It's been reported here (and at other less reputable outlets like Der Spiegel, Financial Times) that VW would not be selling the Mk VI Golf stateside. But wait! Panicky VW of America spokesfolks tell Edmunds Inside Line that the new Golf will be sold in the U.S. after all, uncooperative exchange rates be damned. "We are currently planning the new Golf VI and GTI introduction for the fall of next year," says VWoA rep Steve Keys. "The estimated volumes are already included in our 2009 financials." Inside Line reckons a new VW Civic competitor will be built stateside, and that's what has everyone confused. Given that VW won't even decide on a new plant location until this summer, and won't start producing vehicles for another three years, we're willing to bet that VW will cut the Euro-Golf from the US lineup for the Mk VII generation. Meanwhile, we still don't know if the Mk VI will continue to be saddled with the lumpen 2.5 liter I5, or if we'll get a taste of fuel-sipping Euro-spec engines. If VW's really saving almost $2k in production cost on each new Golf, they should be able to take the currency knocks and still offer at least one fuel-efficient engine, right? Right?
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We don’t know if we’ll “get a taste of fuel-sipping Euro-spec engines”? Yes we do! This is the US, why would we want fuel efficient engines like Europe? Screw that man. I want a V8. I mean, I love to chest-bump my fellow V8 drivers and celebrate our testosterone while we fill up every other day. Screw fuel-efficiency…let’s go to McDonald’s.
If VW wants to build a car factory in the United States to take advantage of the dollar being collapsed in value, and want to try to tailor vehicles for the American market to increase sales, they need to go back to the 1980’s, and look at why their last US factory in Westmoreland Twp. Pennsylvania failed; they also need to go back even farther to 1956-1957 and consider why the executives back then changed their minds about building cars in a disused Studebaker Korean military production plant that VW bought in New Brunswich, New Jersey.
Then they need to sit down and be honest with themselves instead of their typical arrogance, and need to actually work out “best practices” from Toyota and Honda methods. Then mix in Volkswagen “fun to drive” DNA without screwing up the reliability of copying Toyonda.
It’s a very tall order. Personally, I don’t think they’ll pull it off, but I might be wrong.
Personally, I think they should have kept the PA plant going, added Audi to the mix, and started building cars more tailored to the US (but including the eco-friendly engines available for those few who wanted them – since they already had them in production elsewhere).
The latest VW Jetta and Golf having a 2.5 litre five cylinder engine only for North America was just plain stupid.
We might get 2.0t but won’t get smaller ones, which are needed.
2.0t will be premium, expensive offering above 2.5 abomination, keeping those who like VW and wish VW would offer sensible US alternative, away from VW.
I would want a 1.4t from current lineup.
Why buy a loaded Golf when an A4 is just a little more? VW/Audi pricing is a mess. A3 is just a little more as well, and less more.
I remember last time I experienced “fun hip youthful” moments associated with any Golf, it was late 80s driving a 1980 english transplant GTI my brit friend brought over the pond. That was a sexy, modern car. gray with black plaid cloth and revvy 1.6.
Noisy little box compared to 1,000 lb heavier new golf, sure, but it sure was fun to drive, it was pretty, nice in every detail, however cheap, and I would buy new it at list price right now today if they offered it.
So, its really a choice between 2009 A4 which may be underpriced, and Asian B series cars, in 6-12 months. Golf is in a dead zone for me.
Weren’t they looking into building a plant here? As other companies shift more production here (BMW Spartanburg) VW sites on the sidelines.
That 2.5 I5 is probably the biggest VW engine choice enigma to date.
Where is it made anyway? And is it an I5 or a V5?
I know they make the Jetta in Mexico (which might explain the I5…although, still not really) but the rabbit is imported straight from Germany right?
That would mean they make Golfs…erm…Rabbits over here (well not over here, but in Germany or wherever in Europe they make Golfs today) with an engine that isn’t sold here and never has been sold here that lets the car down in more ways than one. Then ship it off to overseas markets.
I can only think of one reason why they would do this, and that’s the fuel quality. In Europe their new engines (FSI,TSI,TFSI) require 98+ octane fuel. The basic fuel here is 95, but if I’m not mistaken in the US it’s less than that (seeing as though many US cars run on 91).
I’m not sure though…
Actually, most US cars run on 87, and the higher compression engines require a minimum of 91.
Simply, there are too many blends here in the US. If there were just one octane of gas supplied, I wonder if it would do anything to pricing. Or even just 2, which is what most stations offer. (this is ignoring the specialty market, as some stations near rod tracks have the higher octane blends available…)
JJ, octane ratings are calculated differently in the US and Europe. 95 there is about equivalent to 91 here.
And the Golf engine is an I5. For a short while, the VW.com website was touting it as half a Lambo Gallardo engine. Good for a chuckle, I know.
That would be Steve Keyes, not Keys.
Hold on a minute, aren’t all US market Golfs and Rabbits built in Mexico?
Hold on a minute, aren’t all US market Golfs and Rabbits built in Mexico?
No, I looked it up, they’re built in Wolfsburg, Germany.
octane ratings are calculated differently in the US and Europe. 95 there is about equivalent to 91 here.
Right…Could have known of course, interesting.
However, it seems according to Ronin, there might still be something in it regardless. Here in Northern West-Europe, all stations basically offer as standard Euro 95 (in european measures, and it’s actually called Euro 95) and Super 98 (no really, they call it Super).
Then most of the main oil companies have a ‘Premium fuel’ that is said to be cleaner and greener and is actually a bit meaner (as in more performance) as well since the octane levels are higher (like 100-103, depending on country, brand etc…). Names are things like Shell Pura, Shell V-power, BP Ultimate etc…
I read a test once in a magazine and it showed that there were in fact some performance and mileage gains with some of these fuels, though not with all (Shell did well, some others too, BP not so much), and not with all engines.
Then of course there is diesel…And Shell V-Power diesel.
And the Golf engine is an I5. For a short while, the VW.com website was touting it as half a Lambo Gallardo engine. Good for a chuckle, I know.
Look, it’s the new Gallardo, now with almost 300HP…
Found something interesting here;
In 1978, Volkswagen commenced producing the Rabbit version of the Mk1 Golf in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, thus becoming the first European car manufacturer in modern times to produce a vehicle in the United States. Former Chevrolet executive James McLernon was chosen to run the factory, which was built to lower the cost of the Rabbit in North America by producing it locally. Unfortunately, McLernon tried to “Americanize” the Rabbit by softening the suspension and using cheaper materials for the interior. VW purists in America and company executives in Germany were displeased, and for the 1983 model year the Pennsylvania plant went back to using stiffer shocks and suspension with higher-quality interior trim. The plant also began producing the GTI for the North American market. Rabbits were built in Pennsylvania through 1984.
That I-5 came in the Eurovan in the early 90s. Guess they figure we want the torque. FWIW my ’97 VW 2.0L has alot more torque it seems than my ’99 CR-V 2.0L. Makes it easier to drive in stop and go traffic.
I’m with Johnny Ro – I’ll take the smaller 1.4t engine. The Euro-spec VWs I drove often in Europe were really nice. Would be nice if most of American traffic downsized about 3 sizes. My Italian friends thought my ’84 US-spec 1.8L Rabbit ‘vert was likely a rocket with it’s “big” engine. Their Ital-spec VWs had 1.0L normally aspriated engines. Mine really just had more torque I though. Their 1.0L engines were more like driving old Beetles but with heat, lower noise, and more power in the hills. I liked those little engines. My Us-spect topped out at 125 mph, their 1.0L engines topped out at about 100 mph and both speeds would land me in jail here in TN so what’s the point?
More POLO, less GOLF.
Feel free to carpet-bomb VWoA’s latest What the People Want marketing scheme with this slogan.
VW needs to ditch the 2.5 for the next gen Golf – it’s too heavy and too thirsty to be competitive in this segment. The 1.4t would be the ideal choice to replace it.
FWIW my ‘97 VW 2.0L has alot more torque it seems than my ‘99 CR-V 2.0L. Makes it easier to drive in stop and go traffic.
That’s quite possible, since you’re VW 2.0 will be an 8 valve engine while the Honda 2.0 has 16 valves. The engine with less valves will typically have lower high-end HP, but more low-end grunt. A ‘problem’ that things like variable valve timing should conquer in theory.
So in stop and go traffic this should be especially noticeable.
JJ : It’s an inline 5.
In defense of the 2.5, the 1.4 twin charged motor is is technologically complex and looks probably more expensive to produce than the 2.5. It looks like it requires more maintenance and higher octane fuel. The 2.5 produces about the same amount of power and torque, using lower octane fuel, though at the expense of efficiency. Someone who isn’t an enthusiast, shopping for VWs, may not want to buy an economy car with a 1.4 liter motor that requires premium fuel, even though it gets great gas mileage.
From a financial aspect, Europe’s price points for the Golf/Jettas are higher, so it makes financial sense to provide north america with a simpler motor that performs similarly to the 1.4. Maybe if they brought over a Polo GTI with the 1.4 it would work…
They can’t always cater to enthusiasts!
Actually, no Golf/Rabbits come from Mexico. Only Jettas and Beetles. Every Golf/Rabbit variant in N.A. comes from Brazil. GTI’s come from Wolfsburg and the Golf Cabriolet comes from Karmann.
That’s just the body. The electronics come from around the world, the engines are plant specific i.e. VW usually has one plant that makes a size for worldwide consumption. The TDI’s only come from Hungary.