Volkswagen tees up new Golf for first customer orders

The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf opens for ordering today, with prices starting below those of the previous model, at just £16,285* (RRP OTR) and rising to £24,880.

The latest Golf is lighter, safer, more advanced, more spacious, more efficient and better equipped than previous generations of Europe’s best-seller, of which over 29 million have been sold – some 1.6 million of these in the UK.  From launch, the Golf is available in the UK in three trim levels: S, SE and GT (GTI and BlueMotion models join the line-up in 2013).  Four petrol engines and two diesel engines are available, in either three- or five-door form. 

The petrol engine range starts with a four-cylinder 1.2-litre TSI unit producing 85 PS, rising via a 1.2-litre TSI 105 PS and a 1.4-litre TSI 122 PS motor to the 1.4-litre TSI 140 PS with Active Cylinder Technology, which is capable of 60.1 mpg (combined cycle) and 110 g/km (with DSG gearbox), thanks to the ability to deactivate two cylinders under light loads.

The diesel engines at launch are a 1.6-litre TDI 105 PS and a new 2.0-litre TDI 150 PS unit.  Both feature the latest common rail diesel technology for maximum efficiency.  All new Golf models – both diesel and petrol – come with a Stop/Start system as standard, along with battery regeneration.  Gearboxes are a mixture of five- and six-speed manuals, and six- and seven-speed DSG units, depending on the engines’ power and torque outputs.

All Golf models come with seven airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag, five three-point seatbelts, ABS with ESP, XDS electronic differential lock and Isofix preparation for two rear child seats.  The entry-level Composition Media system includes a 5.8-inch colour touchscreen, DAB digital radio, a CD player, MDI interface (for connecting iPod or MP3 player), Bluetooth telephone preparation and audio streaming and eight speakers.  Also standard is ‘Climatic’ semi-automatic air conditioning, among a host of other features.

Moving from S to SE trim brings an outstanding range of features, including standard ADC Automatic Distance Control with Front Assist and City Emergency Braking, which can even bring the vehicle to a complete halt if necessary, a Driver Alert System, PreCrash preventative occupant protection, Driver Profile Selection, rain-sensitive wipers, an automatically dimming rear-view mirror and dusk sensor (automatic driving lights). 

The GT model comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, ‘Cherry Red’ rear light clusters, heat-insulating dark-tinted rear glass, electrically foldable door mirrors with puddle lights, and front and rear parking sensors with visual display.  Inside are gloss black inserts, Alcantara and cloth sports seats, LED reading lights, ambient lighting and the Discover Navigation media system with 5.8-inch colour touchscreen.

Options include high beam assist, lane assist, park assist, ACC adaptive chassis control, a rear-view camera, Discover Pro navigation system with eight-inch colour touchscreen, keyless entry and a panoramic sunroof.

Volkswagen Retailers begin taking orders for the new Golf today, 19 October, with first deliveries due from the car’s official on-sale date of 7 January 2013.  For full details, see the price list.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

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Volkswagen Scirocco review by Top Gear

You know how we love the Golf GTI. Now imagine a car that drives a little better, looks far better, and hardly costs more

• Comfort

  A firm chassis of course, but the adaptive dampers and low-slung seats mean the Scirocco’s ride doesn’t feel too turbulent. The seats are terrific, but there’s a headroom shortage in the back. There’s also a fair bit of wind and road noise at speed, especially with the optional glass roof.

  

• Performance

  There's a 1.4-litre TSI, two two-litre turbo four-pots with either 197bhp (as seen in the Golf GTI) or 260bhp in the R, plus a 2.0-litre TDI. While the 197bhp 2.0T engine might be broadly the same as the GTI's, the torque arrives earlier, making it seem quicker (though it hits 62mph in 7.2s, the same as the Golf). It's a bit inert when you really start to go mental, but you still come away with the sense that if you had to have a car that spans a multitude of situations, the Scirocco would be it. Since the 1.4TSI comes with Volkswagen's 'Twincharger' system (meaning it boasts both a supercharger and turbocharger), it's lively and responsive despite it's diminutive size. The 2.0TDI is fast-revving and punchy and sounds pretty rorty too. Not as clean and sweet as the petrol, but not rattly and never strained either. The 260bhp 2.0 in the R feels punchier than the 197bhp You can feel the extra oomph, and yes, it is empirically really very quick indeed (0-62mph in 6s and 155mph) but most of the time, the noise and the power delivery is lacking that little extra something. And that something is joy.

  

• Cool

  Remember the impact the Audi TT had first time around? The Scirocco has that, but without trying too hard.

  

• Quality

  If you’ve been in other modern VWs you’ll spot the parts sharing, but so what? That means you know the stuff works well and feel good to the touch. Only the interior door trim is a bit cheapo. As you drive, the bodyshell feels like it’s one solid ingot. It looks like that sort of quality from the outside too.

  

• Handling

  All Scirocco's get VW's excellent ACC (adaptive chassis control) which lets you choose from three settings: 'comfort' for motorways, 'sport' for speed, and 'normal' for everything else. The ACC adjusts three things: the throttle map for better response, the steering for better feel and the damping for better control of Scirocco's mass. And it works. The VW driving vibe remains, but the car is a Golf GTI expanded to be 25 per cent better. It turns in precisely, suffers from less roll and lets you exploit the power.

  

• Practicality

  It's a strict four-seater, although thanks to using the Golf's platform, room in the back is generous for a coupe. Rear head room, though, will be an issue for most adults and the rear headrests block the already small rear screen. Plus, if you sit in the back, there's virtually no vision and the blindspots will hide suburbs. At 292 litres, the boot isn't bad for a weekend toy, beating the likes of the Nissan 370Z for size.

  

• Running costs

  Something this in-demand won’t depreciate, surely. And group 16 insurance even for the 200bhp model ain’t too bad if you say it quickly. CO2 is 179, less for the diesel and 1.4 of course. On variable servicing, you might be ableto get up to 18,000 miles interval. But not driving it the way we would.

Article source: www.topgear.com