Say Goodbye To The Affordable Volkswagen Golf As VW Sends It Upmarket
Volkswagen starts production of the next-generation Mk8 Volkswagen Golf in less than a year, and according to Autocar, it鈥檚 going to have features that will blow away its current segment. From fuel-saving technology to autonomous driving capability, the Mk8 Golf will have them. That鈥檚 a clear sign from Volkswagen that the automaker isn鈥檛 messing around; it has big plans for the next-generation Golf. It鈥檚 not just the tech, either. The Mk8 Golf will also feature an evolutionary design. It鈥檚 going to have a more defined and distinct look, one that will run through the family of Golf models. If that sounds familiar, it鈥檚 because we saw it on the Volkswagen GTI TCR Concept earlier this year. The next-generation Volkswagen Golf will also be the first VW model to carry a powerful 48 mild-hybrid powertrain. The company hasn鈥檛 specified which Golf model will get the new powertrain, but the likely candidates are the Golf R and Golf GTI. The two performance models are in line to produce power and performance figures that the Golf has never had. It鈥檚 as if the Mk8 Golf will be a completely different model from its predecessors.
Don鈥檛 expect the next-gen model to carry a pure-electric powertrain, though. That鈥檚 reserved for Volkswagen鈥檚 new range of ID electric cars. The Golf鈥檚 reinvention could be a shock to the system of the model鈥檚 large fanbase. It鈥檚 going to look different, perform different, and it could also be packaged differently from what we鈥檙e all used to. Three-door and wagon body styles are probably going to get shelved. In addition to creating a new look and revamping its powertrain lineup, Volkswagen also wants the Golf to offer features that are better than what Bimmer and Mercedes are offering without sending sticker price sky high. These features could include a completely digital interior 鈥?VW design boss Klaus Bischoff calls it a 鈥渢otal digital environment鈥?鈥?as well as a more spacious cabin and larger-than-usual cargo space. By the looks of it, Volkswagen鈥檚 plans for the Mk8 Golf go beyond our own expectations of the model. Then again, if the German automaker really wants to swing the next-gen Golf upmarket, it has to go big to do it.
I will say its a fun car to drive, gets good mileage, and after i have done a few things to it, its a head turner for sure. 5 dollar bulb, open the hood, pop off the bulb lid, unplug the bulb and replace. 6 cylinder jetta, which is a big motor crammed into a little car. VW beetle with 150000 miles on the clock? Car has full service history & is a two litre. If the price is good, service records are reasonably up to date and the car looks good enough to please you. I would in a heartbeat. In 1996 I bought a badly neglected 1980 VW Sirocco with 198,000 miles on it. I only replaced two things, the timing belt and the passenger side C.V. Drove it from Chicago to L.A. Virgina Beach V.A. and back home to Chicago all the while that 16 year old, severely beaten VW carried me through 4 mountain ranges, across the plains states at 90mph for 48 stopping only for fuel, snacks and restroom breaks. So yeah, if the timing belt and CV shafts are good (really just the passenger side) then go for it! 100,000 miles on a VW is just broken-in. They are expensive to get worked on, and that is usually infrequent but good information to know. Anytime you think about getting into a foreign vehicle, you also have to consider how much will it cost to make repairs. VW Beetles are no exception to this rule, and you will find that VW's are very expensive to work on. It's not so much the parts themselves that are expensive, it's the maintenance costs from your local shops.
Volkswagen's iconic Golf GTI, has set the standard for hot hatches since 1976. The Golf GTI, currently in 7.5-generation guise, remains one of the best-selling hot hatches globally. Wheels24 has acquired a Volkswagen Golf GTI 2.0 TSI DSG as our long-term test vehicle. The 'Tungsten Silver' metallic hot hatch has fit right in our garage and despite being launched more than two years ago, it's amazing to see how many heads this car turns. Under the bonnet lies a 1984cc TSI engine delivering 169kW (4700 to 6200rpm) and 350Nm (1500 to 4600rpm). The engine is mated to the well-known and well-loved 6-speed DSG. It rockets from 0-100km/h in 6.4 seconds and has a claimed top speed of 248km/h. Volkswagen says it has a combined fuel consumption of 6.4 litres/100km. The Golf GTI has a 50-litre fuel tank and 380 litres of luggage capacity. The price as Standard is R558 000, but of course our model has several options fitted. Our current long termer taking in the sunset. GTI still has so much appeal to motorists ?
There has been a lot of noise coming from the Volvo camp in recent months. Alongside the standalone (for now) spin-off Polestar 1, the brand鈥檚 commitment to a fully electrified future has the Swedes on a focused path to zero emissions. In the here and now, however, Volvo鈥檚 mission is much simpler: offer those in the premium market something different to the German norm. It鈥檚 a challenge the maker is taking in its stride - and the S90/V90 duo is a part of that success story. Launching in the summer of 2016, the car you see here stepped straight into the executive estate class as a key player, thanks to its winning combination of comfort and class. Initially available with a choice of just two (D4 and D5) diesel engines, the 90 range has now been boosted by the addition of a T8 hybrid. And although the likes of Mercedes and BMW offer plug-in versions of their mid-size saloons, Volvo reckons that the technology is appropriately fitted to its load-luggers, too.
