New Volkswagen Golf goes for quality over quantity
Author: David Miles
Published: 09 January 2009
The sixth generation Volkswagen Golf goes on sale in the UK in January 2009, 34 years after the first generation version arrived. Over 26 million have been sold worldwide of which nearly 1.5 million have been sold in the UK.
Volkswagen in the UK had planned to sell around 55,000 new Golfs in 2009 but due to the decline in the overall new car market, down 11.3% in 2008, that expectation has now changed.
The first new generation Golfs to reach the market are three and five door hatchback models; Golf Plus models will join the line up this Spring, GTi models in early Summer, BlueMotion 99g/km of CO2 versions at the end of 2009 and the Golf Estate in 2010. A new Polo range is also due at the end of this year.
Michael O’Shea, VW’s product marketing manager, said this week at the UK’s press launch of the new Golf range that the company now expected to sell around 45,000 new Golfs, although there is still the provision to build more if the market picks up. He said they had sold over 65,000 units in 2008 making it the UK’s fifth best selling model range. The best year for Golf sales in the UK was in 2005 when 74,191 were registered.
O’Shea said, “The new Golf is an evolution of the previous model but there is a greater emphasis on improving the overall driving refinement, lowering CO2 emissions upgrading engine performance and enhancing the quality and specification of the car’s interior. The reduction in our sales forecast is a reflection of market conditions and Volkswagen will manufacturer cars at the appropriate volumes, no oversupply and no distress selling tactics which destroy residual values.”
Figures from VW and industry analysts CarCost, show the main selling 2.0-litre TDI Golf retains 41.45% of its value over a 36 month period. This is higher than its similar specification main competitors, the Ford Focus at 33% and the Vauxhall Astra at 29% but marginally less than the best in the sector (lower medium size), the Audi A3 which retains 44.3% of its value.
O’Shea said that fleet and business customers would account for 65% of new Golf sales, 60% of registrations would be for diesel models, five-door variants will take 84% of sales and 87% of customers would specify a manual transmission. The single best selling model has the new 2.0-litre TDI 110PS turbodiesel engine followed by the 1.4-litre TSI 122PS petrol unit. SE is likely to be the most popular choice of specification accounting for half of all sales.
He added that the improved quality and refinement of the new Golf, in addition to offering more high-tech options, the new range would appeal to current owners of luxury and premium cars downsizing to the smaller Golf. “The new Golf offers premium segment refinement and equipment levels but with small car efficiency, advanced technology engines and transmissions and attractive price positioning.”
Prices for the new Golf models show an average 2% increase over the outgoing versions and now range from £12,875 up to £20,537. The expected main selling model, the Golf SE 2.0-litre TDI 110PS five-door, five-speed manual, costs £16,911 on the road and with its 128g/km of CO2, Band C rating VED is £120.
Michael O’Shea said that around 80% of all new cars are purchased with some form of finance or borrowing and VW had seen the demand for PCPs, personal contract purchase, grow. We have seen significant increases of people who are finding it difficult to get loans to change their cars and there is now even more pressure due to the credit crunch for manufacturers to provide finance options.”
In addition to lease, lease purchase and contract hire options for business users, Volkswagen is offering a finance plan to all retail customers who purchase a new Golf. As an example the new Golf 1.4-litre TSI 122PS SE five-door, the likely best selling retail model with an on the road retail price of £15,962, can be bought over a 36 month, 10,000 mile per year period with an advance payment of £4,353 and monthly payments of £199.
There is an optional final payment of £7,230 or the customer can just hand the car back after three years. The typical APR is 9.7%.
See Also:
Click here for more Volkswagen stories
Click here for Volkswagen cars data
Click here for more Car sales and analysis stories
Click here for more Hatchback stories
Click here for more Hot Hatch stories
Our car reviews section provides in-depth reviews of hundreds of models on the roads today.
The ten best family hatchbacks on sale in the UK, with plenty of alternatives if you're researching or buying.
The new Honda Civic S, Civic Type S and Civic Type S GT, will go on sale in the UK in January with prices ranging from £14,000 up to £19,800.
We can´t help it: We love horsepowers, in hot hatches or saloons. But we don´t want to pay too much for them. MotorTorque selects the cheapest power-beasts available for less than £25K.
New-car and van registrations in August drop 20 per cent over the month, used car values are worst since early-90s recession. The recession hits the UK car market.
advertisement
Mazda has revealed that the iconic MX-5 sportscar has surpassed the 100,000 sales milestone in the UK, 20 years after hitting the shores. | 02/09/2010 14:06:54
Hyundai is set to unveil its next generation B-segment MPV at the Paris Motor Show in the shape of the ix20. | 02/09/2010 12:00:01
Auto Express has launched a campaign to expose the ‘scandal’ of car manufacturers refusing to publically acknowledge unreliable or faulty cars. | 02/09/2010 11:41:19
Mini was the cleanest car manufacturer in the UK over the first half of 2010, according to a new sales-weighted pollution index. | 02/09/2010 11:18:14
An ECU remap to improve BMWs 245 bhp, 3.0 litre diesel engine has been released by car tuners Superchips. | 02/09/2010 10:53:38
|01/09/2010 10:05:56
Toyota is making a return to the mini MPV segment with the world debut of the Verso-S at the Paris Motor Show.
|01/09/2010 15:14:16
Ferrari has issued a worldwide voluntary safety recall of all 458 Italia models produced up to the end of July 2010 in response to five ‘thermal incidents’ that have made waves in the media recently.
|31/08/2010 10:39:27
The first details of the Citroën DS4 have been released ahead of it going on sale in 2011.
|31/08/2010 11:56:36
Volvo is launching two new high performance four cylinder 1.6 litre petrol engines for its new S60 and V60 cars.
|31/08/2010 12:25:57
The M6 Toll road has failed to significantly reduce congestion and lost its operators cash, according to a new report.
|13/11/2007
German sports car manufacturer marches on as it post a monster €5.85bn profit.
|05/09/2008
New-car and van registrations in August drop 20 per cent over the month, used car values are worst since early-90s recession. The recession hits the UK car market.
|20/11/2007
Around 400 people a day risk damaging their car by misfuelling, and filling up with gas is a mistake that could cost thousands. So what do you do if you´ve filled up your diesel car with unleaded petrol?
|19/09/2008
20 of the best 90's TV car adverts showcase an industry wising up to the buying power of women, and putting the battle of the sexes at the forefront of car commercials.
|01/10/2008
Euro Car Parts has acquired Pinco 1555 Ltd, including all 53 of LSUK's 53 branches, together with subsidiaries M I Diesel Products, Protech Automotive (UK) and Yeovil Rewind.
Search Motortorque:
No readers comments
Be the first to write a comment on this article