Earlier tonight, Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) finally unveiled the seventh iteration of the Golf to the Malaysian public. In typical VW fashion, the launch was a well-planned event at an airplane hangar, with performances to entertain the crowd of both guests and media folk. Many of you would have no doubt already seen pics of the new Golf, but we’ve got to say that the new car looks much better in person than it does in pictures; more chiseled and angular than its predecessor.
The Mk7 Golf will be based on an all new platform – the MQB, which is used across Volkswagen Group’s other offerings. The previous 1.4 twin-charged engine has been replaced by a 1.4-litre turbo unit that is good for 140PS/250Nm. Although power is down slightly, there is a touch more torque compared to the Mk6 (160PS/240Nm), with the zerotohundred sprint taking 8.4 seconds (versus 8.0 seconds previously). It also sports Blue Motion tech, gaining a stop/start and cylinder deactivation system to conserve resources.
Like we mentioned just a little bit earlier, the new car actually looks pretty good. Although the Mk7 is longer and wider than the Mk6, it doesn’t really look too different (thanks in part to its new, lower roofline which gifts the car a sleeker profile). Its lighter too; by a whopping 100kg, and this in turn should bode well for the car’s dynamics. At this point in time, there has been no official announcement with regards to specifications, although we did notice that the new car looks to have more standard equipment than the Mk6. No price has been revealed yet either, so stay tuned to our Facebook where we will update live as soon as we find out.
We’re heading up north tomorrow for the media drive in the Mk7 Golf, and will publish our test drive report here before the weekend. We’ve also heard that test drives will be open to public at all authorized Volkswagen dealerships nationwide by Saturday (so now might be a good time to call your dealer and book a slot!). In the meantime, feel free to go through our pictures of the launch; Golf fanatics should check out the pristine Mk1 and Mk2 cars in our gallery!
