By on August 4, 2008

Mk I looked great, Mk II less so. Mk III was good, but Mk IV lost the plot. Mk V was solid, so now we get this. Are we seeing a pattern? (courtesy www.motorauthority.com)Volkswagen's newest Golf debuts at the Paris Auto Show in a few months.  Ahead of that blessed event, unofficially official images are surfacing around the web. Motor Authority has assembled the "leaked" images for your perusal, but there's not much to see. From the outside, the new Golf retains much of its previous form, with Scirocco-inspired headlights providing the only major contrast with the outgoing model. The Golf's taillights have also been refreshed. Although the whole shape seems lighter and more crisply styled, its bland visage and vacant gaze suggest a lobotomized Mk. V; while the rest of the car suggests… well, a regular Mk. V. If you've been obsessing over the new (Euro market-only) Scirocco for months, you'll probably love the Golf's new looks, and notice subtle similarities between the two. But as the Scirocco won't challenge the GTI for the hearts of American VW fanboys, most shoppers will probably think the Golf just got uglier. Which, until we see it in the steel, we're afraid to say it has.

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10 Comments on “Mk. VI Golf Sneak-Peeked...”


  • avatar
    SherbornSean

    I just hope we in North America actually see it in the steel within a reasonable timeframe. Sending us the new Golf three years after Europe gets it does not build market share.

  • avatar
    rob

    While not a significant change from the current iteration, I like it. It is simple and coherent, which cannot be said for most redesigned cars this size.

    Couple of points:
    I hope that the bumper/grill on this car will be mimicked by other VW & Audi products. I reaaaallly hate the f*cking poor ass excuse for a grill that exists on many VW & Audi products these days. The GTI grill, for example, looks like it could to eat you.

    I hope that they actually call it a Golf in the states. Rabbit? WTF! Actually, maybe the inspiration for the GTI/Jetta/Passat/etc grill came from the Rabbit in Monty Python. It all makes sense now!

    They should really get rid of the 2.5l I5 diesel that is in the US spec Jetta and Rabbit. It gets the same mileage as the 2.0t, has an extremely low redline, and is extremely rough (yes, I’ve driven it). Oh, your telling me it’s not a diesel – my bad.

  • avatar
    healinginfluence

    I think it is sharp looking car. In my opinion, VW does a nice job with styling. But VW’s reputation for reliability and weak dealer service holds me back even from walking in to a VW showroom.

  • avatar
    jayparry

    it’s no secret why they rushed this ‘Golf 5.5’ to market.. the current Golf cost too much to produce. this is a good thing for those of us who bought the current model because we have the higher quality product. it remains to be seen where they did their cost-cutting for the new model, but it looks largely like a face-lift to me not a whole new gen. interested to see what the Jetta looks like based on this platform and hoping it won’t look like a corolla.

  • avatar
    Paul Niedermeyer

    The objective for the VI was to recapture the essence of the generally loved Golf IV. But it’s really just a heavily “refreshed” V. The front end of the V and other VW’s got to be too much for all involved. Good riddance.

  • avatar
    Robert Schwartz

    Too Fat Polka
    Ross MacLean / Arthur Richardson

    Oh, I don’t want her, you can have her
    She’s too fat for me
    She’s too fat for me
    She’s too fat for me
    I don’t want her, you can have her,
    She’s too fat for me
    She’s too fat
    She’s too fat
    She’s too fat for me

  • avatar

    i like the look overall, but i’ll stick with my ’08. i really like the front grill on my mkv and i’m happy not everyone else does…every other car i see isn’t the one i’m driving.

  • avatar
    jimble

    It’s not a home run but I like the direction they’re going in — back toward the cleaner, more elegant designs that marked the previous generation of Volkswagens. A bit bland maybe, but it beats the Mk. V’s gaping maw of a grille and ungainly, bulbous flanks. In this segment more mainstream will probably mean more sales, at least in the U.S. market. Any word on when/if it’s coming over here?

  • avatar
    capeplates

    At one time the Golf was the choice of car for the young men of the UK who wanted a bit of umph in their vehicle. It’s noticeable these days driving on the motorways that Audi have overtaken them. Competition is greater than ever and any improvements by VW must be a plus

  • avatar
    shaker

    The present VW grille(s) featuring the “chrome” surround much be a bitch to clean bugs from — a Nobel Prize for the first “non-stick” frontage that doesn’t look like a frying pan…

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