The all-new, ninth-generation Volkswagen Golf will be offered with a choice of petrol and electric powertrains. The cars will be based around the maker’s groundbreaking new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) architecture, Auto Express can confirm.

Likely to launch as an EV first under the ‘ID. Golf’ moniker, the new model is expected to make the wholesale switch to VW’s latest SSP platform from 2028. Martin Sander, Volkswagen’s board member for sales, marketing and aftersales, told us: “Most likely, [Golf] has to be SSP.

“It’s going to be on the next platform, with cutting-edge technology. It can’t be on the current platform”, he told us. “[Golf is] going to live until well into the next decade”.

Asked whether the ID. Golf will be joined by a petrol or hybrid version to satisfy continued demand for internal-combustion engines, Sander said: “Combustion Golf will continue as long as there are customers who want a combustion Golf. At the moment, looking at the demand, I assume it’s going to be a long period of time.

“It’s very likely, almost certainly, Golf [with a] combustion engine, and ID. Golf will be sitting next to each other – like ID. Polo will be running next to conventional Polo – for many years.”