Volkswagen has proudly unveiled its very first pictures of the new seventh generation Golf Unveiled by Volkswagen in Berlin. The car manufacturer is optimistic that the new Golf will assist the company in overtaking General Motors and Toyota in worldwide sales of compact automobiles. In fact, Volkswagen has its sights set on selling 10 million cars by 2018.
The new seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf appears to be an expertly balanced combination of innovation and tradition. The car’s shape has been altered ever so slightly to give it an edgier and more up-to-date look, but fans of this established and much loved car won’t be disappointed. The essence of the Golf remains intact. You could say that it has simply had a makeover; and a rather good one at that.
The biggest changes lie within. In the past, the Golf lent its platforms to a variety of models from the humble Skoda Octavia to the racier Audi TT. This time a fresh approach is being used. The seventh-generation Golf makes use of Volkswagen’s MQB architecture, as already seen in the new Audi A3. In case you’re wondering what MQB stands for, it means Modularer Querbaukasten, which roughly translates as ‘modular toolkit of parts for transverse-engined cars’. This architecture is more flexible than the platform concept, and it provides more scope to change parameters such as track and wheelbase. It also has the potential to be scaled up for big cars, or down for small ones, and it should inject new life into the Golf.
The new Golf has also lost weight, because tweaks like the MQB have shaved 100kg off the latest model. Advanced high-strength steel grades have been used in the manufacture of the vehicle, and the percentage of high strength steel in the new Golf is 28% compared with just 6% in the previous one.
The revamped Golf is also roomier. While the height remains the same, it has expanded in just about every other direction. The interior has a new-generation touch-screen infotainment set-up that comes complete with a colour display measuring in at 5.8-inches. The more expensive models come equipped with an impressive 8 inch display and sat nav. Once you take the electronic parking break into account and the other features like the inductive aerial and universal phone holder, you get a compact car that is fully equipped for almost every eventuality.
Individual, Normal, Sport and Eco are the four driving modes on offer. Parameters such as the engine mapping can be altered according to the Driver’s preferences and moods. Vehicles with DSG transmissions also come with ‘Comfort’ which is the fifth mode. Tweaks to the engines such as the Active Cylinder Technology have improved the efficiency of the 140 PS 1.4 TSI model. Motorists will be pleased to know that all of this has improved fuel efficiency by up to 23%.
There are also some interesting and rather innovative safety features. You have the PreCrash and multi-collision brake systems. Electronic aids like Emergency Braking and Front Assist are standard on UK models from SE upwards.
Motorists will be able to catch a first glimpse of Volkswagen’s new Golf in the flesh at the Paris Motor Show. UK drivers will have to wait until October to place their orders if they want a seventh-generation Golf come January 2013. So far, the pricing for the new model has not been released, but it is expected to be competitive.
Two generations of engines have been developed for the Golf, but battery regeneration and stop/start come as standard. Volkswagen’s new seventh-generation Golf should win the race to dominate Europe’s compact car market.
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