New VW Golf MkVII revealed.

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Volkswagen has released images and details of the upcoming Golf Mk7 prior to the car’s public unveiling at the Paris motor show. This all-new design is said to be lighter, roomier, safer and more economical than the outgoing model.

The earlier generation Golf Mk6 had failed to make it to Indian shores. The German carmaker had conducted feasibility studies and even tested the car in Indian conditions, but was unsure of whether to bring in its premium upmarket hatchback via CKD or SKD. This, coupled with a change in duty structure for cars in India, saw the German carmaker put the Golf’s Indian debut on hold - it would have been very difficult to make money.

However, with the recent change in market trends and the upcoming launches of premium upmarket hatchbacks in India like the Mercedes A-class, which will share a platform with the B-class and is built to take on the VW Golf and the BMW 1-series, VW is looking to revive its India game plan, thus bringing in the new Golf Mk7 to our showrooms in the coming years. It all depends on how the market evolves and matures in the next year or so.

Like the Mercedes A-class, which will be an upmarket competitor to the Golf, the seventh-generation VW hatch has been re-engineered from the ground up, though it looks the same. The latest Golf is based on VW’s highly adaptable MQB platform (‘modularen querbau’ or ‘modular transverse engine’) and as with each generation before, the Golf Mk7 has grown in size. The latest MQB platform, which will form the basis of many more VW group models in the future, will help VW cut back on development cost and increase economies of scale.

With the new Golf, the increase in external dimensions has led to a roomier cabin, improved rear legroom, shoulder room and extended boot space of 380 litres. Internationally, the Mk7 Golf will be offered with a range of transversely mounted four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with vastly better fuel economy. Transmissions include standard five- and six-speed manual units with optional six and seven-speed dual-clutch units.

VW chairman Martin Winterkorn confirmed that the new Golf is significantly lighter than the sixth-generation model it replaces. “We have reversed the upward spiral in weight, but it is safer, more comfortable and more spacious,” he said. The new Golf continues to offer a high-quality interior with lots of soft-touch plastic surfaces, metallic features, well-damped switchgear and a number of new safety features.

What's clear, however, is that the cheaper-to-produce and more efficient new Jetta as well as the new, more exciting SUV, the Tiguan - sister cars of the same MQB platform - will be headed here for sure. 

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