Volkswagen Golf MkVI delayed to 2009
Back in January we told you that new VW boss Martin Winterkorn ordered a strategic review of the Golf, Tiguan, and Scirocco. The goal of the review was to spice up design, and an unfortunate side effect is delayed product launches. Auto Express is reporting that the Golf MkVI is now scheduled to be unveiled in Paris next fall; six months later than the original plan to debut the car in Geneva. Here in the US, we're used to waiting longer than expected for an updated Golf, but this is undoubtedly a big letdown for fans of one of the world's most popular compacts. If Europe isn't getting the Golf until 2009, there is a good chance our Rabbit won't receive its overhaul until next decade.
[Source: Auto Express]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
geo.stewart 9:42AM (10/26/2007)
you mean the decontented next gen golf so that it competes with Toyota home appliances such as the corolla.
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Declan 10:02AM (10/26/2007)
Hilarious
I got a 5 door golf V, my bro tells me that he hears that the mark VI is testing already. He says he may buy one when they come along. I tell him that they're watering down his bavarian uber-golf for reasons of profit and that anyway he won't even see a gen VI until past 2010, so he does some homework and buys a mark V golf. Smart boy.
I think I'd settle for a high water mark, before they start to discontent these fantastic cars.
Don't forget, built in Germany for Euro's, sold in America for Peso's.
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k.w.a 11:09AM (10/26/2007)
i don't get it...
i think this is the best looking Golf (erm, Rabbit) to date... i don't see why it sold so poorly. was it the price?
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Kumar 11:20AM (10/26/2007)
I got tired of waiting for one. After seeing it in Europe for a few years, I wanted one (esp. with tdi), but we didn't get the golf/rabbit until last year, and couldn't even get it with a tdi until, what, this year or early next?.
Poor planning on VW's part.
Maybe next time around, but I'm liking my subie a little too much to think VW right now.
John B 11:43AM (10/26/2007)
It isn't the price which, in Canada at least, is very competitive in my opinion. Based on price alone, the Rabbit is one of the better deals around. VW's biggest problem is their quality, perceived or otherwise. Every review I've seen of the Rabbit has been positive but always with a caution along this line: "good car but Volkswagen's reliability sucks"
Vexorg 1:30PM (10/26/2007)
From VW's perspective, the main problem with the Golf/Rabbit is that it has an unusually long build time compared to other cars, and with the weak dollar, it's been hard for them to make a profit in the US. On the other hand, I bought a Rabbit (4-door) about four months ago, and have quite enjoyed it so far. Granted, I drove a disreputable beater before, but it's got a lot of nice little features in it, and isn't quite as fast as the GTI but it's still fun to drive.
Kotse 11:52AM (10/26/2007)
Well, this gives time for a Rabbit/Jetta Mk 5.5...a revised and refined model I'd say...and probably the last of the German sourced models.
I have a feeling by the end of the decade, the Mk 6 would be Made in USA (!). By then, my B5 Passat would be up for trade...Hmmm.
I'd choose the...."Der Fatherland" edition.
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toolgate 12:19PM (10/26/2007)
Rabbit? Before buying a Rabbit why don't take a look at 08Subaru Impreza, Mazda3 Sport, or even Matrix/Vibe? Oh, dear rabbit.
Waterdown what? I just can not find anything they can waterdown, VW may want to water the rabbit down to a KIA.
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VV 1:37PM (10/26/2007)
If it's as ugly as the picture in the Auto Express link, I'll be sticking with my Mk V. Build quality and dealer aside, it's a great car.
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Cip 2:34PM (10/26/2007)
Dont really care much for these kind of cars, but if you ask me this whole round design theme has been left behind by most automakers. the design would have been good for the 90's, and making it a bit more aggressive couldn't hurt the design either, right now it is more in the lines of what girls call "cute", and thus i guess the name rabbit fits in. lol.
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Zamafir 3:42PM (10/26/2007)
umm the mkiv was more agreesive back in the nineties, just compare the fusion to a mkiv jetta and you'll see who is aping whos design lanuage.
Cip 3:57PM (10/26/2007)
Aggressive well i would say that is giving the mk4 too much credit, and the fusion is not really meant to be aggressive, i think it is out there to be more of a sporty look, but one thing is for sure the old mk4, do look better than these new ones. the new two door rabbit has this really nasty resemblance to those old geo metro's.(Not really a good thing) Now who is stealing who's design cues? the only area in which the car looks really good is the interior, the outside to me looks kinda dated.
Xcountryflyer 12:26AM (10/27/2007)
The sooner Porsche takes over VW the better! VW is like a bumbling US automaker in its ineptitude.
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J Baustian 8:43PM (11/02/2007)
70%+ of GTI owners are men, 55-60% of Golf/Rabbit owners are men. So it's not a chick car.
As for poor sales for the Rabbit... dealers can't sell cars they don't have. Until very recently none of the dealerships in our area had any Rabbits on the lot -- they were all pre-sold before arriving at dealerships. And they still have a weak selection -- dozens of Jettas, New Beetles, Passats.. and maybe three or four Rabbits and never one with a manual transmission. And of course no Rabbit TDIs. and now it looks like there won't be on until at least 2009 or even later.
I guess I'll have to hang onto my 2003 Golf TDI with 244k miles for at least a few more years.
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Dr. Woo 7:17AM (11/21/2007)
Makes me glad I got a MkV R32 when I had the chance. If the MkIV is any indication, this car will maintain its value for a long time.
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