Before I continue to relate my experience of driving this mid-size luxury sedan, I must clarify a few principles I believe in when writing my personal comments on a car. Comments will include engine performance, comfort, handling and confidence in driving fast. Nobody can answer this question reliably unless he is the owner of the car for more than a year. Any cursory drive in a test car will unlikely give you complete answers. It is the same for a car, a short test drive and you come home ready to sign the cheque for its down payment. After you have had the opportunity to drive for a year or more then the truth is revealed. In isolation, the answer is yes. The V6 is creamy smooth. Build quality is excellent. Handling and ride comfort were decent. Acceleration is ‘moving’ enough. However, there are some serious irritations that needs ironing out - to me at least . Why in the world did Lexus Malaysia’s GS300 come with ‘skimpy’ 225/50 R17 tyres? Mind you, this is a powerful car with 300Nm of torque.
Because of these rather thin tyres, traction on corners was just not up to mark compared with the competition. Furthermore, I just did not have the confidence to drive fast as I was afraid I would have compromised stopping power… and that’s not that the brakes were poor. Worst still, road noise or tyre rumble was quite annoying and intrusive. 400k on a car, it would be crazy to have to change tyres immediately after you take it brand new from the showroom. I am a keen user of tiptronic - manual shift or whatever you call it. In a Mercedes-Benz or BMW, when you are in 'tiptronic' mode and you hit 6,000rpm, the computer will automatically upshift for you. 6000rpm soon. You know you have to upshift when you find the engine jerking due to engine power cut off. This is very dangerous as I found out unnervingly when I was trying to do a high speed lane change. I had suddenly lost power during this maneuver! Lastly I had my close friend of 20 years, Max, sitting at the rear…monitoring ride comfort during my drive. He commented that he felt ruffled and a little nauseated …likely caused by a little too much lurching and choppy movement from the rear suspension. This he did not feel in the Brabus CLS B7 or even my Brabus K4 (even during highly-engaging drives). So is this a good car to own? Lexus is still too ‘young’ in Malaysia’s market for me to make any valid comments. Factors like reliability, ease of service, costs of service, resale value, fuel consumption, and the snob factor are yet to be determined.
So after an unexpected leak of Mk. VI pictures, Volkswagen finally released details for the next generation hatchback. Of course, the Mk. VI is a Mk. V under the skin. Move on if you're looking for a new platform. Instead, only the sheetmetal is different and that's what Volkswagen focuses on. They admit that design cues were taken from the Scirocco. No surprise there. Volkswagen calls the Mk. VI design "three-dimensional" referring to how edges are more defined and accentuated. Inside, Volkswagen boasts that the Mk. VI has an interior that belongs in a higher class, as the dash and instrument panel were derived from the Passat CC. Volkswagen also boasts that cabin noise will be at an all-time low thanks to a new layer in the windshield that keeps noise from entering the cabin. There will be a total of 6 engines offered at launch: two common-rail diesels (ranging from 110 hp to 140 hp) and 4 TSI gasoline engines (80 hp to 122 hp). Keep in mind that these are the engine choices for the European launch so don't go looking for them when you pick one up (more on that in a second).
The current base Mk. V engine was made especially for the North American market so expect something similar for the Mk. VI (though not necessarily the 5 cylinder). Lastly, Volkswagen has begun switching to DSG instead of offering conventional automatics with the Mk. VI. Except for the base trims, all Mk. VI Golfs will be offered in either a 6-speed manual or a 6 or 7-speed DSG. So when can we expect it? Volkswagen says that launch is in October in Europe. It then launches "in succession" in Africa, Asia, Australia and North America. Take from that what you will but it looks like a North American launch sometime next year. And for those still doubting a US launch, remember this. Higher resolution images after the jump. Volkswagen is unveiling its most important automotive secret of the year: the new Golf. The car - Europe's most successful with more than 26 million sold - was improved in all areas. Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board at Volkswagen AG. The European market launch of the new Golf will begin in October; following in succession will be Africa, Asia, Australia and North America.
The entry price for the German market is around 16,500 Euros. The clear and powerful design of the new Golf is showing the entire brand the way to the future. Its acoustic properties and the overall comfort of the Volkswagen tear down class distinctions. Innovative engines and transmission technologies lower fuel consumption by up to 28 percent. All gasoline and diesel engines satisfy limits of the future EU-5 standard. Assistance systems such as "automatic distance control" (ACC), "adaptive chassis control" (DCC) and the "park steering assistant" bring additional top technologies on board the Golf. The high value of the new Golf is reflected par excellence in its stylish design; all key body elements were redesigned: "We have cast the Golf's core components in a precise, new mold", explains Walter de Silva. Especially in a direct comparison of generations five and six, it becomes clear just how much the new Golf has changed. The team headed up by de Silva and Bischoff sought to crystallize out the "essential DNA" of the model series and send it on a trip to the future.
