Volkswagen Golf Mk7 production set to start

By David Zalstein | July 12th, 2012

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Production of the new Volkswagen Golf Mk7 will commence early next month at the German brand’s Wolfsburg and Zwickau factories.

Industry journal Automotive News Europe reports the factories will convert to modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform production processes during a three-week summer break.

The all-new Golf will be the second MQB-based Volkswagen Group vehicle built following the new Audi A3. The flexible platform will be used as the base for cars across Volkswagen Group’s many brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat, and is even beneath the Bentley EXP 9F SUV concept.

The new car is expected to be lighter than the current Golf while continuing to offer a variety of body styles including three- and five-door hatchbacks, a wagon and a Cabrio.

A number of new petrol and diesel engines are set to feature, ranging from a new 55kW 1.0-litre three-cylinder to a 165kW 1.8-litre four-cylinder for the Golf GTI.

The new Golf will debut at the 2012 Paris motor show in September ahead of its European launch in November and its Australian showroom debut in 2013.

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F1MotoGP

Could be some price drop …I hope. Quality is much better from this new factory than from South Africa. Hope to see fuel economy improvement too.
Mick Dunn

Didn’t know GTI was going back to a 1.8. We’ll see the 2L soldier on in the R variants I suppose?
- Numanthepostman
  
  I am thinking that’s a mistake in writing. Surely they cant be going to a 1.8L. It wont be a good marketing point and how much fuel saving would that give? Not worth it in my opinion.
- Golfschwein
  
  I read elsewhere that the GTI will have an upgraded EA888 2 Litre with an output of 200kw, Mick. Better wait and see, I guess.
TG

The big question here is, will it be as reliable as its predecessors?
Don

When do we expect to see the R debut?
Golfschwein

I keenly await the first glimpse.
- DAVIDZ
  
  GOLF PLATFORM?
gt86.com.au

only a 1.8L for the GTI.. thats a dissapointment!
- Guest
  
  But with more power and torque in a lighter body with a lighter engine? Do you not see anything past the displacement?
- Legnab
  
  And its turbo and it has torque , which is sadly lacking in the 86 .
  - Force-15
    
    At least the Toyota 86 has rear wheel drive, which is lacking in the Volkswagen Golf…
    - RSC200
      
      Yeah but the Toyota 86 gets thrashed by the FWD Clio RS 200.
      
      Just check Motor Mag for more details.
      - gt86.com.au
        
        The toyota 86 has the fun factor, only the original GTI had! the GTI needs all the power it can get to give you straight line thrills that will cover up the lack of cornering ability compared to the 86. I say only a 1.8L because most people chip and modify these cars to get as much of the straight line thrills as they can. I am sure if they updated the 2.0 it would provide some awesome straight line thrills out of the box. Most other hot hatches in this segment are getting electromechanical FWD diffs and hitting power levels easily above 165kw stock. I wonder if the mk7 golf will remain the hot hatch of choice with the mk7.
      - Legnab
        
        DEAD right RSC200 , the 86 lacks torque big time , every euro journo cane’s it , oh yes we can drift sort of , but then it dies .
        
        Hopefully SUABARU will give it some heart with a turbo , leave the girly market to toyota .
      - Tom
        
        So what? The most enjoyable car I have driven was a Peugeot 205GTI – far from the most powerful, but you can chuck it around, you don’t need to be doing ‘Go directly to jail’ speeds to have fun, and most importantly, it left a smile on my face after I got out of it. Jeremy Clarkson himself said in the real world, it is more fun to drive something like a Fiat 500 Abarth than many supercars.
        
        The fact is, the only place you will notice racetrack performance is on the racetrack, which is a very small part of most people’s driving.
      - Theluckysperm
        
        why are u so stupid? do you know that i am a golf GTI fan?. please watch your mouth man
nugsdad

Personally while everybody talks of the quality of the VW interiors I find them plain and boring, lets hope this new model has a bit more style
- Golfschwein
  
  Yours is a common and understandable reaction, Nugsdad. There’s an unmistakable and almost deliberate austerity to them. It makes some people think that they have no equipment, or are boring, or both. When you own one and use one, that’s when you kinda go ‘a-ha, I get it now’. You might actually never think that, mind you, cos it would be a boring old world if everyone liked the same thing.
  - Legnab
    
    True , i just like the simplicity and germanic logic plus nice finish , no starwars dash thank you .
    - Garrywhopper
      
      You simply like German sausage
      - Legnab
        
        NA just substance over style , any goose can make a fancy interior that wont last , thats the reason VW have high retained value , evolution over revoltinglution ,all the germans have refined this ,BMW had in back in the 70′s , they had killer interiors when the rest was using bakelite .
      - Thgfgfgf
        
        Comments like that confirm your love of thumping sausage
      - Smart Us
        
        i do… with nice mustard all over the sausage… slowly eating, sliding down the throat… leaving you to wonder… should i get another one, senator
    - twincharger
      
      Starwars dash is what the VK had over 25 years ago.
  - Smart Us
    
    sounds more like Scientology to me… but its all about the money right?
Al

What is the expected release date of Mk7 GTI & R in Australia? Will they come out at the same time as the Golf, or later?
Paul R Sciacca

Nothing offical from VW Regarding this, but going off the MK4/MK5/MK6 Golf Launches in Australia expect:

MK7 Golf = Mid 2013
MK7 Golf GTI = Early/Mid 2014
MK7 Golf R = Early/Mid 2015

Then expect them to do what they did with the MK6 and throw in some special editions and convertible models into the line up down the track to keep interest flowing.

Dont loose sight of the fact that the GTI Cabrio has just come out overseas, so they will be making the GTI/R MK6 for a little while longer to tie people over to when the MK7 variants come out.

There is still some life left in the MK6 line up yet.
- Legnab
  
  Great, might do a change over in 2015 for the R , although the merc A class AMG is looking very tasty .
  - Garrywhopper
    
    In pink? Both cars are for lifters
  - Robin_Graves
    
    Keep dreaming bunghole, expecting a big tupperware order to come through your market stall? Maybe if your a good boy you can get one from your mum like your mate GolfScheiße.
    - Legnab
      
      Got 3 stalls all clicking over nicely , maybe the AMG , can fit more banana’s in the boot , actually i will say hi to your mates at the west tce cemetary in the morning .
- gt86.com.au
  
  You would tink that with their new platform they could release the GTI and R variants sooner. Impress me VW and release them all at the same time. Thanks!
Kris

Lighter, slightly larger, more efficient as well as powerful, and interior trims are reportedly improved over the current model. IF, and it’s a big IF, the reliability is improved, then they’ll sell plenty.
Antmindel

I hope that this model will not be plagued with the rattles and squeeks which the MK5 AND MK6 Golfs were well known for.
- DAVIDZ
  
  They will still be underpowered [AND needing PULP to boot!], lots of “software issues” rattles and other assorted interior issues, stop for no unkown reason, lots of warranty dealer visits, dsg-auto playing funny buggers, soil the front wheels with brake dust, overpriced and under done
  
  So same old same old, purchased by wally-wood-duck ego types [sucker born every minute]..lol…hehhehhe
  
  After you wake up from your nightmare, woops i mean reality check bite the bullet and buy VASTLY superior Asian again
  - Legnab
    
    GEE did we eat too much ice cream tonight , getting a bit exited , you stick to your camry , GTI is a bit too quick for you .
    - Smart Us
      
      stick with your joystick
    - ggg
      
      troll alert beep beep beep beep
      - Legnab
        
        Moll alert sheep sheep sheep sheep .
      - Garrywhopper
        
        Ha ha ha, oh so witty what you did there dumbarse
      - Legnab
        
        Smarter than you garyfloppy , bending for robin again .
  - Golfschwein
    
    troll alert beep beep beep beep
- Golfschwein
  
  Can’t vouch for the MkVI, as I had a MkV. For all its supposed South African built woes, it felt as solid and rattle free as the day I bought it new, and I had it for 103,000 kms. Great car, the best of 17 so far.
bbb

So disappointed with gti being 1.8t as you can’t chip it further … was looking forward to upgrade from my mk5.. looks like vw have stuff up the golf formula AGAIN ..now i will seriously consider focus St!
Chest Rockwell

I’d like to see the complex and troublesome twin charger engine go and DSG replaced with a 7 or 8 speed torque converter auto. These 2 changes should do wonders for the Golf’s reliability.
- Golfschwein
  
  Yep, the 118Tsi twin charger’s going. It and the current 1.4 turbo 90Tsi are being replaced by a new 1.8 turbo motor with 125 kw, 320 Nm and a 1.4 turbo with 110 kw, 220 Nm and sub 5.0l/100km respectively.
  
  For better or worse, DSGs are set to continue. A new factory in China is set to pump out 1.3 million of the things a year, so that’s evidence of either VW’s faith in the box or the strength of their licensing agreement with Borg Warner.
  - Chest Rockwell
    
    Good news on the engines. The DSG is still a worry for me… So much complexity… I hope they improve it’s reliability. The other worry was when I asked how long clutch packs last… No one could tell me. I think a replacement clutch pack is around $2k fitted. This cost is acceptable if the clutches last 250k… Not so good if you need to do it around 100k.
  - gt86.com.au
    
    That is a shame as the twincharger was fantastic motor. They should have done a 2.0L twincharge for the golf R.
  - Lbrinsmead
    
    The 1.8 turbo sounds like a GTI mini.
    - Lbrinsmead
      
      …even more power than the Golf 4 GTI’s modest 110 kW and dismal 210 Nm.
glen

See anusedcar com for reliability
Rightindicators

The problem is the flywheel… If they mass produce flywheel in the millions, prices will drop considerably and people would not whinge as much if its cost effective and affordable.
Bfornscis

I thought the ea888 unit was a 2 litre or can capacities here be varied???

Please bring back the manual 3 door r with the mkvii golf

Love to know how the rocco numbers are going apropos the previous golf r coupe hatch.

Different cars sure but a manual r coupe hatch for me – given the choice