Volkswagen will unveil a redesigned logo as part of a major rebranding at this year’s Frankfurt motor show, coinciding with the launch of the new ID 3 electric hatchback.

Called New Volkswagen, it has been developed to make the brand appear "significantly younger, more digital and more modern". It has been in development for more than three years and has its roots in the changes the firm has made following the Dieselgate emissions cheating scandal.

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The rebranding will coincide with the launch of the ID 3, the first production vehicle based on the Volkswagen Group’s fully electric MEB platform. But the first vehicle to go on sale bearing the new logo will be the eighth-generation Golf, which is due to be launched later this year before going on sale in early 2020.

Volkswagen’s current logo has been in use since 2010. The new one maintains the letters V and W in a circle but is a simpler, two-dimensional design, with the letters no longer touching. It will be presented on cars in gloss white on a black background, although this can be changed; future GTI models will feature a red version of the logo. It was developed entirely in-house by the firm.

Volkswagen marketing boss Jochen Sengpiehl said that the current ‘3D’ logo had “become a bit heavy, somewhat immobile, especially in today’s digital era”. He added: “The new logo has been reduced to its essential components. It's flat, open, full of contrast and clearly perceived. The new logo is not just a logo but an icon.”

Sengpiehl added that a particular focus had been placed on how the logo would appear in digital form.

The rebranding will also include a new typeface and the addition of light blue alongside white and dark blue as Volkswagen’s official brand colours.

Volkswagen’s chief operating officer, Ralf Brandstätter, said the new logo is the “logical consequence” of changes the firm has undergone in the wake of Dieselgate, including a heavy focus on electrification and reducing its CO2 emissions. Volkswagen has also simplified its product range, introduced greater regional focus and reduced the number of parts used in production.

“What began as a fundamental crisis turned out to be a catalyst for the transformation of Volkswagen,” said Brandstätter. “Now it’s time to boldly move forward. We plan to be the world market leader in electric mobility by 2025, which means selling one million EVs per year by then.”

He added: “Volkswagen is on its way to emissions-free mobility for all. It’s our mindset, not a claim in advertising. We want to make mobility emissions-free for everyone. It’s not going to happen overnight.”