Volkswagen Golf 2013 News

Volkswagen's latest Golf R performance hatch is due to hit showrooms early in the new year alongside the seventh-generation Golf. We were recently treated with a first look at the track star but now we have a full gallery and even a video. The Golf R makes its world debut next week at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show and is expected to go on sale overseas mid-2014 as a 2015 model. Powering the car is the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder found in the 2015 Audi S3, and as the video above confirms it has a meaty sound that should see the Golf R stand out from other Golf variants including the GTI. The engine delivers 221kW of power and 380Nm of torque, although Australia's hotter climate always meant the Golf R we got here was detuned. Australian-spec Golf Rs produced just 188kW and 330Nm, compared to the European-spec 200kW/350Nm. The new R’s extra power brings a performance hike, with the 0-100km/h time claimed to be 4.9 seconds with the six-speed twin-clutch auto and 5.3 seconds with the six-speed manual. Driving the car in the above video is VW’s star rally driver Sebastien Ogier, who is currently leading the points table in the 2013 World Rally Championship.  It appears he’s equally at home in the new Golf R as he is in his Polo R WRC car. Like the MkVI Golf R this new MkVII replaces, a Haldex-based all-wheel-drive system is standard, as is a cross differential lock (XDS) for both the front and rear axles. The car’s stability control system can also be fully deactivated for track driving, alleviating one of the major downsides of the previous Golf R. Watch the video here. www.motorauthority.com  

But the new model on the Golf 7 package provides more headroom and a high-rider seat position that could work with older people who are reluctant to go all the way into an SUV.Look for the Plus at the Frankfurt Show in just over a fortnight. 

Volkswagen has revealed its 2015 Golf R ahead of the car’s official debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. The car is the high-performance variant of the latest MkVII Golf family and should arrive in showrooms within 12 months. We can confirm that power will come from a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine shared with the 2015 Audi S3. The engine delivers a stout 221kW, a gain of 30kW on the outgoing MkVI Golf R. Better yet, the 2015 Golf’s MQB platform is around 100 kilograms lighter than the unit replaces, which should guarantee that this latest Golf R is better all ‘round than its predecessor. The good news is that a conventional manual transmission is still offered, but a six-speed DSG dual-clutch unit is also on offer. The 0-100 km/h time will take you just 5.3 seconds in manual-equipped models, versus 5.7 seconds for the outgoing model. Opt for the DSG ‘box and you’re looking at a time of just 4.9 seconds. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h and combined fuel economy is expected to be around 7.1L/100km. Like its predecessors, the new 2015 Golf R benefits from an all-wheel-drive system. It is a Haldex system capable of sending up to 100 percent of the driving force to the rear wheels when needed. To ensure great chassis dynamics, there's a new sport suspension, the progressive variable-ratio steering system, and a stability control system which can now be fully deactivated for track driving. Other highlights include the optional DCC dynamic chassis control system that features a “Race” mode. In this setting, damping is increased and engine response and the shift points of the DSG transmission are configured to be even sportier. Finally, the car also comes with a cross differential lock (XDS) at the front and rear axles. When the car is cornering, brake pressure is applied to the inside wheel to aid traction as soon as the electronics detect excessively light loads. The XDS thereby operates as a transverse differential lock that helps compensate for understeer during fast cornering. Key visual features include a sporty body kit, 18-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, quad-exhaust tips and R badging. Inside, owners will find Alcantara trim, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and Recaro bucket seats. www.motorauthority.com  

"Computer says no" is my favourite line from the wickedly clever Little Britain television series, because it's such a telling reflection of modern life.Computers rule the world and if you cannot get along with the little black boxes, or at least arrange some sort of non-aggression pact, life is not fun.My time on the road over the past 25 years has been riddled and riled by computer problems of all sorts, from recalcitrant cars through to laptops that needed major intervention by a manchild named Nick at the other end of an international telephone line.The power of the PC is rammed home to me, once again, as Volkswagen flails and fights against the surging tide of bad news in Australia about its Golfs and DSG gearboxes.I should point out that those dramas are nothing new to anyone on the Carsguide crew. We've been fielding complaints and trying to help people for years, usually battling the arrogance and denial which has led Volkswagen Australia to where it is today.But, as I face a fresh tide of incoming emails this week, I get to thinking about the power of the computer and how it could - quite easily - have contributed to the Volkswagen dramas.There was a time, not so long ago, when a quality mechanic was worth their weight in Sidchrome.These days, new-age technicians have flooded workshops across the country and old-fashioned experience and intuition has been replaced by plug-and-play computer analysis.No-one really wants to waste time on a test drive or hands-on diagnosis when it's so easy to plug the 'diagnostic tool' into a socket, interrogate the car and see if there are any of the telltale 'error codes' popping up.The first time I saw one of these devices, a combined effort by BMW and Bosch, it was a revelation. It was obviously a key to the future.But that future has arrived and 'error codes' have become both the objective and the excuse for far too many of the people on the service side of a workshop counter.Every week I get dozens of disgruntled emails and the power of the computer diagnosis is reflected in the number of people who are dissatisfied with their workshop outcome. Often they report being dismissed because their complaint or concern does not match the printout from their car's Electronic Control Unit.I'm hearing "Computer says no" almost every day. Even when a real person takes a car for a real-world test drive, it often ends in tears and tangles when the complaint is dismissed as 'within tolerance'.Is that just another version of "Computer says no"?Doctors are taught that bedside manner is as important as any diagnosis of illness, because it honours the concerns of their patient and makes them feel they are part of the solution and not just creating a problem.Perhaps that's a lesson that now also needs to be taught in the world of motoring, before the rise of the computer becomes totally irreversible.I, for one, don't enjoy the prospect of a world where - to twist another line from Little Britain - you arrive at a workshop to hear "I'm the only mechanic in the village".This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

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  

The small-car landscape has tilted towards Europe with the arrival of Golf MkVII. Volkswagen seems finally to understand that Australians want more than just a nice car with a European badge, so it's serving up extra value on the new Golf and including the capped-price support package that now provides a fresh foundation across the brand.So the Golf is the car you want for the here-and-now. But do you really want it for the long haul, once you're out the other end of the warranty and approaching the 11-year average of the fleet on Australian roads?  Not me. Not Carsguide.Japanese brands still make a more compelling case for the long haul, which is among the reasons Mazda and Subaru sell so well here. It's all about the dealership,  intrinsic quality,  long-term support and resale value.Volkswagen is doing much better these days on the sales charts but, based on my personal experience and the weekly emails from owners, it's still catching up. We get regular complaints about DSG gearboxes, the cost of premium unleaded petrol and electrical glitches. And that all mounts up to a Very Big Deal if you keep your cars for longer than three years and the next company lease.The new Golf is considerably better than the Mazda3 as you drive away from the showroom but the Mazda hits back in the long run. And think about this. If you're buying a vehicle with your own money, for your own garage, the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30  make powerful cases for cost-effective ownership.The new Corolla is great buying and has capped-price servicing. The i30 adds a five-year warranty. I can't remember the last time I heard a complaint from a Corolla or i30 owner.Is it any wonder, then, that Corollas often stay in the family for 10 years or more? They are passed down from parents to their children, or move out through extended family and friends, because they stay bulletproof and cost-effective for so long.So, Golf or Mazda3 for a 10-year run? A Corolla for me, thanks.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

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  

...Volkswagen is well into testing the Golf R, the turbocharged all-wheel drive headliner that gets 205 kiloWatts and a 1-100km/h time better than six seconds. This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover