Volkswagen Golf 2007 News

A vote by 75 motoring journalists from 22 countries has awarded the compact prestige car the World Car of the Year award for 2015.It finished on top of a 24-car field and eventually beat the two other finalists, the Ford Mustang and Volkswagen Passat.The other big prizes for 2015, Green Car of the Year and Performance Car of the Year, went to the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 and the Mercedes-AMG GT coupe.The winners were announced at the New York Motor Show today at an event hosted by Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum at the culmination of a six-month voting process.The C-Class delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.The awards are in their 11th year and previous winners include the Audi A6, BMW 3 Series, Lexus LS460 and Volkswagen Golf, Polo and Up.To be eligible for the overall World Car award, candidate cars must have become available for sale on at least two continents between January 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015.The WCOTY wins by Mercedes-Benz follow its victories in the Green Car contest in 2007 with the E320 Bluetec and 2012 with the S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and its Luxury Car success with the S Class in 2014.“We are extremely delighted of winning the honour of World Car of the Year,” says the chairman of Daimler, Dr Dieter Zetsche.The WCOTY victory follows a similar success for the C-Class in the CarsGuide Car of the Year award.The WCOTY judging panel says: “Taking its design and technological cues from the S-Class, the C-Class employs an all-new aluminium/steel hybrid platform and updated rear-drive powertrains that delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.” WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015Overall winner: Mercedes-Benz C-ClassGreen Car: BMW i8Performance Car: Mercedes-AMG GTLuxury Car: Mercedes-Benz S CoupeDesign: Citroen CactusPREVIOUS WORLD COTY WINNERS:2014: Audi A32013: Volkswagen Golf2012: Volkswagen Up2011: Nissan Leaf2010: Volkswagen Polo2009: Volkswagen Golf2008: Mazda22007: Lexus LS4602006: BMW 3 Series2005: Audi A6

THE Audi A3 small car -- which owes much of its DNA to the Volkswagen Golf -- has won the 2014 World Car of the Year, as voted by 69 jurors from 22 countries. The luxury hatch toppled the widely-tipped favourite, the Mazda3 from Japan, in the awards announced at the New York motor show today.The Audi A3 was among five German cars that took out a cleansweep of the 2014 World Car of the Year categories, and it was Audi’s second win in 10 years, having won the inaugural award. Indeed, German cars have won seven of the past 10 World Car of the Year awards, Japanese brands have won the remaining three.Accepting the award on behalf of the company, Audi's North America president Scott Keogh said: “The Audi A3 has only been on sale three weeks and already it’s off to a flying start.”Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi, said: “This major award win is an achievement that the whole company can celebrate.”The Audi A3 was among 24 finalists that included the BMW i3 electric car, which won the Green Car of the Year and the Car Design of the Year. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the Luxury Car of the Year while the Porsche 911 GT3 was awarded top performance car honours.But the Mazda3 had emerged as an early favourite for the outright World Car of the Year award following rave reviews globally since it went on sale late last year. The previous generation Mazda3 has been Australia’s top selling car for two of the past three years, and was the vehicle that ended the Holden Commodore’s record 15-years as the market leader, in 2011.The Mazda3 is returned to the top of the sales charts so far this year -- after being overtaken by the Toyota Corolla in 2013 -- and is likely to take out top-seller status this year buoyed by the new model which went on sale in January.World car of the year winners2014 – Audi A32013 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk72012 -- Volkswagen Up2011 -- Nissan Leaf2010 -- Volkswagen Polo2009 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk62008 -- Mazda22007 -- Lexus LS4602006 -- BMW 3 Series2005 -- Audi A62014 World Car of The Year category winnersGreen car of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carCar Design of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carPerformance Car of the Year -- Porsche 911 GT3Luxury Car of the Year – Mercedes-Benz S-ClassThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

British supercar maker McLaren is riding a wave of big models, with the 12C and 12C Spider already out, the P1 just being launched -- and reportedly already sold out -- and the 3.8-litre V8-powered P13 sportscar in the works to face off against the Porsche 911.But now McLaren's design boss has suggested a hot hatch could be on the cards for the Woking line-up. Speaking with Dutch magazine Autovisie, head designer Frank Stephenson said he can invision something similar to the Volkswagen Golf."I see a car like the VW Golf for 30 to 40,000 EUR ($43,000-$58,000, however the Golf GTI sells here from $41,490), but for McLaren with a carbon fiber monocoque, to happen in the future," is reported as telling the magazine.And while he's designed the 12C and P1 for his current house -- and the F430 for Ferrari -- Stephenson's experience certainly doesn't stop at supercars. He also penned the BMW X5, Mini Cooper, Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo Mi-To so a hot hatch could be a familiar drawing board snack for him.Stephenson also reportedly sledged Audi in the Autovise story, saying the German brand's design broth was spoilt by having too many chefs. "Groups are like a large oil tankers, it takes a lot of time to change the course. Too many people with different ideas that you have to convince, and designs that are toned too far," he said.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Volkswagen Australia says technical faults with some of its diesel engines and automatic cars are “completely unrelated” to the death of a Volkswagen Golf driver in Melbourne, whose car was struck from behind by a truck in February 2011. The car involved in that incident had a petrol engine and a manual transmission. Reports at the time said the car had slowed suddenly to 20km/h while in the fast lane. The truck driver reported not seeing any brake lights. Volkswagen Australia spokesman Karl Gehling told News Limited: “We’re disappointed some media have ignored the details of the case and chosen to link completely unrelated issues. The examples are not relevant.” Volkswagen Australia has told News Limited that some early model diesel cars are being called back to dealerships across Australia to have their engine’s injectors replaced to prevent the vehicles from slowing suddenly or shifting into “limp home mode”. The self-contained safety measure is common on most new cars with engines controlled by computer software, and are designed to prompt drivers to take their car to a dealership while not leaving them stranded. Three years ago Volkswagen Australia called back about 8000 “twin-charge” petrol engines fitted to the Golf because rough idling would prevent the car from driving off. But the engine in the car at the centre of the investigation -- a high performance Golf GTI -- does not have the type of petrol engine at the centre of the earlier recall. It was also equipped with a manual transmission. Overseas, Volkswagen has recalled almost 500,000 cars equipped with its unique “DSG” automatic gearbox because of quality concerns and uneven acceleration and delayed gear changes, rather than sudden deceleration. However the issues have been brought into the spotlight following a Coroner’s inquest this week into the death the Volkswagen Golf driver in Melbourne two years ago. The coroner is investigating what caused the crash and led to her death and will release the findings in July. Another Volkswagen Australia spokesman, Kurt McGuiness, told media earlier the company currently has no plans for any new recalls. “Volkswagen conducts vehicle recalls in conjunction with the relevant federal government bodies. At this time we do not plan to announce a recall,” he said. “Rapid deceleration is not an issue widely observed or reported with any Volkswagen vehicles. However, should any of our customers have cause for concern with their Volkswagen vehicle, we urge them to contact our customer care team.” This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling  

Volkswagen's hardcore Golf GTI concept that we told you was heading for Austria’s annual Wörthersee Tour tuning event has turned out to be a striking race car concept dubbed the Design Vision GTI. The concept is based on the latest 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI, the seventh generation of the iconic hot hatch, and has been developed as a ready-to-race product. The regular VW Golf GTI drivetrain has been thoroughly overhauled for the concept, with the standard four-cylinder turbo replaced by a twin-turbocharged and direct-injected 3.0-litre V6. Peak output now registers at 375kW and 560Nm, which is more than double that of the regular Golf GTI. All this power and torque is distributed to the wheels via a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission and Haldex all-wheel-drive system. Volkswagen boasts the concept will hit 100km/h from rest in just 3.9 seconds and max out at 300km/h. In order to slow this souped-up Golf GTI, designers fitted large carbon ceramic brakes, sized 380mm up front and 355mm at the back. The 20-inch wheels, which feature the GTI’s ‘Austin’ pattern, come with special blades designed to vent hot air generated by the brakes through the wheel openings. The wheel bolts are covered to give the appearance of a centre-lock design.   The design team for the Design Vision GTI, led by Volkswagen brand design chief Klaus Bischoff, has drawn the C-pillars and sills outward, thus creating space for substantially wider front and rear tracks, as well as the specially developed wheels (with 235 tyres in the front and 275s at the rear). The concept is slightly shorter than a regular Golf GTI, however, thanks mainly to a more compact rear bumper treatment, and it sits a bit lower as well. One particularly neat element is the GTI's typical red grille divide, which on the concept also divides the headlights. The actual lighting elements are set back, giving them a deep, sunken look. Inside, designers had a ‘pure GTI’ focus, which meant concentrating on the truly essential but with a little style. This meant as few switches as necessary, so that they can be operated intuitively even while driving hard. Unique features include an electrical kill switch, a push-button for a fire extinguisher and an ESP deactivation button. The car has three drive modes: "Street," "Sport" and "Track". The shapes of the dashboard and the center console correspond to the GTI's, but are even more driver oriented, with tauter surfaces and harder edges. The race-car impression is reinforced by the use of carbon fiber, which is combined with Alcantara and Nappa leather. The rear seats have also gone; their space taken by an X-shaped cross member that further strengthens body stiffness. Volkswagen explains that the aim of the design was to provide a glance into the future of the GTI. Though we’re unlikely to see the Design Vision GTI enter production, many of the concept’s features are likely to appear on eventual race versions of the latest Golf as well as the more extreme 2015 Golf R hot hatch due out next year. The 2013 Wörthersee Tour kicks off today and concludes on May 11. www.motorauthority.com  

The Biggest Loser has proven that weight-loss shows can draw serious attention. Volkswagen must be watching because the German automaker is looking for lower numbers on the scales with the Golf. According to Edmunds, VW is nearly ready to offer up an optional extra that will help the popular hatchback ditch a few pounds. A carbon fibre roof will be offered up on the performance variants of the hot hatch, which could net weight savings of around 8-9kg. The Mark VII Golf GTI is appearing on the not-too distant horizon, so it's no surprise that we might see some of the weight-saving tech from the newest Golf. There's been a Carbon GTI rumoured to make an appearance that will make more extensive use of the lightweight material. We're happy that VW is also offering up the good stuff to those vehicles sitting a bit lower on the vehicular totem pole. Normally, carbon fibre is a very expensive material with which to work. Carmakers are learning new tricks, however, to reduce the cost and utilise the strength and lightness benefits in more applications. By bonding a bit of carbon fibre to a thin layer of steel, which acts as the core of the roof. The carbon fibre adds in the required strength for safety without requiring additional steel or aluminium. Thus a customer is left with a lightweight solution that also happens to look pretty good as well. www.motorauthority.com

In past years, the annual Volkswagen and Audi tuner fest in Wörthersee, Austria has seen the reveal of a number of exciting performance concepts that have led to production. Notable concepts included the Scirocco GT24, Audi A1 clubsport quattro and Golf R Cabriolet, which eventually spawned the respective Scicorro R, Audi A1 quattro and Golf R Cabriolet production cars.  It turns out this year’s event, which takes place from May 8-11, will be no different. We’ve already been treated to a preview of the Audi TT ultra quattro concept, which is said to preview a new lightweight version of the next-generation TT sports car, and now there are reports that a similar hardcore Volkswagen Golf GTI variant will also be previewed at this year’s Wörthersee Tour. Speaking with CAR, Volkswagen R&D boss Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg confirmed that a concept car previewing a future Golf GTI variant would be revealed at the event. He went on to reveal that it won’t be over the top like the Golf GTI W12, a previous Wörthersee concept, but instead will be “more realistic.” Volkswagen is reported to be planning a more hardcore version of its latest 2015 Golf GTI, one that’s said to focus on lightweight design, so it’s possible this is the model the automaker will preview. If this is the case, look for carbon fibre construction and an upgraded electronic differential. Another possibility is the Edition 40 GTI, a 40th anniversary Golf GTI special edition due on the market in 2016, though it’s unlikely this is the car Hackenberg is referring to, given how far its release date is. www.motorauthority.com  

The hot new hatch doesn't look at all menacing on the Volkswagen stand at the Paris show, where it only wears a 'concept' label, but a big change is coming. There will be two models of GTI for the first time in 2013. Even the cooking Golf has been upgraded to the level of the outgoing Golf R, with 350 Newton-metres of torque and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.6 seconds. It also has a handy 162 kiloWatts of power to feed to the front wheels through its six-speed manual and DSG gearboxes. But wait, there's more. Volkswagen has developed a Performance Pack that lifts output from the 2.-litre petrol engine, with turbocharging and direct fuel injection, to 169 kiloWatts. The 0-100km/h time comes down just fractionally to 6.5 seconds. But the big changes are in the driveline, where the PP GTI gets bigger disc brakes and a mechanical limited-slip differential. “We're looking at both models,” the spokesman for Volkswagen Group Australia, Karl Gehling, confirms to Carsguide. He hints that both are likely to make the trip, although not until the back end of 2013. “It will be late next year. It's not launched in Europe until the middle of next year.” There is no hint yet on GTI pricing, although the current model is priced from $38,990 as a three-door hatch and $49,490 with five doors. Despite the performance push, Volkswagen says the new GTI will also be the greenest car to wear the tag. Both GTI versions come with a stop-start system and satisfy the upcoming Euro 6 emissions standard, with fuel economy but by 18 per cent to as good as 9.65 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 140 grams/kilometres. Both cars also come with variable-ratio steering and a flat-bottomed wheel for the driver. The package for the new car is slotted into the seventh-generation Golf body, which means reduced weight, anti-collision system and a high-end infotainment system. But it also gets predictable GTI tweaks including red-painted brake callipers, chromed 80-millimetre exhaust tips and smoked LED tail lamps. The Paris show car also has cloth tartan seats and a golf ball gear knob, although these are not likely to be standard in the production model.  As well as causing double trouble for shoppers forced to make a choice, the new GTI has the potential for mayhem in showrooms. The waiting time in Australia for the previous-generation GTI blew out to more than 18 months when the car first arrived and Gehling cannot promise any better in 2013. “We'll have to wait and see. With any new model there is likely to be a waiting list if demand exceeds supply,” he says.  

The hot hatch hero is being previewed at the Paris motor show today as the regular seventh-generation Golf closes on showrooms.Carsguide drives the Golf for the first time next week and will have a drive report as the engine is cooling in Corsica.The GTi has been a huge star in Australia and the previous model created a waiting list that stretched for more than 18 months during the early part of its reign.The MK7 GTi is only being called a concept in Paris but it's a car that looks ready to go, based on leaked pictures on the eve of the show opening.Without official confirmation, it appears the GTi will have around 160 kiloWatts from a turbocharged 2-litre engine coupled to six-speed manual and DSG gearboxes.Visually, the car has big alloys, red brake callipers, twin tailpipes, a rear diffuser and small spoiler at the back of the roof.More detail as it comes to hand.

The first Volkswagen Golf GTI in 1976 had a kerb weight of 810kg, but over the past 36 years it has stacked on 570kg and now weighs in at 1380kg. The GTI of today is a far cry from the tiny pared three-door that spearheaded the nameplate. But Volkswagen is working on a limited edition that will retain all the technology but get 200kg closer to the lighter weight of its ancestor - and the extra agility promised with that. The Volkswagen Golf GTI Carbon will - logically, with that name - rely on carbon-fibre for the bonnet and roof, with the latter a strong laminate wrapping a steel core, according to a report by Autocar in the UK. Aluminium will also be put to work to lighten the rear floor pan, front bulkhead and windscreen frame - with the part-alloy platform destined to be used in future hybrid and electric versions of the Golf. The Golf GTI Carbon is likely to be powered by the same 165kW 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine tipped to be under the bonnet of the standard GTI in the coming Mk 7 line-up next year.