Happy Valentine’s Day everyone, we hope that you aren’t suffering from a broken heart like we are today. Let us explain the cause of our heart ache. Yesterday AutoCar published a story about the upcoming 7th Generation 2013 VW Golf and we are smitten with the news. Since we are huge fans of the Golf and more particularly the GTI version of the car we had already fallen in love with the first spy shots that we published back at the end of June (Spy Shots of the Next VW GTI Mules Surface) of two Golf’s in Gen 6 trim touring the European country side.
However our last night when we read what was expected to be included in the new 2013 VW Golf and GTI our hearts began to swell up like the Grinch right before he saves Christmas. AutoCar has reported that the car will not only shed weight but will also drastically improve its fuel consumption numbers on the petrol powered side all while creating the most powerful GTI to date. Oh ya it will also get a plug-in hybrid model ZZZZZ, but enough about that boring news, did you hear about the new GIT more Power baby!!!!
2013 VW Golf Spy Shot - Front 3/4
The new base engine that is expected to debut for VW here in North America will be a 1.4-liter turbo that will output 138hp as well as cylinder deactivation for increased fuel economy. The mid range models will finally drop the inefficient and uninspired 2.5-liter inline 5 cylinder engine and will see Golf reintroducing a 1.8-liter turbo engine which will be all new for 2013. The GTI is expected to see it’s engine displacement size stay the same while adopting equivalent horsepower numbers to that of the current Golf R. We are in love with the current GIT with all of its 210hp and think that a 260 hp version would be a serious contented to the Ford Focus ST and Mazdaspeed 3 or any Subaru or Mitsubishi that is currently available.
2013 VW Golf Spy Shot - Side
The same 2.0-liter TDI diesel will carry over with its 40mpg rating however even the GTD version of the car currently not sold in North America could see a performance boost with a twin turbo version increasing output figures from 181hp to 220hp all while reducing low end turbo lag. The final bit of Golf news was word of a 243hp plug-in hybrid coming state side which could return more than 40 mpg or 5.5 L/100km.
2013 VW Golf Spy Shot - Rear 3/4
On the inside the Golf or more importantly the GTI will continue to offer its occupant’s high end European luxury with an 8-inch touch screen being features to control the cars settings as well as offering turn by turn navigation. The cars will also feature Adaptive cruise control, driver fatigue detection, 360 degree parking sensor and semi autonomous parking system that will help navigate the car into tight parking spaces.
Nerdy engineers will fall in love with the cars new MQB platform which will debut on the Gold but will one day under pin most of the VW groups cars ranging from the Up city car to the full sized Passat. With Promises of a lighter weight version of the Mk7 Golf, Volkswagen will also create a platform with aluminum floor pressings, boot floor and windscreen base. The German automaker has yet to announce which models would receive this unique alloy-steel hybrid structure, but analysts suggest the Golf EV and GTI are best positioned to receive it.
The seventh-generation Golf is expected to debut at the Paris show in September before reaching this side of the pond in very early 2013.
