Volkswagen has revealed it will launch a new Golf cabriolet in 2011.
The new model, confirmed by VW Group boss Martin Winterkorn on a trip to VW's Osnabrück plant, will come with a folding soft-top to set it apart from the folding hard-top Eos coupe-cabriolet already in VW's range.
VW hasn't offered a Golf cabriolet since the third-generation Golf, a model that continued to be sold alongside the fourth-generation car until 2002 with some styling changes taken from the updated car.
The Golf's folding fabric roof is expected to be borrowed from the Audi A3 cabriolet, with which the Golf shares a platform.
Read more on the revised VW Eos, set for a LA show launch
The announcement of the Golf cabriolet has led to speculation that the Eos's days may be numbered in VW's range, given the current trend of firms looking to cut the weight of their cars. BMW's next 3-series convertible, for example, will switch back to a fabric roof from the retractable hard-top currently used.
But VW insists it remains "fully committed" to the Eos and has recently revised the car. This will be revealed at the LA motor show later this month and brings its styling in line with the rest of the VW range.
No pricing details for the Golf cabriolet have been revealed, but expect it to come in below the £20,000 charged from entry-level Eos and A3 cabriolet models at around £18,000. The car will be in UK showrooms in time for summer 2011, with an engine line-up mirroring the rest of the Golf range.
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Re: VW Golf cabrio set for 2011
Excellent idea ;)
Re: VW Golf cabrio set for 2011
Thank you for clearing that up buddy - I wasn't aware of it!
Sadly I wouldn't be able to wait that long as the current car's lease is already up, but I wonder if it will be worth the wait. The cynical part of me says it will be the same usual Golf experience - nice cosy interior, perceived high quality in it's execution and fairly dull to drive. I wasn't impressed with the Mk6's handling as it seemed stodgy compared to the Mk5, definitely a comfort biased setup without any doubt.
Might just have to ask for the Guilietta and be done with it!....
Re: VW Golf cabrio set for 2011
No, Mk7 will be the all-new Golf.
Mk6 was a rush-job because Mk5 was far too expensive to build compared to Focus et al. They cut a lot of cost out of building it while improving perceived quality of plastics and so on, and new body panels. More of a Mk 5.5 really. Still uses the same platform as Mk5, as do most of the cars in the VAG empire these days.
Mk7 will use the next-generation FWD/AWD transverse-engine platform which will underpin half the VAG range over the next decade.