The New VW Golf (VII)
On 4 September of 2012, Volkswagen celebrated the world premiere of the new Golf in Berlin. Just one day later, advance sales of the car - a best-seller with over 29 million units sold - began in initial launch countries. Just three weeks later, Volkswagen presented the Golf for the first time to a large audience at the Paris Motor Show. And the first Golf cars will arrive at dealers on 10 November (launch in Germany). The seventh generation of this Volkswagen delivers the best Golf ever: its weight was reduced by up to 100 kg, thereby reversing the often cited upward weight spiral. Fuel economy was improved by a maximum of 23 per cent, depending on engine selection. The future Golf BlueMotion – advance sales begin later this year – will have a low fuel consumption of 3.2 l/100 km as measured under standard NEDC conditions (equates to 85 g/km CO2). In addition, Volkswagen is equipping the Golf with an entire armada of new assistance systems on the market – some as options and others as standard.
Affordable – new Golf can do everything better and does not cost more
- 3.8 l/100 km. The base petrol model (TSI) consumes 4.9 l/100 km and the entry-level diesel (TDI) 3.8 l/100 km. The TSI models thus beat the CO2 mark of 115 g/km, while at 99 g/km of CO2 the TDIs come in under the 100 g/km threshold. As mentioned, the best figures are delivered by the Golf BlueMotion: 3.2 litres per 100 km and 85 g/km of CO2. Another new engine is the 1.4 TSI with 103 kW / 140 PS and automatic cylinder shut-off (ACT: active cylinder management). The combined fuel consumption of this petrol engine that is as sporty as it is sustainable: 4.7 l/100 km (equating to 109 g/km CO2).
- Prof. Prof. Dr. Winterkorn: “This sense of responsibility for building sustainable cars in large numbers is something that we have always been committed to at Volkswagen. It was therefore important to us to build the most fuel-efficient Golf ever, while keeping it affordable. And we’ve succeeded in doing that. The Golf Mk7 is extremely fuel efficient, equipped as standard with the Stop/Start system and battery regeneration mode and yet – to take Germany as an example – at a base price of €16,975 it does not cost a cent more than the previous entry-level model.”
Europe – up to 119,000 metric tons less CO2 per year
- 13.9 per cent less CO2 on average. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management Technical Development, Volkswagen Brand, adds this on the subject of sustainability: “We estimate that by virtue of the new Golf fleet – with CO2 emissions reduced by 13.9 per cent on average across the entire engine range – 119,000 tons less CO2 will be produced annually in Europe alone.”
Progressive – first Volkswagen with multicollision brake
- Safety and comfort at a new level. The hunt for every last gram, meanwhile, must not be allowed to lead to advances being achieved at the expense of steps backwards in other areas. Here too, Volkswagen demonstrates that the Golf stands more than ever for a democratisation of progress and for perfection in every detail: with added space (extra legroom in the back and 30 litres more boot capacity); new pioneering safety systems such as the multicollision brake system and a proactive passenger protection system, as well as adaptive cruise control (ACC) with Front Assist including the city emergency braking function; a new progressive steering system and wheel suspension; a driving profile selector, a touchscreen as standard in all models and a completely redesigned world of information and entertainment systems with a display in the top versions that reacts to hand movements via a proximity sensor.
Confident – one of the best-known designs is further enhanced
- Unmistakable product features. The now seven generations of the Golf have written a story of success not only in technical and economic achievement, but also in industrial design. The Golf’s exterior form is today one of the most familiar product designs in the world. Walter de Silva, Head of Design, Volkswagen AG: “One of the keys to the Golf’s success lies in its continuity; there are but a handful of cars in the world with a design that, like the Golf’s, has been refined, tweaked and enhanced down the decades and has thereby become timeless.” Klaus Bischoff, Head Designer, Volkswagen Brand: “The Golf’s unmistakable product features include the typical C-pillars, the long roofline and typical window line as well as the characteristic front and rear sections with their horizontal elements. These details make the new Golf more independent, sophisticated and durable than the majority of other compact cars. You could also say that the Golf’s design is inherently stable.”
- Premium proportions. “The language of form,” says Bischoff, “is logical, solid, product-focused, pure and precise and reflects the brand’s design DNA as a perfect model of creativity. The base architecture of the new Golf is therefore unmistakable. It feels uncomplicated, strong, comprehensible, reliable and safe. Starting with the pure element of this clear base architecture, details such as the economical use and placement of sculptural lines are more like fine nuances. Also extremely important is the fact that the proportions of the Golf Mk7 have changed significantly, making the car look more confident than ever.” Marc Lichte, lead exterior designer, explains: “The proportions have changed so significantly because we have taken advantage of the Modular Transverse Matrix here. The front wheels, for example, were moved 43 millimetres further forward. This makes the front overhang shorter, and at the same time the bonnet looks longer.” Klaus Bischoff confirms this: “Visually, the passenger compartment has been shifted towards the rear, creating what is called a ‘cab backward’ impression. That’s what we call the proportions of premium-class vehicles, where the bonnet is long and the passenger compartment a long way towards the back. On the new Golf, we thus have proportions that you otherwise only get in higher-class segments of the market.”
