Recession-busting performance from a premium-end car? There's every chance the new Volkswagen Golf, and its street-smart coupe spin-off, the Scirocco, can pull this off, the distributor says.
VW is NZ's favourite European car brand and Dean Sheed, general manager of VW here, reckons the Golf alone can keep it there.
The sixth generation of this 25-million-sales-and-counting car brings more muscular bodywork, a new interior and small-capacity, big-hearted engines. It is more economical, safer and better finished. Just as relevant, it costs only $800-$2600 more than before. This is proving to be an interesting year for VW here with a bigger slice of the (31% smaller) new-car market.
Even so, Sheed believes Golf, which arrives here right after taking a "world car'' title, will not only continue to be the brand kingpin, but will defy conditions with 800-plus sales this year, against 690 in 2008.
The stylish Scirocco is another perceived winner. That the three-door styling, confined four person capacity and $50,000-$55,000 price will restrict interest hardly matters. Its primary role is to be seen and remembered.
The drive preview reminded me why some are calling this Golf the "5.5''. It looks similar, has a familiar ambience, and retains the strut front/multilink-rear platform.
However, refinement and driveability improve, even if tyre roar over coarse chip undermines efforts - including a sound-smothering windscreen - to make this the quietest Golf.
The styling is less lookalike on close inspection and certainly the cabin has come in for a complete refit. There's a new dashboard and other ergonomic elements, brightened with flashes of chrome and aluminium, most previewed by last year's swank Passat CC. Repositioning window and door-mirror switches to the upper section of the door remedies a design weakness.
With next to no changes to the major dimensions there's no more cabin space, though the rear seats continue to offer decent head and elbow room.
Making stability control standard and adding a driver's kneebag to lift the standard airbag count to seven was enough for the car to immediately earn a maximum five-star crash rating in Euro NCAP.
The cheapest petrol and diesel Golfs have 15-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, cruise control, a hill holder and cloth trim. The next step up buys more power, 16-inch rims, full climate-control air, richer trim and multifunction controls on the steering wheel. But Bluetooth and USB, standard in some much cheaper cars, remain cost-extras in VW-dom.
The Scirocco has all of this, plus sports seats and an electronic diff lock, while the top version adds gear-change paddles, fog lights, parking sensors, and a touch-screen stereo with a media interface ensuring connectivity with a multitude of media devices.
It also takes an adaptive damper system (DCC) that gives the driver the choice of Comfort, Normal and Sport settings. It's an option on the Golf, but not a must-have; in standard form the suspension is less sporty but more supple.
The entry Scirocco offers a more dynamic driving experience but is also calmer without DCC.
The biggest changes are mechanical. Traditional manual and torque-converter automatics are kaput. Golf and Scirocco only offer VW's Direct Shift Gearbox, a twin-clutch transmission that operates auto-style but, in fact, is a manual at heart. The petrol models get a new seven-speed, and the diesels continue with a six-speed that can handle their higher torque.
In pursuit of cleaner emissions and better efficiency, VW has also downsized in the engine bay, with both petrol engines being 1.4s. A step into punydom? Hardly. The turbocharged entry version is 20% more economical than the preceding 1.6-litre and also cuts 3sec from the 0-100kmh time.
The 118kW TSI, a detuned version of the old Golf GT's 1.4-litre Twincharger, (so-named because it employs both a supercharger and turbocharger) is even faster and again more frugal than the outgoing car's 2-litre. This little giant engine also goes into the entry Scirocco, while a $6000-dearer flagship adopts the 147kW turbocharged 2-litre shared with the upcoming Golf GTI.
The most impressive new engine is the 2.0-litre turbodiesel. It's not only more economical than the previous oiler but considerably more civilised. A 77kW 1.6-litre comes in June.
And you can't help but see the new models coming: Running lights are standard now.
source: drivesouth
