The official reveal of Volkswagen’s next generation Golf won’t happen until late this month, at the Paris Auto Show. That didn’t stop Volkswagen from jumping the gun with a special debut event in Berlin, where the new Euro-spec Golf VII was revealed in all its glory. Fans of the Golf looking for big changes in styling will likely be disappointed, but Volkswagen knows what Golf buyers expect. The new car is more Golf with less weight, but very familiar lines.

Outside, the big changes seem to be slightly more rounded styling, with narrower headlights and reshaped taillights. A small triangular window replaces the plastic surround by the side view mirrors, enhancing visibility. It looks like the roofline falls off more sharply than on previous models, too, enhancing aerodynamics while adding visual appeal.

Inside, Euro models get piano black trim and chrome accents on vents, center stack and dash. A new infotainment system sports a five-inch touchscreen, while nav-equipped models get an eight-inch display. There’s a new steering wheel, too, with a semi-flat bottom and more ornate trim than on previous models.

The big news is the change in platform, as the new Golf is built on VW’s MQB modular platform. It’s longer, lower and wider than the previous Golf (which should make for an impressive GTI), and it’s also some 220 pounds lighter thanks to weight savings throughout the car, The new seats, for example, are 15 pounds lighter, while the body-in-white saves an additional 51 pounds. Even the air conditioning system was revised to shave six pounds, showing how much thought went into the car.

Don’t expect to see the new Golf at U.S. dealers before late next year, likely as a 2014 model. It’s too early to speculate on engines, but Volkswagen has changes in store for Euro models that could carry over to these shores as well since the 2.5-liter five-cylinder used in the current Golf is getting up in years.

What’s your take? Is VW on the right track, or did it miss the target completely with the Mark VII Golf?