2013 Volkswagen Golf (MkVII) Spy Shots

The current MkVI Volkswagen Golf has only been on sale for a couple of years but development on the next-generation of the popular compact is already in its deep stages.

These latest spy shots show a prototype of the new 'MkVII' Golf, revealing it will feature a wider stance than the current model but will also sit much lower.

The reason behind the short life-cycle planned for the outgoing MkVI is simple--the car essentially rides on a warmed-over MkV platform.

A three to four year cycle for a car is short by any standard, and this hastily planned shift reveals the defensive tack Volkswagen is taking with the Golf.

The new MkVII Golf will feature a clear emphasis on environmental cleanliness, a theme that will carry throughout the Golf lineup. Expect a range of four-cylinder gasoline and turbodiesel units, and possibly some three-cylinder units, although the latter is unlikely to be offered in the U.S.

Its platform, known internally as the MQB (Modular Querbaukaste--denoting small to mid-sized family cars with transverse engines), has been described by the automaker’s chief of development, Ulrich Hackenberg, as a major turning point for the Golf.

He previously explained that it will allow engineers to implement a much broader range of drivetrains, hinting at the possibility of alternative fuels playing a role in the next Golf. You may recall that Volkswagen is already conducting trials of an electric Golf, which is scheduled to go on sale in 2013. You can catch a first drive report of a prototype by clicking here.

Importantly, this same platform will underpin the next-generation Audi A3, which you can also read up on by clicking here.

Production of the new MkVII kicks off in August of next year, with first sales to begin around the end of that same year.

Note, we also have spy shots of the MkVII GTI, which you can view by clicking here.