the hot hatch craze and provided the tuner car market a boost. Just like its high performance cousin - distant cousin - the 911, the practical Volkswagen continues to become larger, heavier, and more sophisticated. The brand new MkVI Golf arrived in the U.S. as a 2010 model, but it looks as if the sleeker five door hatchback will be short lived.

The new Golf VII will be longer and wider, while its exterior design will be more aggressive and sporty. The engine line-up will include turbocharged, direct-injection diesel and gasoline engines, but a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric version have also been rumored.

The new Golf VII will be launched in late 2012 and will be offered in three and five door versions, with an added station wagon and Golf Plus for the European market. There will also be a GTI and a cabrio version.

If this is the case and the Golf VII has already taken shape, you can expect that what we here in the U.S. are looking forward to might be short lived in order to make space in showrooms for what you are looking at. However if the German automotive conglomerate continues to do business as usual we will have to wait until the European market has had their fun with the new car before U.S. drivers can have a go behind the wheel. Even if the Golf VII is slated for a 2012 release, it may not arrive in the U.S. until as late as 2014, giving the new 2010 Golf VI a few years to shine in the spotlight on Volkswagen of America’s sales sheets.

UPDATE 01/19/2012: German magazine, Auto Motor Und Sport, have reported that the seventh generation Volkswagen Golf will be making its world debut in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. It will be slightly longer and wider than the current version and will be built on a new "Modularer Querbaukasten" MQB platform.

New Volkswagen L1 Concept Car Design Package video after the jump.