On September 4, 2012, Volkswagen celebrated the world premiere of the new Golf in Berlin. Just one day later, advance sales of the car, a best-seller with over 30 million units sold, began in initial launch countries. Just three weeks later, Volkswagen presented the Golf for the first time to a large audience at the Paris Motor Show. The weight of the new Golf was reduced by up to 100 kg, thereby reversing the often cited upward weight spiral. Fuel economy was improved by a maximum of 23 percent, depending on engine selection. The new Golf TDI BlueMotion consumes only 3.2 l/100 km (85 g of CO₂/km) under standard NEDC conditions. In 2014, Volkswagen electrifies the compact class with the Golf: the all-electric e-Golf with a range of around 190 kilometres is already available to buy. In addition, the new Golf GTE will be launched in the autumn. Its plug-in hybrid drive system achieves a standard fuel consumption of 1.5 l/100 km; in all-electric mode, the Golf GTE can be driven for 50 kilometres. In addition, Volkswagen has equipped the Golf with an entire armada of new assistance systems on the market – some as options and others as standard.
The base petrol engine model (TSI) consumes 4.9 l/100 km and the entry-level diesel (TDI) 3.8 l/100 km. The TSI models thus beat the CO₂ mark of 115 g/km, while at 99 g/km, the TDIs come in under the 100 g/km threshold. As mentioned above, the best figures are delivered by the Golf TDI BlueMotion: 3.2 litres per 100 km and 85 g/km of CO₂. Another highlight is the 1.4 TSI with 103 kW / 140 PS and automatic cylinder shut-off (ACT: active cylinder management). The combined fuel consumption of this petrol-powered car that is as sporty as it is sustainable: 4.7 l/100 km (equating to 109 g/km CO₂). The independent GTI and the new Golf R are also fuel efficient as well as awesomely sporty.
By the way, Volkswagen estimates that by virtue of the new Golf fleet – with CO₂ emissions reduced by 13.9 percent on average across the entire engine range – 119,000 tons less CO₂ will be produced annually in Europe alone! The hunt for every last gram, meanwhile, must not be allowed to lead to advances being achieved at the expense of steps backward in other areas. Here too, Volkswagen demonstrates that the Golf stands more than ever for a democratisation of progress and for perfection in every detail:
- with added space (extra legroom in the back and 30 litres more trunk capacity);
- new pioneering safety systems such as the automatic post-collision braking system and a proactive passenger protection system, as well as adaptive cruise control (ACC) with Front Assist including the city emergency braking function;
- a new progressive steering system and wheel suspension;
- a driving profile selector, a touchscreen as standard in all models and a completely redesigned world of information and entertainment systems with a display in the top versions that reacts to hand movements via a proximity sensor.
The Golf VII design
The individual DNA of the Golf includes elements such as the reduced design grill crossbar and side window graphics, as well as the roof line of the Golf I, or the highly familiar C-pillar and wheel arches of the Golf IV. The new Golf is the most modern interpretation of this design language: "It is logical, sound, product-oriented, pure and precise, and reflects the design DNA of the brand as a pure expression of the design," says Klaus Bischoff, Chief Designer of Volkswagen Brand. Bischoff continues: "That's why the basic architecture of the new Golf is unmistakable: It has a simple, strong, coherent, reliable and secure feel. The fact the proportions of the Golf have changed entirely with the seventh generation is extremely significant, giving the car a more confident look on the road than ever! Thanks to the modular transverse matrix the front wheels moved 43 mm further toward the front end. That shortens the front overhang, while the hood appears longer. Klaus Bischoff: "The vehicle cab is shifted backward in visual terms, resulting in the so-called 'cab backward impression.' That's what the proportions of upper-class vehicles are called, where the hood is long and the cab is located far toward the rear. The new Golf therefore has the type of proportions usually only seen in higher segments."
Two typical Golf elements are characteristic of the Golf silhouette: C-pillar and roof line. The C-pillar runs from the roof down to the rear wheel arch in a single, homogeneous surface. Above the wheel arch, however, it assumes the full width of the car to a greater extent; that's why the new Golf looks more massive and powerful from the back view or rather angled back view, without having a classic shoulder section. The absence of a shoulder is typical for the Golf. In the front side view, the precision of the C-pillar design becomes apparent; it looks like the taut string of a bow, accelerating even a stationary Golf forward purely on a visual basis, and is also a tribute to the first and fourth Golf - the two design icons of the series.
Klaus Bischoff again: "The contouring of the typical long roofline was also redesigned from scratch. Again, the Golf comes with a new line above the side windows, which runs from the roof spoiler right up to the A-pillars. That's one of the character traits that give the Golf a high-quality look from the side, a line that might remain unnoticed at a first glance, but which nonetheless is another detail on the road to optical precision."
The design DNA is also expressed in a sympathetic friendly "face"; additionally, it is defined by horizontally balanced elements, which give it width, just as with the first Golf. Taken together, the resulting a front section can be recognised as a Golf in any rear-view mirror. With a drag coefficient of 0.27 (TDI and TGI BlueMotion), the extremely aerodynamic Golf VII has a highly confident appearance. And so it should be.