VW Takes A Mulligan On US Golf
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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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.
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.