The Volkswagen Golf Mk6 (or VW Typ 5K) is a compact car, the sixth generation of the Volkswagen Golf and the successor to the Volkswagen Golf Mk5. It was unveiled at the Paris Auto Show in October 2008. Volkswagen released pictures and information on 6 August 2008, prior to the official unveiling. The vehicle was released to the European market in the winter of 2008. Major investments have been made in production efficiency, with a claimed productivity improvement at launch of nearly 20% in comparison with the previous model, and further gains planned for the next twelve months.
Although billed as the Mk6, the new model was in effect a thoroughly re-engineered facelift of the previous model. In January 2013, it was superseded by the Volkswagen Golf Mk7.
Design
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Like its predecessor, the Mk6 Golf is based on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform. Effectively it is a reskin of the Mk5 rather than an all-new design, it was developed with engineering improvements to shorten the previous model's excessive assembly time, and answered criticisms of that model's cheapened interior quality compared to that of the 1999.5 Mk4.
Specifications
Equipment
Improvements in equipment level on the domestic market Golfs include, for the first time in a Golf, the inclusion of air conditioning as standard. Additionally, dual-zone climate control is included in the Autobahn trim for North America.
Engines
The company is talking confidently about launching in Germany during 2009 a BlueMotion low emissions Golf and, in more general terms of possible alternative fuel versions later.
Available engines for North American Golf include the 2.5Â L I5 engine from the previous Mk5 Rabbit and Mk5 Jetta and the 2.0-litre TDI. GTI version features the 2.0-litre TSI.
Safety
With safety features such as seven standard airbags, (up to nine in Europe, up to eight in the US) and standard Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), the Golf Mk6 has scored 36 out of 37 possible points for occupant protection, giving it a five-star rating by the Euro NCAP crash test agency. It was one of the safest vehicles in its class at the time of its release.
Cabriolet
The new Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet was presented at the 2011 Geneva International Motor Show. The four-seater has a soft top with an electro-hydraulic drive that opens the Golf's top in 9.5Â seconds. The top can also be opened or closed during driving at speeds of up to 30Â km/h (19Â mph). After a nine years without a convertible Golf, it was the first Cabriolet model under the Golf family since 2002.
The new VW Golf Cabriolet's styling follows that of its hard-top three-door counterpart, but it differs somewhat with a new rear section, lower profile roof line and more swept-back angle of its front windscreen frame. Bi-xenon headlights are an option. Unlike the regular Golf, the Cabriolet has LED rear lights, which are only available for the R and GTI versions of the hardtop. Safety features include the automatically deploying roll-over bar, front airbags, side head/thorax airbags, knee airbag for the driver and ESP.
There are six turbocharged direct-injection engines whose power outputs range from 77Â kW (105Â PS; 103Â hp) to 155Â kW (211Â PS; 208Â hp). Four of the petrol engines (TSI) and one diesel (TDI) are available with the DSG dual-clutch gearbox; while three of the engines are available with energy-saving BlueMotion Technology.
In February 2012, Volkswagen announced that they would build a Cabriolet version of the GTI, powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
As of October 2016, VW announced that the Golf cabriolet will no longer be sold in the U.K. due to financial reasons.
Variant
A facelifted variant Mk5 Golf Variant model was introduced in 2009 as the Mk6, despite carrying the front fascia, interior styling, and the drive line from the new Golf, the underpinnings are based on its fifth-generation predecessor. It is sold in the US as the Jetta SportWagen, in Mexico and Canada as the Golf Wagon and in South America as the Jetta Variant or Vento Variant.
Golf Plus
In December 2008, a facelifted version of the Golf Plus was revealed at the Bologna Motor Show, featuring a revised front end, similar to the Golf Mk6, but still largely retaining the design of the rear end and the interior of the Mk5 based vehicle. In 2014 the Golf Plus was replaced by the MQB based Golf Sportsvan, which was originally shown as the Sportvan concept.
Twin Drive
Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn announced Golf Twin Drive plug-in hybrid concept based on Mk5 Golf, which uses 2.0Â L 91Â kW (122Â hp) I4 turbodiesel and 61Â kW (82Â hp) electric motor with lithium-ion batteries. The car can run about 50 kilometres on battery power. The combined power is 128Â kW (174Â PS).
Volkswagen developed the Twin Drive system with eight German partners, and is planning a trial fleet of 20 Golfs outfitted with the system in 2010.
The production version was expected to be based on new Mk6 Golf, featuring a 1.5Â L turbodiesel engine and electric motor, with estimated arrival date of 2015.
Golf GTI "Wörthersee 09" (2009)
It is a concept car based on Golf GTI. 2.0-liter TSI engine is rated 155 kW (211 PS) with top speed of 238 km/h (148 mph) and 0â€"100 km/h acceleration of 6.9s. It includes Firespark Metallic red body with GTI stripes, high-gloss black 19-inch alloy spoke wheels, smoked LED taillight, lowered sport chassis, new sport exhaust. Interior includes aluminum tread plates, brushed aluminum trim and glossy black painted frames around the air vents, red borders floor mats, sport seats with outer black nappa and side flash red nappa with light "Berry White" leather piping.
The vehicle was unveiled at GTI Meet at Wörthersee.
Golf R
There was much speculation about this vehicle, with uncertainty surrounding its name. Golf R20 was the most common name used prior to the Frankfurt Motor Show. Once finally unveiled by Volkswagen at the Frankfurt IAA, on 15 September 2009, it was confirmed the R32 replacement would simply be called the Golf R.
The Golf R is powered by a 2.0-litre FSI turbocharged engine that produces 199 kW (271 PS) and 350 Nâ‹…m (260 lbâ‹…ft) of torque. VW claims the car can get from 0â€"100 km/h in 5.5 seconds for DSG equipped models, or 5.7 seconds for cars fitted with a manual gearbox.
The Golf R features these main upgrades over the standard FSI EA113 engine:
- Lower compression forged pistons
- Strengthened connecting rods
- Enlarged wrist pins
- Stronger piston rings
- Upgraded bearings
- Reinforced engine block
- Upgraded camshafts (longer duration)
- Upgraded injectors (+13% flow)
- Larger K04 turbo producing 1.2 bar of boost (+3 PSI over K03 equipped GTI)
- Larger intercooler (+30%)
- Relocated bypass valve
The Golf R employs a familiar, but revised (5th-generation) Haldex 4motion all-wheel drive system.
The Golf R has many similar styling traits to its Scirocco R sibling and is the first Golf to have LED rear tail lights factory fitted.
In Australia, Japan and South Africa the Golf R engine is detuned to suit hotter climate conditions. It is detuned from 199Â kW (271Â PS; 267Â bhp) to 188Â kW (256Â PS; 252Â bhp) and 350Â Nâ‹…m (260Â lbâ‹…ft) to 330Â Nâ‹…m (240Â lbâ‹…ft).
On 9 December 2010, Volkswagen announced that the Golf R will be available in the United States beginning in 2012. Both two- and four-door versions were offered, and the DSG transmission was not an option. The US version Golf R features a slightly detuned engine producing 191Â kW (256Â hp) and 243Â lbâ‹…ft (329Â Nâ‹…m). The base price for the Golf R was $33,900 plus destination.
On 14 December 2010, Volkswagen announced that the Golf R will be available in Canada beginning in "early" 2012. Only a four-door version with six-speed manual transmission was offered. Four colours of the GTI were offered plus the R-exclusive "Rising Blue". All options were standard including navigation, sun roof, leather interior, and "Kessy" keyless entry.
The North American versions shipped with incandescent tail lights, identical to the tail lights found on the GTI, instead of the LED tail lights used in the rest of the world.
International markets
In the United States and Canada, the car was sold as the Volkswagen Golf when it arrived in showrooms in October 2009, dropping the "Rabbit" badge that was used for the Golf Mk5. The wagon, a restyled version of the Mk5 and the only Golf model made in Mexico, is sold in Canada as "Golf Wagon", but in the United States retains the "Jetta SportWagen" designation (while wearing Golf front sheetmetal). North American Golfs will carry over the same engines as the Mk5 (the same 2.5L five-cylinder from the Mk5, the 2.0TDI and the 2.0T) and, while the GTI and TDI continue to offer the six-speed manual transmission, the 2.5Â L will re-use the five-speed manual (automatic will be a six-speed tiptronic). The new Golf is also available in Mexico but for the time being only in the wagon configuration that is marketed as Golf SportWagen that became available in early October replacing the Bora Sportwagen with the new Golf's front end.
The Australian public got their first taste of the new Mk6 at the Melbourne International Motor Show, which began on 27 February 2009. The new Golf was launched around the country at the same time. The Mk6 GTI went on sale from 30 October 2009. On 19 January 2010 the Golf was awarded the 2009 Wheels Car of the Year title, which is acknowledged as the country's most prestigious car award. It was the first time the Golf had been awarded the title since 1976. VW Australia launched the new base model golf with 1.2-litre engine same as the new Polo in September 2010 and went on sale in 2011.
In South Africa the new Mk6 Golf went on sale in April 2009. The South African version of the GTI went on sale in July 2009.
In Japan the new Mk6 Golf went on sale in April 2009. The Japanese version of the GTI went on sale in August 2009.
In China, the Golf Mk6 is made by FAW-VW, and in March 2010 the GTI begins to be built locally. It is the first time the GTI is built in China. The Chinese-Spec Golf GTI uses a different engine than the international one, a 2.0 TSI which produces only 150Â kW (200Â hp), 7.5Â kW (10Â hp) less than the original one. This engine is also used by the VW Magotan.
In Mexico, the only two versions available until August 2011 were the German-imported 3-door GTI in both 6-speed manual and 6-speed DSG transmissions, and the Mexican-produced Golf SportWagen with a 170Â bhp 2.5 L inline 5-cylinder with a 6-speed Tiptronic transmission. In September 2012, a 5-door version in Comfortline trim, with 1.4Â L TSI engine with 177Â hp and 6-speed manual gearbox imported from Germany was added. Since the end of production is imminent, it will be limited to 4,000 units.
In Chile, the Golf Mk6 was presented in October 2010 at the XI Salón del Automóvil de Santiago, starting sales immediately. Chile is the first country in South America to sell the Mk6, as a restyled version of the Mk4 is still in production in Brazil for Latin America. The Mk6 is available in Chile with the 1.6 L Petrol engine (101 hp) both in five-speed manual and seven-speed DSG transmissions.
In India, the Golf Mk6 was rumored to be introduced in 2011 but in a recent interview, Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer said that the plans for introducing a Golf have been suspended, to preserve the success of VW Vento in the Indian market. The Golf, if released, would be similarly priced as the Vento and VW does not want Vento sales to slip. He also stated they may bring in a more localized Golf with the same engine choices as the Vento when numbers stabilize in the near future.
Motorsport
In auto racing, APR Motorsport has led two MKVI VW GTIs to victory in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner (ST) class.
To commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the Golf GTI, Volkswagen Motorsport entered the 2011 24 Hours Nürburgring with the "Golf24". This Golf was equipped with a 2,500 cc five-cylinder turbo engine with 324 kW (440 PS) and 540 Nm, permanent 4WD and a sequential six-speed gearbox. In the third VLN race of 2011, the Golf24 finished sixth overall, with its best lap only nine seconds slower than the fastest race lap, which was clocked by a Ferrari 458. For the 24 Hours, the team hoped for rain, and jokingly considered wetting the track by aerial firefighting. Eventually, though, neither of the three Golf24s finished the race, with one of them suffering a pit-entry accident and another blowing a gearbox. When the gearbox of the remaining Golf24 started overheating, VW decided to retire it to find out the cause of the gearbox trouble.
Awards
- 2009 World Car of the Year
- 2009 Euro NCAP â€" Safest Car of the Year
- 2009 Best Performance Car under $60,000 (GTI) (Australia)
- 2009 Yellow Angel (Germany)
- 2009 Auto Motor and Sport Readers’ Best Car (Germany)
- 2009 Wheels Car of the Year (Australia)
- 2009 What Car? â€" Best Small Family Car (Great Britain)
- 2009 International Engine of the Year (1.4 TSI)
- 2009 Green Engine of the Year (1.4 TSI)
- 2009â€"10 Japan's Import Car of the Year
- 2010 Continental Irish Car of the Year â€" Best Family Car.
- 2010 Automobile Magazine â€" Car of the Year (GTI)
- 2010 Canadian Car of the Year
- 2010 What Car? â€" Best Small Family Car (Great Britain)
- 2010 South African Car of the Year
- 2010 Fleet News â€" Company Car of the Year
- 2010 World Green Car (BlueMotion)
- Kelley Blue Book included the VW Golf TDI (clean diesel) among its Top 10 Green Cars for 2010.
- 2010 Top Gear Magazine â€" Hot Hatch of the year (Golf R)
- 2011 What Car? â€" Best Small Family Car (Great Britain)
- 2012 What Car? â€" Best Small Family Car (Great Britain)
References
External links
- Autocarâ€"Full details: VW Golf Mk6