Volkswagen Golf Mk7 design chief defends conservative styling

By Tim Beissmann
September 26th, 2012

FIND DEALS

The man responsible for the design of the Volkswagen Golf Mk7 has defended his creation against criticism that the new small car is overly conservative.

Head of Volkswagen Group design Walter de Silva told US industry journal Automotive News he was convinced the trend of “overdesign” – emphasised by “too many lines [and] too much styling” – was over, and clean and timeless was the way forward for the seventh-generation Golf.

“[The design] can’t be only for one or two seasons,” de Silva said. “People want to understand what they buy.

“There is a certain security in our design. When you know that it keeps the resale value, it’s important for a family. That’s our intention.”

De Silva suggested the complex design of some modern vehicles like the BMW 3 Series, Ford Fusion (Mondeo) and the Hyundai Sonata (i45) was already becoming dated.

Three years ago, de Silva told UK publication Autocar he could not sleep at night when he thought about the Golf Mk7, such was the weight of expectation he felt to get the next evolutionary design chapter right.

The all-new Volkswagen Golf was unveiled in Berlin at the beginning of this month, and will make its first official public appearance at tomorrow’s Paris motor show.

The standard Golf hatch range will go on sale in Australia in the second quarter of 2013, with the sporty GTI, Golf R hot-hatch, versatile wagon and soft-top Cabriolet variants all set to follow in the succeeding months and years.

What do you think of the design of the new Volkswagen Golf Mk7? Share your thought with us in the comments section below.

Sponsored Ads

Daniel

I agree with him. The Golf is possibly the only iconic hatchback and it’s gotten there by not completely reinventing it’s design and identity every generation. It continues to stand for the same thing it did thirty years ago and if we can all grow up and forget petty reliability comments for a second, it’s a really really good car and has usually been top of it’s class for a long long time now. And I know a lot of people simply find it boring and that’s okay, but it’s hard to deny that the simplicity provides for a design that doesn’t date quickly. Even the Golf from twelve years ago still looks pretty good.
- Zaccy16
  
  Yeah your right! The golf has always been a classy timeless design and this new one is as well
  - JooberJCW
    
    Dont think you can call it timeless though, if you strip badges and names off a MK1 golf and an MK7 golf and put them side by side, you’d think its a different car altogether, but for example a mini has kept that same look since inception without badges and names and next to each other you know this is the same car of different generations. Another timeless example is Porche.
    
    But definately agree being iconic as its a household name when it comes to hatchbacks.
  - PIZZA
    
    If a thing looks like a lemon, taste like a lemon and people everywhere call it a lemon…It is a Lemon~~Timeless~Never change~~
    - Noice
      
      That’s why VW only sold 29 million lemons of the Golf so far.
- Golfschwein
  
  Yep, it has always been what is always was and is. If people don’t like that, that’s okay, because there’s a Focus, 3 or i30 in the next showroom that’ll tick their boxes.
  
  I reckon it’s a great addition to the story line.
- yay
  
  overrated!
Milsie

VW Group design will still look good in 5 years. Unlike the Korean cars, which currently look amazing, but will age rapidly in the next couple of years.
The front design of the i45 is already starting to look very tired…
- Zaccy16
  
  Yeah very right! the ix35 looks already 5-10 years old!
  - Martin
    
    I was thinking this morning how dated the i45 looked already. Even the updated i20 looks dated (still think the pre-update looks far better), I think maybe it’s simply because the i45 was such an extreme representation of their “fluidic” design language but I disagree that the current i30 will be look dated quickly. It reminds me of an enlarged Mazda 2 and it still looks modern. The design language on the new i30 has definitely a more refined version of the “fluidic” language so I think it will be ok. I do agree though that the ix35 looks dated. It looked good for about a year before the Sportage started hitting the streets.
    - Zaccy16
      
      Yeah exactly Martin! the only hyundai that looks decent in my opinion is the new i30, saw one today except from some angles at the back it looks good!
  - Legnab
    
    Of all the asian makers i believe mazda are the only ones producing solid long term designs , the 3 still looks fresh , the 6 very stylish .
    
    The koreans are bouncing all over the place , from hump backed whale veloshi’s to bucked toothed ix35 nothing has longevity .
    - Zaccy16
      
      Yeah very right! Mazdas look fantastic in my opinion too! my mazda 6 from 2005 still looks good
      - Top10
        
        Mazdas do look very nice!
    - Robin_Graves
      
      I would much rather mechanical longevity over fashion. Veedud loses badly, compared to anything except maybe a lada or 1998 daewoo.
      - Legnabs secret male friend
        
        You are correct Legnab is into fashion.
        
        He looks good in a muscle shirt,sorong and legwarmers.
      - Legnabs secret male friend
        
        You are correct Legnab is into fashion.
        
        He looks good in a muscle shirt,sorong and legwarmers.
- yay
  
  the car’s look is not in the equation anymore after the first year of ownership, if you mind me being blunt
gt86.com.au

Maybe.. but sadly the mk VI looks better.. They didn’t need to make it radical, just better than the mkVI.. here in my eyes they failed. especially the rear, it looks like something mazda would come up with.
- Legnab
  
  As long as it looks better than any toyota .
  - Tangible
    
    Any Toyota…you ignorant big mouth.
- matt
  
  oh yes gentleman… because those rear taillights look nothing like the new corolla or certaro hatch’s??? mazda?? im thinkin hard gt86 but the only “sharp and angular” mazda i can think of is very early rx7′s…..
Ezz

“Couldn’t sleep at night thinking about the design…”. Perhaps he was too nervous about failing and decided to go the safe route? That is, don’t offend anyone and my job will be safe.
- Robin_Graves
  
  More like wondering when he’s going to be fired for not doing anything, this ‘update’ is worse than Holden with their series III ‘updates’ Maybe VeeDud spent some more effort on keeping the mechanicals and electrics in one piece, it needed it.
  - Sammo
    
    ,,,,and the first negative troll comment arrives courtesy of, yep you guessed it…robin graves.
    - Yetiman
      
      He is a policy adviser for Tony Abbot
  - Legnab
    
    Bit like the AU which was basically just a lipstick make over of the EA , and now its got extra eye shadow and its the FG , same old car since 1988 .
    
    Wont be long now and it can reposa in peace .
    - Guest
      
      Something obviously haunts you enough about the Falcon to bring it up on an unrelated article though. Did you get interfered with in one?
      - Robin_Graves
        
        He regularly gets blown into the weeds in his ‘sports hatch’ by an AU forte on LPG with half a million kilometres on the clock. Then when his VeeDud lemon breaks down a Falcon taxi has to come to rescue him. No wonder he has a soft spot for the Falcon.
      - Robin_Graves
        
        He regularly gets blown into the weeds in his ‘sports hatch’ by an AU forte on LPG with half a million kilometres on the clock. Then when his VeeDud lemon breaks down a Falcon taxi has to come to rescue him. No wonder he has a soft spot for the Falcon.
Pauly

I agree with him. They can use the radical styling on Golf’s sportier cousin, the Scirocco.
Guest

I agree but still they could have been a little more creative.. I do like design cue from Kia.
JooberJCW

Its always a gamble to be revolutionary over evolutionary, if there is no gripes on how the current model car looks there’s no need to make radical changes to it.
- Chevrons
  
  I agree. If they’re on to a good thing, stick to it.
  - AutoMoto
    
    just like the Porsche 911
  - Zaccy16
    
    Yeah they are selling very well currently golfs so sticking to a similar design is a very smart move
- Pauly
  
  Yep, its exactly why the Swift didnt change too much when the new model launched in late 2011.
Jober As A Sudge

Current design doesn’t look dated so why change a winner? Golf is all about evolution in design rather than revolution
Westie

Losing the shoulders on the rear pillars takes the rear end back to the Mk 4, and makes the pillars look heavy again.
Da Silva has great history, his 15 years at Alfa resulted in cars like the 147 and 156, great lookers. But maybe five years at Audi and VW’s conservatism have stopped the flair. Or perhaps he’s just doing what he’s told.
Shame to see an Italian designing conservative, either way.
- JooberJCW
  
  Based on his comment that the i45, Beemers etc and their complex designs are looking dated already, I guess it’s his drive to choose to be more conservative. I doubt he is doing what he is told as being a World class designer of cars he would command where he would like to work and assumingly his salary too, a person where companies would do a lot to poach from another.
BRPP

Yes, I like this MKVII Golf very much. Knowing the weight reductions, the inclusion of Items previously extras or options (though to be confirmed for Australia), the increases to sizes (all worthwhile), and the evolution of it’s iconic and instantly recognisable good looks makes it, I am sure, a very exciting vehicle. I look forward to more information about the engines in these MKVII units, and especially to the new GTI and R models.
Rightindicators

He doesn’t want to alienate buyers with radical styling ques in VW’s bread and butter top selling models. It would be nice for them to try more risky styles.
Dennis

Is it just a reskin of the 6?
- Golfschwein
  
  No.
- Martin
  
  I thought the Mk6 was of the Mk5, but I’m pretty sure the Mk7 is a brand new design with the MQB platform.
Dave W

I don’t mind the front design but the back looks so average that if you take the Golf badges, it’d be just some hatchback.
Basil Exposition

It looks boring… A massive dissapointment from a Golf IV owner.
Luke Brinsmead

Half the market is an ageing relatively conservative population in Europe, any wonder why he played it relatively safe.

I mostly like the new design. Does it surprise me like some other new hatchbacks, no, but that’s not the point of the Golf’s evolutionary changes. It supposed to make me think, oh, that looks a bit more modern than the last Golf doesn’t it?
- JooberJCW
  
  You don’t have to look locally in Europe, Globally, Toyota with all their boring conservative cars were the number 1 car maker for quite sometime with those lineups, It shows that majority of people just want to play it safe, in terms of looks, reliability, costs and performance.
Mills

The i45 and Fusion/Mondeo are easy targets, but I’m surprised he took a dig at the BMW 3 Series, given the weight and reputation of that nameplate. I wonder what this will do to the competition between Audi and BMW. lol
- nickdl
  
  It’s quite true with BMW though. But I’d say it’s more the case in point with the 5 Series, comparing the E60 and E39. Already the E39 is the much nicer looking car, and will be more so in the future. There’s a good reason the F10 5 Series went back to being somewhat conservative.
F1orce

Oh please, put the i45/Sonata next to this new golf and the Sonata will look 1000 times better.

The fusion is hardly a ‘complex’ design
- Zaccy16
  
  the i45 looks rubbish! to over designed and fussy
  - Legnab
    
    Dead right the i45 would have to be the fastest outdated design in history , so few on the road , so ugly , makes the camry look good .
    
    Well done VW, again carring on the design tradition of evolution , not revolution , unlike the korean junk that looks dated within 2 years .
    - Zaccy16
      
      Exactly Legnab! VW’s are a timeless design in my opinion
    - Robin_Graves
      
      Junk is a ‘conservative’ Golf that looks 5 years old brand new and is back at the dealers on a tow truck. The i45 has aged but at least it doesnt self destruct when the warranty has run out. The i45 was designed for yanks, that’s its main issue.
      - Legnab
        
        Grave_ digger keep grinding on , no one is listening , obviously as VW sales keep growing with double digit figures ,and the VW buyer has a higher intellect than a ford customer .
        
        The falcoon was designed for taxi/ bogans , thats its main issue , and the reason why sales keep falling .
      - Garrywhopper
        
        Your a typical drugged out boring South Australian, anyone from SA cannot be taken seriously
      - Legnab
        
        GEE floppy can u ever actually make a signifacant comment to the discussion , i dont believe you actually own a car , i suppose most 15 year old are still on scooters .
      - Garrywhopper
        
        I could poo in my hand and rub it on screen would still be more significant than your VW good, falcoon crummer bogan comments. Change the record very boring
      - Legnab
        
        Is that the best you can do , come on tell us about the wonderfull auto you plonk around in , rub it on the screen , you really do have a problem with your derriere.
      - yay
        
        strange enough only more reliable cars will make it to the taxi fleet, merc e-class taxis, toyota crown and the falcon.
      - Phil
        
        @ yay, around the world. more VWs are used for Taxis than any of those cars you mentioned.
      - yay
        
        @Phil by the same logic there are more vw taxi bogans than all of merc, toyota and ford combined
      - Daz
        
        Oh look its that dickhead Robin again, what a surprise.
F1orce

The VW is like captain Ford, who likes to take a few shots atHyundai.

Ford even went so far to say that Ford’s design’s are superior and that Hyundai are shi*t, literally.

Quite an ironic statement that was from Captain Ford, Seeing what ugly ducklings are being pumped out of fords mighty design studio
- Bob
  
  I don’t want to get into which company designs better cars, but for such highly positioned automotive executives and designers to talk smack about other companies’ designs is seriously unclassy.
- PoisonEagle
  
  ’Fluidic Sculpture’ is a less taut version of ‘Kinetic’.
al

I’m not even that old but I find the most beautiful cars were built in the seventies and eighties.
a_df_009

The Golf is an iconic design, just like a Range Rover and evolution of the design ethic is exactly what I expect rather than a revolutionary redesign with each model cycle. There is room in the global car market from a design perspective for cars like the Golf and new fangled designs from other manufacturers. Personally I like the new Golf where as I find for example the Ford Focus a little busy. But thats a personal opinion and every car in market will have people that love, hate or are indifferent to certain designs
- Zaccy16
  
  Yeah your right! the mini cooper is a prime example of this too
  - Dave W
    
    Totally agree. The Mini Cooper is iconic, you can look at the silhouette and you just know its a Mini. Not Golf though, look at the silhouette and its just another hatch.
  - Top10
    
    Yeah! The Mini Cooper is very timeless.
Jeffreyblackney

When I buy a new car I expect it to look fresh and modern, not something reheated over and over. Surely de Silva could have been a little more creative than this predictable and conservative Mk7 design without being OTT!
Wile E Coyote

I think it is evolving into a box … but its hard to notice the changes
Congratulations spin doctor Herr de Silva on a job not done
Sha

How can the same man who penned the iconic and drop dead gorgeous original A5 have come up with such bland and conservative designs for a supposedly ‘completely new car’?
Lloyd

Are people really disappointed about the Golf’s design? What did people expect the Golf to look like? It’s a very bread-and-butter, cater-to-the-unwashed-masses kind of car – I don’t know why anyone expected anything more than conservative.
Basil Exposition

This would be adventurous for Toyota though.
- Phil
  
  What has Toyota got to do with this?
ABCDEFG

Straight German functional design. BTW is Walter de Silva an old man? Just curious.

I’d get one if it has an NA engine and an Aisin gearbox. Not only Camry’s use Aisin gearboxes but Mazda3 and tons of other Euro, US and Jap cars/SUVs too.
- F1orce
  
  Yeah Aisin components & products are of high quality and have very good reliability.
j W

The question for all those cars that look alien…….what will their next design be? It will be hard to come up with something fresh. They will just look like an abomination like the Hyundai Veloster Turbo.
If you don’t like the golf THEN DON’T BUY THE GOLF. Simple.
- Luke Brinsmead
  
  Your quite right, many UK auto journalist said the new Civic doesn’t look as good as the previous generation simply because it didn’t have another revolutionary change. But I disagree.
  
  I quite like the Golf 7′s design because it is evolutionary and more honest to itself and practicality.
Wile E Coyote

VW think all their designs are as iconic as the Beetle .

That’s why they never change them.
TomW

Sorry, but even the new Corolla is more adventurous than this. And Toyota used the same basic style for a decade previously.
Rightindicators

If Veedub needs to be adventurous, they should hire Chris Bangle.
F1orce

So to summarize it all up, the Corolla is the ultimate inspiration of the Golf.

Not bad.
- Dan
  
  Haha what a joke, the new corolla looks Terrible. This on the other hand looks smart. Not a try hard. Why be a try hard if your already good.
Dan

I’d rather a car that was subtle and not “look at me” any day. it may be conservative but it still looks smart. at least vw can create a “bland” car but still have a performance variant that holds it own with similar hatchbacks (golf R)
Dave W

Some of you guys are funny. If a Japanese/Korean car looks good, you say “try hard, dates really quick, copy of Euro car”, if the car’s conservative you call it “boring, ugly”.

But if a Euro car looks boring, you call it “conservative, doesn’t try hard, evolutionary, iconic”.
- Captain Nemo®™
  
  Oh no Dave don’t go speaking the truth here on CA. The hate filled bile spewing VeeDud fan-boys will be right on to your comment with bitter personal insults.
  - Legnab
    
    Well here is sapper nemo , boring is the VE crummer still the same as 2006 , and the VF is going to be the same capsule with a lipstick make over on the front and and fat derriere , with new ice cream container dash plastics , oh so boring .
    - Captain Nemo®™
      
      And right on queue the resident troll Bungle shows up with his hate filled bile spewing comments. So much bitterness & hate in your sad sad life hey Bungle. Maybe it’s time to quit your job at that grimy pot shop in Gouger street and find something new.
      - Legnab
        
        Once again drinking battery acid , hates the thought that we have had mk5, mk6 and now mk7 SINCE 2006 all moving forward whilst the VE crummer is getting more tired by the day , lets hope they get the electrics fixed in the VF face lift .
      - Captain Nemo®™
        
        “Drinking battery acid” is that the best answer to my comment you can come up with Bungle?
        What will your next comment be to say “I know you are i said you are” like a 12yo school girl. Working in that pot shop must be making you very bitter.
      - Robin_Graves
        
        And, the Mk5, Mk6 and now the Mk7 dont look any different nor are they any more reliable than the previous lemons. Just a Mk5 Series 3 with a replaceable driveline for the 15k service intervals.
      - Legnab
        
        SAPPER zero im happy as , spent the morning charging around the hills checking on jobs , so much torque its making me tremble .
        
        I wait for the explosion dobin keeps warning me about , nothing , not this one or the last two , damn boring car just keeps getting better with every drive .
        
        Watch the car sales results for sept , some big shocks , crummer world is slipping further behind .
  - yay
    
    totally agree, there is a good article in wired about how fanboys confuse brand identity with that of their own.
- Jim
  
  Some people are just too close-minded to be able to see the good in things.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass

I’m surprised so many people like the look, it’s so boring. Current model looks much better. Wanting to keep the Golf lineage is fine, but just because you don’t want the storm trooper look doesn’t mean you have to go vanilla bland.
- Sumpguard
  
  I agree Karl. It is boring. Despite the fact that I don’t wish to purchase a VW due to reliability concerns I’ve always been a bit of a fan of the Golf’s styling .Until now!
  
  The rear styling in particular is dead set drab. But they have dumbed down the rest of the range so it was expected. Classy it is not.
PoisonEagle

Packaging is marginally better, they’ve chopped and changed a few things. Golf VI was a leap forward looks and class wise, the interior of this doesn’t advance things much further. I guess it was class leading in alot of areas so there isn’t much room to move. When you have to brag about how much profit your new platform is making you have a problem…
John of Perth

Passed a Mk3 on the road this evening and thought how evolutionary the change has been and yet unmistakedly Golf. However there is a fine line between timeless and bland. Surprisingly the original Passat looked really stylish, but the current one makes a Camry look interesting. Having said that, I still love the look of my 11yr old Bora – i guess some designs are timeless. BMW’s 5 series up to Bangletime were similar.
Gtr-xu1

The mk7 is hardly a new model.More like a mk6 upgrade,hardly any changes at at all.Of coarse there is the conserative exterior styling,only matched by the interior.With the analogue gauges and veedud the masters of the interior plastics.
The, reliability issues and service costs.And in one of the most competitive segments of the car market.To be fair the styling issue has worked for Vw in the past ,but now every car maker has a rival to compete against this car.
Gtr-xu1

The mk7 is hardly a new model.More like a mk6 upgrade,hardly any changes at at all.Of coarse there is the conserative exterior styling,only matched by the interior.With the analogue gauges and veedud the masters of the interior plastics.
The, reliability issues and service costs.And in one of the most competitive segments of the car market.To be fair the styling issue has worked for Vw in the past ,but now every car maker has a rival to compete against this car.
- Golfschwein
  
  You’re not aware this is a brand new platform?
- Zaccy16
  
  The golf sits on a brand new platform the mqb so it is a new car and doesn’t share very much with the mk6
  - Top10
    
    Yeah! It’s a new platform.
    - Robin_Graves
      
      They tell you its a new platform so it must be so. Maybe they just changed the front subframe so they can replace the blown motor and gearbox quicker at each service, new platform!
      - Legnab
        
        No dobin its all new , try reading euro links , oh rose glasses only lets you see falcoon stories EA blends into AU blends into FG all looking very tired .
      - Robin_Graves
        
        Its not all new you fool, its the newest version that improves on the previous versions. All car manufacturers do it. The problem with you one-eyed fanbois is that when VeeDud do it, its an all new wonder. When Ford do it, its an EA with FG panels glued on. Stick to saucepans bunghole, you clearly know nothing about cars.
      - Legnab
        
        Dobin you really need to get out an about ,sitting at home all day is making you introverted , its new .
      - Golfschwein
        
        It’s all new.
- Legnab
  
  Rivals , i see focus sti , megane rs , no japanese , korean or aussie comes near .
  - JooberJCW
    
    To what, the Golf Hatchback as it’s self? Theres plenty of rivals, not necessary better engineered or quality, but still compete for the same market, Corolla, 3, i30 to name a few, and not to mention Both top 2 hatchbacks in sales terms were Japanese for August.
    - Legnab
      
      Sorry i had my GTI cap on , this is the cooking model yes i agree .
  - Dave W
    
    WRX, WRX STi, 3 MPS, Veloster SR. They may or may not be as good as the GTI or R but I think they deserve a mention.
    - Sumpguard
      
      They are certainly not as good at breaking down!
  - Phil
    
    No car comes near in terms of bland styling either.
    - Legnab
      
      I would say BMW 1 series is pretty bland and boring , however the new passat is selling its head off in the US against the old model , so maybe bland is the new look .
      - Dave W
        
        The 1 series is RWD though, I’ll take that over any FWD hatch.
        
        And you’re talking about the Yanks here. They still love boxy cars and live rear axle over there. I’d like to think our taste is more sophisticated than theirs.
Dave S

I guess that’s the role VW has. VW is bland, Audi gets some style and Skoda gets ugly. Timeless, is just another way of saying never fasionable.
Craig

Why did VW drop the twin-charged engine from the Mk V11. Didn’t it win international engine of the year 2 years in a row?
Nothing due to problems with engine reliability? (I’ve just had my 3rd engine installed in my 2010 118tsi – only have 43,000km on the clock).
What’s the problem VW!!!!!!
- Hung Low
  
  Now its time for a new Dsg gearbox going by your mileage Craig.
- Legnab
  
  More tales of woe , better tell today tonight , nothing like a beat up on the telly .
  - Jober As A Sudge
    
    Not a beat up….118TSI twincharger set up meant that engines were prone to failure unfortunately. It’s a common problem hence why it was dropped from the line-up. Would like to see it back in the line up once they’ve sorted out the problems as it was a great little engine
    - Nelly Potato
      
      Hmmm…Jober you are obviously very knowledgeable. The 118tsi hasn’t been dropped from the line-up because of problems. It dates back to 2003 (thats 9 years ago). Obviously it will eventually be replaced by something newer. Until then it will continue to be used in Tiguans, Jettas. Polo Gti and the Audi 1-series. As you know, many manufacturers have started replacing twin charg set ups (i.e. twin turbos) with twin scroll-turbos, because they are cheaper, so I would expect the next GT/118tsi replacment to probably use the new 1.8 out of the Audi A3, while the revised 1.4 and 1.2 tsi engines go into the comfort/economy orientated models.
Gaza

Peugeot builds “exciting” gimmicky designs – that’s why they’re closing 2 factories with sales down 20 % and a waiting list of 4 minutes. If you want to buy any VW or Audi the waiting list is more like 4 months ….

Car Advice

Volkswagen Golf Mk7 design chief defends conservative styling

Sponsored Ads

Advanced Options