Volkswagen Golf 2011 News

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. 

The tweaked Cabrio shows there is still plenty of life in the existing Golf body... ...even though the all-new hatch is little more than a month away.

Volkswagen's Golf R races on a closed course as a driver competes against speed Rubik's cube specialist, Anthony Brooks. The VW driver of the Golf R has to complete one lap around track before Anthony Brooks solves his Rubik's cube one-handed.  

It's a special one-off Volkswagen Golf GTI barbecue, complete with honeycomb style cooking grille. The four burner barbecue was manufactured for Volkswagen by Black Forest barbie maker Brennwagen to mark the 35th anniversary ofthe Golf GTI.In fact, it comes with two "GTI 32" fire brands.The barbie rides on 12 inch GTI style alloys, complete with with cross drilled discs and Royal Berg racing slicks rated at 25km/h.The detachable drawer bar is finished in double-stitched leather.Brennwagen's barbecues are all hand buillt from stainless steel in at a small workshop in Oberndorf in the Black Forest.The Brennwagen idea was born on the racetrack.The barbecue hot rod is the brainchild of the former Formula 1 engineer Florian Wagner. Passionate about barbecuing, he wanted a new challenge after Toyota's withdrawal from the racing circuit and made the natural switch from burning rubber to burning charcoal.Florian Wagner heads the Brennwagen enterprise together with his friend, Daniel Ernst, with whom he had already designed his first race cars and won design awards at university. Check out the size of the steaks.

The latest Golf is just approaching the middle of its life but already Carparazzi has a good idea of how its successor will look.The next one, which will be the sixth-generation Golf, promises to have more cabin space and more safety gear at a similar price today. On the styling front, we're looking for crisper lines, a smoother front to improve efficiency and pedestrian protection, but a continuation of the basic look of today's Mk5 model.

The good news is that the cars of the future are not boring electric "golf carts" but sleek and sexy machines.Take for example the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept, or even the updated Toyota Prius C. Just as smart, but also featuring powertrain technology that is much further down the line, is the Hyundai Blue2 Concept, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, or the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV with a plug-in hybrid system that extends the use of the vehicle in electric mode.Here is a sample of the green vehicles on the stands at this year’s show:BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept: Making its Australian debut, this is the concept for the coming BMW i8. A conventional 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-diesel mated to a pair of electric motors powers this four-wheel-drive 2+2 sports car. The hybrid combination pumps out 265kW of power and 800Nm of torque, and can run on electric power alone for up to 50km, diesel only for 645km or a combination of both. The lithium-ion battery packs charge in just 2.5 hours from AC mains or 44 minutes on quick charge.Ford: The new Liquefied Phase Injection LPG technology in the Ford Falcon EcoLPi has improved power and torque and decreased fuel consumption (12.5L/100km) and CO2 emissions (203g/km). Ford will also show its long-awaited diesel Territory with a 2.7-litre V6 boasting fuel economy of 8.2L/100km.Holden: The Ecoline Series II Cruze range with a new generation 2.0-litre turbo diesel (5.6L/100km) is Australia’s most fuel-efficient locally-built car. The stand will also feature the Cruze 1.4-litre intelligent turbo induction (1.4 iTi) petrol engine (6.4L/100km manual) and other Ecoline models, including the Commodore E85 flex-fuel and Spark Ignition Direct Injection V6 powered Commodores and Captivas.Honda hybrids: Honda will show the stylish Honda CR-Z coupe petrol-electric hybrid that arrives here later this year, as well as its second-generation Insight hybrid.Hyundai Blue2 Concept: This is the Korean company’s first sedan-style Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) powered by hydrogen. It delivers power of 90kW and fuel economy of 2.8L/100km. Being a concept car, it comes with a host of future electronic aids, such as an automatic opening door system, roof and side cameras to replace mirrors, and a motion sensor-operated infotainment system.Lexus LF-Gh Concept: This concept features the hybrid system already in the Lexus fleet, but is the first time the spindle-shaped grille that will become a feature of future designs will be seen here, and hints at a future grand touring sedan. Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb says the LF-Gh reaffirms that hybrids can be sleek and stylish.Mazda Minagi: This is a crossover concept specifically engineered to be the first with frugal SKYACTIV technology diesel and petrol engines and transmission. The car is an insight into the coming CX-5.Mercedes-Benz C-Class: The range now includes the updated 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic transmission for improved economy. Diesel models come with the ECO start/stop function as standard, and the C250 diesel coupe boasts economy of 5.1L/100km. At the top end of the Benz range, the S350 diesel BlueTec luxury saloon has economy figures of 7L/100km.Mitsubishi ?i-Miev-based electric vehicle concepts: The i-MiEV is about to hit the showrooms and Mitsubishi already has an SUV variant, which will be on its stand. The Concept PX-MiEV has a plug-in hybrid system with fuel economy better than 2L/100km. It is powered by two permanent magnet synchronous motors and a 1.6-litre MIVEC engine. The PX-MiEV also features Smart Grid technology that allows the battery to power home appliances during a blackout or at peak times when electricity tariffs are high.Nissan Leaf: The all-electric Leaf hits showrooms next year. The World Car of the Year features a satnav system linked to the "Global Data Centre’’ in Japan so you just press a button to find the closest recharging stations.Toyota Prius C concept & Prius V: The latest in the Prius family are a funky coupe concept (C) and a people mover (V). The Prius C concept shows how stylish the Prius can be and the V shows how spacious it can be. The V also features a lightweight-resin panoramic moon roof, weighing about 40 per cent less than a regular glass roof of the same size. It will be the first to feature Toyota’s new Entune multimedia system with mobile internet and Microsoft’s Bing search engine. The system will offer live weather and traffic updates, along with monitoring the best fuel prices in town.Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion: The BlueMotion has the same 1.6-litre engine with the same output at 77kW and 250Nm as the 77TDI, but its fuel use is just 3.8L/100km compared with 5.12L/100km (77TDI) and CO2 of 99g/km (133g/km 77TDI). The gains are made from a lower idle speed, stop/start technology, aerodynamics and low rolling resistance tyres.Volvo V60 diesel plug-in hybrid: The world’s first diesel hybrid plug-in goes into production next year. The driver can choose from three modes: Pure, which is all-electric with a range of up to 50km, Hybrid with an average fuel consumption of 1.9L/100km and CO2 of 49g/km, and Power, which boosts total diesel and electric power to 200kW and 640Nm of torque with acceleration to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. The turbodiesel drives the front wheels and an electric motor drives the rear axle. It can be recharged via a regular power socket in 4.5 hours on 10A charge.PLUS: There will also be displays by infrastructure companies including Better Place EV, which has announced plans to begin rolling out infrastructure in Canberra this year.

... when the soft-top models go on sale later this year.VW teased fans at this week's 30th annual Worthersee car show in Austria with "concepts" of the two cars that look ready to roll off the production line tomorrow.They were joined on the massive VW stand by what the 30,000 devotees of VW Group products, and specifically the GTI, had hoped to see, a 35th anniversay model fitted with the 2-litre direct-injection engine usually found under the bonnet of the Golf R.That gives the Golf GTI Edition 35 an 18kW lift over regular GTIs to 173kW, while torque is up from 280Nm to 300Nm.VW said the car will use 8.0 litres of fuel for 100km with either the six-speed manual or six-speed DSG twin-clutch automatic transmissions and a 0-100km/h time of 6.6 seconds.Externally the special edition GTI runs unique 18-inch wheels, a revised front spoiler with winglets on the lower edges to improve airflow and black mirror housings. Inside the "golf ball" gearshift knob recreates the look of the first generation GTI and both the door sill plates and front headrests carry a "35" logo.VW Australia spokesman Karl Gehling said limited numbers of the special edition will make it Down Under. He touted the company line that the cabrios were purely “concepts” but admitted there will be a receptive audience for the roofless performance pair."The GTI has always been the halo car in the Golf range and I’d expect the cabrio versions to have the same impact," Gehling said.VW Group stablemates Audi and Skoda also previewed one-off concepts in the form of a track-ready A1 Clubsport quattro and a vRS 2000 speedster respectively.The 370kW/660Nm A1 uses a wildly worked version of the the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine found in the TT RS. It also inherits the TT’s six-speed manual gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive system. That gives the A1 quattro a 0-100km/h time of 3.7 seconds, helped by the removal of most of the interior features from the sound system to the rear seat.The Skoda concept is based on the Fabria RS hatch, but engineers lopped off the roof, widened the track to match the Skoda S2000 rally car and created a glasshouse that slopes down to the rear to give the car a slick, clean look. Unlike the VW “concepts” the Audi and Skoda models aren’t expected to make it to showrooms.

You can get 3.3 litres/100km in Golf's latest slow-sipping diesel. More impressive is the fact that high 3s are possible in a long urban loop ... without driving like a granny.The downside is the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion is only being sold here with a five-speed manual, which will make it hard to justify for fleet buyers.The tall gear ratios are the key to the Golf's low fuel use, but the 77kW turbodiesel still had enough poke to cut it in city traffic, even if it does cut out when stationary and slipped into neutral at the lights. Unlike some rival stop/start systems, the Golf purred into life within moments of the clutch being touched it takes less then 20mm of travel to re-start the system.Low rolling-resistance 15-inch rubber, an aero package and a 10mm lower suspension height to regular Golfs complete the exterior changes to the BlueMotion, while the interior has unique blue cloth seat inserts and a "titanium look" plastic strip that extends above the the glovebox and across either side of the wheel.The BlueMotion is priced at $28,990 and it comes at the cost of the regular Golf 77kW TDI manual and DSG semi-automatic models.VW PR head Karl Gehling defended the switch to a manual-only option, saying engineers had determined the unique ratios in the five-speed gearbox made it the most fuel-efficient match in the VW arsenal.That shows the BlueMotion is as much about outright bragging rights as it is about sales, given the majority of Golfs are sold here with DGSs are the new Eos is DGS-only, but it still doesn't take away from the fact this is a very fuel-efficient car when driven properly.

And each week it seems the fuel price sign goes up faster than a politician's pay packet. Australians use a vast amount of fuel in going about their daily business, be it getting the kids to school, travelling to and from work, or conducting the nation's business.Each year we import an ocean of petrol, diesel and LPG that's equivalent to 63,000 Olympic swimming pools. And we're not alone, as the vast populations of newly mobile countries such as India and China take to the roads in their Tatas, Great Walls and Cherys, the world's thirst for oil seems ever more insatiable.Overlay this with war and unrest in the Middle East, the source of 56 per cent of the world's oil, and the inevitable push-pull dynamics of supply and demand can lean to only one thing: higher fuel prices.Here in Australia motorists have been feeling the pinch of higher fuel prices since January when the latest spike in oil prices first began appearing on service station leader boards.The spiralling petrol prices mean fuelling a family car like a Commodore or Falcon now accounts for 2.6 per cent of average weekly earnings. But you don't have to sit back and take it in the hip pocket. There are ways to drive down your weekly fuel bills. Here are a few of them.DOWNSIZING According to VFACTS industry statistics, this seems the most popular choice. Large cars have gone from the top-selling passenger segment in 2000 with 198,766 to the smallest passenger segment last year with 98,583 and falling at 3.1 per cent.Meanwhile, sales of smaller cars are skyrocketing. In the past 10 years small car sales have almost doubled to 239,191 while light cars have increased about 44 per cent to 137,916. You can buy a small car from as little as $11,990 (plus on-road costs) for the Chinese-made Chery, right up $35,990 for a Citroen DS3.And you won't go without. Some of the cheapest little cars these days come with a swag of safety and creature features from multiple airbags to Bluetooth connectivity.PROS: Save on fuel; do the environment a favour; easier to park; nippier in traffic; little hatches can be cavernous if you fold down the rear seats.CONS: You get cramped on long journeys; they are noisier on the highway; they're bumpier over potholes; you could feel a little silly driving a Smurf car.Our Pick: Hyundai i20 (from $15,490) is set to take over from Getz as the segment leader with Euro styling and a high level of features and safety.Others to Consider: Suzuki Swift (from $15,990), Mazda2 (from $15,790) and Toyota Yaris (from $14,990).DIESEL Like smaller car categories, the growth in diesel-powered vehicles is exponential. Since the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries began collating separate figures for various fuel types in 2005, diesel cars and SUVs have more than doubled to 125,555 last year, which is almost one in every five new passenger cars or SUVs bought today.The reason is that modern diesel engines are not only up to twice as frugal as a petrol vehicle, but they often have lower emissions because they burn less fuel per kilometre and usually have an exhaust system that traps small carbon materials.Modern diesels are also quieter and smoother running. However, diesel engines have higher internal pressures and a complex fuel system so they are more expensive to build than a petrol engine. Some car companies charge up to $10,000 more for a diesel variant, although most charge around an extra $2000.Expensive diesels are often the result of low production volumes and highly technological designs and machining costs. To reap the economic benefits you have to drive big kilometres each year and hold on to the vehicle longer.An extreme example is the Holden CD Cruze auto diesel that costs $4000 more than the petrol model. Based on RACQ's fuel running costs of 9.36c/km for the petrol and 8.41c/km for the diesel, you would have to drive 25,000km for 16 years to recoup the extra cost.PROS: Fuel economy is anywhere between 10-50 per cent better than a petrol equivalent; more torque means quicker acceleration and easier driving around town; better towing capacity; marginally better resale value; lower CO2 emissions per kilometre; diesel engines often last longer because of the more robust engineering.CONS: Fewer diesel pumps on servo forecourts means queuing at the servo; oily bowser pumps leave your hands smelly and dirty; the engines still clatter at idle and sound raucous at full revs; it takes a long time to reap the economic benefits; servicing charges can also be more expensive because of the more expensive oils required and the complicated fuel systems.Our Pick: Fiesta ECOnetic (from $24,990) is a hybrid beater even in stop-start commuting, yet it's a delight to drive.Others to Consider: Hyundai i30 (from $23,090), VW Golf (from $29,990), Subaru Forester (from $35,990).LPG It's almost worth it to convert your petrol or diesel vehicle to LPG just to get the $1500 Federal government subsidy. But you better be quick because the conversion rebate drops to $1250 from July 1 and decreases $250 annually. All rebates and subsidies are only for private vehicles.Conversions cost an average of $2800 for pre-2006 vehicles, but about $4000 for newer vehicles because of emissions regulations. If you buy a vehicle factory fitted for LPG before its first registration, you get a $2000 rebate from the Feds.However, choices of new vehicles with factory fitted LPG systems are limited. Ford has a new LPG Falcon coming in July and has factory-fitted systems for some of its utes. Holden has an Autogas dual-fuel injection system for its Commodore and will have a mono-fuel LPG Commodore later this year.Toyota has a direct injection LPG system for its 2.7-litre HiAce vans and Mitsubishi has an aftermarket sequential multi-port direct-injection system for its Challenger, Express Van, Pajero, Triton and the now defunct 380.PROS: Much cheaper fuel (about 60c compared with $140+ for ULP); government subsidies make conversion attractive; LPG prices are fairly static so you don't have to fill up on a Tuesday morning when servo prices are cheapest; lower emissions.CONS: Limited choice of new dual-fuel vehicles; only suitable for large vehicles; you lose boot space; even though they are safe they can develop minor smelly leaks; they add about 75kg (about the weight of two large suitcases) to the rear of the car effecting handling; it can be difficult finding servos with LPG in rural areas.HYBRID These are vehicles with petrol or diesel internal combustion engines paired with an electric motor or motors. The drivetrain and associated battery pack for the electric motor is more complex so therefore more costly. Like diesels, you need to do big kays before the savings at the bowser recoup the extra purchase price.For example, a Toyota Prius costs about $2500 more than a Corolla Ultima. Using RACQ's running costs, the fuel savings will take 4 years at 15,000km a year (or 2.5 years at 25,000km/year) to recoup the extra purchase price.Most hybrids switch off totally every time you stop and run on electric power only when you are driving slowly, so they are most economical in heavy traffic. The benefits are marginal on country roads and highways, although when both drive units are operating under heavy acceleration such as when overtaking, they do offer a tangible boost to acceleration.Despite the fact the technology has been around for 10 years, Hybrids are still relatively new. Today, there are 10 hybrid models on the market, but only the Toyota Prius, Camry, Honda Insight and Civic are affordable.Hybrids tend to be bought mainly by governments and big business to emphasise their green credentials. Taxi companies also like hybrids because of their fuel efficiency in urban environments. If you're open to the idea of a used vehicle, then a second-hand Prius or similar is a reasonable option.PROS: Cheaper to run in traffic; feel and be seen to be environmentally conscious; extra power under heavy acceleration; almost silent running when on electric only power.CONS: Higher purchase price; the number of models is limited but you can choose from a small Prius to a large Porsche Cayenne SUV; some look odd like the Prius and Insight.Our Pick: Toyota Prius (from $39,900) and the Honda Insight (from $29,990) at least look like futuristic hybrids, so your neighbours will know you are trying to be green.Others to consider: Honda Civic (from $34,490), Toyota Camry (from $36,990)ELECTRIC CARSThe only production electric cars in Australia are the Tesla Roadster at $241,938 and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV which is available only on a lease of $1740 a month for three years for a total of $62,640. Then the car goes back to Mitsubishi. When it arrives it is expected to cost $70,000.However, prices will come crashing down in the next few years as more and more EVs become available in Australia. The first of these will be the Nissan Leaf and Holden Volt next year.The Volt is expected to cost less than $40,000 and Nissan is saying the Leaf will cost about the same to run as a Tiida, even though initial outlay will probably be close to the Volt. While tailpipe emissions are zero, most electricity in Australia comes from burning dirty coal, so the environmental advantage is reduced.Some critics say there is no advantage. Current limitations of battery technology mean range is also limited to about 160km according to the car companies, but in real life it's less, especially if you have a lead foot.PROS: Very cheap to run; no tailpipe emissions; almost silent running; aerodynamic body shapes.CONS: Expensive to buy - that's if you can find one to buy; silent running can be dangerous for pedestrians; battery disposal is an environmental issue; range is limited; long re-charging time (up to eight hours); most EVs are designed to look futuristic but just end up looking like golf carts.DRIVE ECONOMICALLYOf all the things you can do to drive down your fuel bill, this is the most pragmatic as it's the simplest and most affordable. It can be expensive to swap your trusted and much-loved family car or SUV for something smaller or with an alternative powertrain.Trade-in prices on family cars are down according to the Motor Trades Association and if you buy a new car, you are up for dealer delivery charges, stamp duty and registration. It may be cheaper to hang on to your vehicle, but modify your driving behaviour for more economical running.There are many simple things you can do: Plan trips better and make fewer trips; jettison excess weight from the car; correctly inflate your tyres and get your car serviced more frequently.Most importantly you can vary your driving behaviour by slowing down, changing up the gears sooner, avoiding heavy breaking and staying away from peak-hour traffic. You may have heard these all before, but here are five radical ideas to reducing your fuel expense burden that you may not have heard.1. Cool idea: Turning off the airconditioning will provide a slight increase in fuel economy. However, when travelling on the highway, it is more fuel efficient to have the windows up and aircon switched on than having the windows down creating aerodynamic drag. Don't leave the aircon off for long periods as bacteria will build up in the system.2. Light is right: So throw out not only the unnecessary baggage such as your golf clubs, but maybe also the spare tyre. It can weigh 15-20kg in the average car. The US Department of Energy quotes fuel use as 1-2 per cent for every 45.5kg, so that's at least 0.5 per cent saved. Conversely, NRMA tests show that loading a vehicle to its rated maximum increases fuel consumption 24 per cent. While you might be able to get away without a spare tyre around town, we recommend you always carry it on long trips, especially in the country.3. Turned off: Switch off the engine at long traffic light stops. Modern fuel-injected cars start quickly without the need for any throttle. Car makers with stop-start technology that automatically switches off the engine every time the car is stopped quote fuel savings in traffic of 4-5 per cent.4. Just cruising: Use cruise control more frequently. Most cruise control systems actually put the car's engine into an economy mode and will run more efficiently than most drivers can drive as it accelerates more evenly. It is best used on the open road and not hilly terrain or stop-start conditions. While we could not find any official figures, some sources claim fuel savings up to 14 per cent.5. Re-tyre: the next time you buy tyres, choose from the new range of "eco" tyres with low rolling resistance. A California Energy Commission study estimated low-rolling resistance tyres could save 1.5-4.5 per cent on fuel consumption.

Volkswagen Australia has confirmed it will draft in a new player to sit at the bottom of its Golf line-up and significantly undercut the current entry level model that starts off at $24,990.  Neither of these prices include on-road costs. The new bargain model, called the 77 TSI, will run a 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine producing 77kW and 175Nm of torque.  It slips in $3000 below the 90 TSI petrol turbo model and has much of the same equipment but misses out on cruise control, a multi-function steering wheel and also runs steel rims instead of alloy wheels. The new model might be cheaper but it will still have crucial safety gear including seven airbags and electronic stability control.  It runs a five-speed manual as the standard transmission, while a seven speed dual-clutch automatic is a $2500 option.  The 77 TSI is already sold in several European markets and is also popular in England, where small economical engines are the top sellers. VW has already introduced the 77 TSI engine with the Polo baby car and says it has received good feedback.  Volkswagen Australia managing director Anne Koeckler says the new entry level model will extend the appeal of the new model. "It allows us to target new customers who wanted to have a Golf but couldn't afford it," she says.  The Golf is the first volume pillar and to make sure it is the volume pillar into the future into the future we started the shift to get it in the sweet spot." The most popular Golf in the range is the 103 TDI turbo diesel model and Ms Koeckler that is not likely to change for some time. However she would not provide any estimation of the sales the new 77 TSI model could achieve. The new entry level Golf is a key part of VW Australia's plans to dramatically boost its sales in line with Volkswagen's plan to be the top selling brand in the world by 2018.  "We will not discuss our internal target," Ms Koeckler says. "You can assume we have the opportunity to double our volumes from where we are right now and go further. With all the new products that are coming next year we have a lot of opportunity." So far, VW Australia is planning on launching the Amaraok one-tonne ute, the next generation Passat and the new Touareg next year.  It will also introduce the super efficient Bluemotion Golf model and roll out fuel saving Bluemotion technology on some other models.