Volkswagen to Shift Golf Production from Wolfsburg to Mexico

Volkswagen has announced that Golf production will move from Wolfsburg to Puebla, Mexico from 2027 as part of a restructuring focused on electric vehicles. Learn more.

Volkswagen is entering one of the most symbolic transitions in its history. The Golf, a model that has been inseparably linked to Wolfsburg since 1974, is leaving its home plant. From 2027, production of the Golf and Golf Variant will be relocated to the company’s factory in Puebla, Mexico.

The decision is part of the Zukunft Volkswagen strategy, agreed with the IG Metall union and the works council. The relocation follows clear economic logic: lower production costs, more efficient use of capacity and closer proximity to North American markets. It represents not an isolated move, but a key element of a broader restructuring of Volkswagen’s German manufacturing network.

In Wolfsburg, the shift creates space for electric vehicles. The plant is set to be reorganised, with the number of assembly lines reduced from four to two. Over the longer term, the site is being prepared for next-generation electric models, including a future electric Golf based on the new SSP platform. New production processes are planned, particularly in Hall 54, as part of this transformation.

The restructuring also has consequences for employment. Under the Zukunft Volkswagen agreement, around 4,000 jobs are to be phased out in Wolfsburg by 2030, while the total technical capacity of Volkswagen’s German plants is set to fall by 734,000 vehicles per year. These changes are framed as a socially coordinated transition towards a new industrial structure.

The Puebla plant is no stranger to the Golf. Several generations of the model were built there in the past, with total output exceeding two million vehicles. From 2027, the Mexican factory will once again become the production base for one of Volkswagen’s most recognisable nameplates.

The departure of the Golf from Wolfsburg reflects a deeper shift within the company. Volkswagen is reshaping its traditional heartland to make room for electric vehicles, trading historical continuity for future readiness. It is a difficult but predictable move, signalling that the brand’s focus is firmly on adapting to the realities of an electrified automotive era.