Next Golf GTI Coming In 2019, Will Be Lighter, Have More Tech Features
Because the compact car segment has become more competitive, Volkswagen has decided to launch fresh generations of the Golf every five years. The pace of GTI refreshes is also quickening, and we have the first bits of information about the 2019 next-gen hot hatch. It will ride on the MQB Evo platform, which will help shed somewhere between 50-100 lbs (22-45 kg). No surprises here, as we've known an update for the MQB is coming for over a year. According to Automobile Magazine, the wheelbase of the car will be lengthened while the overhangs will be shortened slightly. Roughly translated, that means the engine won't sit as far forward and the chassis will be more manageable. Of course, more power will also be added, but we don't expect huge increases since the VW Golf GTI has always been about refinement and everyday usability. Over the past few generations, output has only gone up by 10 horsepower at a time. We'll be happy with 250 PS, but they might give it the same 265 PS as the GTI Clubsport so as not to take backwards steps. We find the technological details to be far more interesting. For example, the headlights will be full-LED, meaning the regular Golf might go in that direction as well. The GTI will feature a heads up display and infotainment system with voice and gesture recognition technology, just like the Golf R Touch concept presented at the CES. Volkswagen's lineup of performance Golfs is already the most complex in the business, as it includes the GTD diesel model, GTE hybrid, two wagons and the Golf R flagship. Pretty soon, we will also have the R 400 with even more power. The only model that's still missing from the picture is a GTI Variant.
Proton, no one listens to tape nowadays. Are you in league with aftermarket accessory shops? You want more people to go change their players at accessory shops issit? If the basic Kia Spectra offers ABS, why isn鈥檛 Proton offering ABS like what the general populace wants? I think all Protons should have ABS for the simple sake of telling the people who buy cars that Proton cares for the safety of its consumers. The actual fact is that, the Pakciks and Makciks who drive at 60km/h do not really need the ABS as they seldom use the car fast enough for anything to happen. Some even send the car to the workshop because they think that the judder they feel upon heavy braking is a faulty brake system whereas it鈥檚 actually the ABS kicking in. These people wouldn鈥檛 know how the ABS works but they just like to have it on their car as it gives them bragging rights when they鈥檙e exchanging information at the Mamak stall or among relatives at a family reunion.
鈥淲ah, Pakcik Abu, new car arrr? 鈥淣ice lah, got leather seats. 鈥淔OOOOOOYIOOOOOOOHHHHHHH, so good lah this car, everything also got. And a sales phenomenon starts within Pakcik Abu鈥檚 family and friends. This is also the same with the rear disc brakes. Notice with the Honda ES model Civic the 1.7 models came with rear drum brakes. Malaysians were aghast as they thought that drum brakes couldn鈥檛 stop anything but a 1950 morris minor. So the latest Civics brought in from CKD packs in Thailand come fully equipped with rear discs. This is what Naza Kia thought of so much earlier and then packaged them in. From a sales and marketing point of view, brilliant. From a cost point of view, not so brilliant. But if it鈥檚 what the public wants, so be it. Of course, this fact Proton has countered as all new Protons have rear disc brakes. But it all goes to show how mighty the consumer is. If Proton wants to at least gain back some of the sales which it has lost, it would need to actually give more than what they currently give. They would need to work on a more tactile interior.
The interior would have to be at least a good as a Toyota before people would actually believe that it is better than a Kia. Malaysians want space, toys and class. They do not want Lotus to tune the suspension. They want gadgets that they see in Mercedes and BMWs. They want bus sized interiors with the luxuries of a pleasure cruiser. What has been given by Proton are hatchbacks and more hatchbacks and ugly van-like MPVs which no one wants. No wonder people are not buying the latest batch of Protons. 1. Market on safety, luxury and space. People at this price range do not want 鈥渉andling by Lotus.鈥?But want a cheap Mercedes knockoff. 2. Make MPVs, SUVs and Sedans instead of launching 3 hatchbacks in a row. 3. Improve the tactile feel of the cabin. Give top notch plastics. 4. Install the latest safety features at whatever cost as Malaysians like to brag about what they have in their car. 5. Have a proper strategic planning team in place. Find out where Proton needs to go from here on. Proton is never going to be a Ferrari who formed his company with the need to maintain his racing team. And as such, Proton has to know what t wants to be. It needs to be a volume seller. It needs to make safe, reliable, spacious, luxurious and stylish cars within a price range. It needs to be the next Toyota. That鈥檚 the company it should benchmark. There are no excuses. Benchmark the best global manufacturer and you can鈥檛 go wrong.
