The VW Golf has been a major hit in the Chinese market, VW followed it up with the introduction of the GTI as a locally made model and also imported the wagon, crossover and R Series models to satisfy Chinese appetite for the hatchback model. The 7th generation Golf has been a headline inducing topic for the past few months, questions about when it will launch, latest spy pictures and potential engine configurations have filled up blank spots on slow news days for Chinese automotive news outlets across the PRC.
Production of the 7th Gen model will apparently happen in June 2013 which still gives the current model plenty of life. Engine choice is still being debated, 1.2TSI models are being talked about but the 7th Gen is likely to use improved versions of the current 1.4TSI and 1.6L naturally aspirated models that are currently on the market in China. Production of the Golf 7 will also shift from frosty Changchun to sunny Foshan where it will be made on the MQB platform alongside the Audi Q3 and other models as part of VW’s Southern Strategy to capture more market share in the lucrative Guangdong regions.
The Mk 7 Golf’s design evolution has been received with gentle acclaim from all quarters of the motoring press. Some have gone so far to even label it as the ‘iPhone 5′ of cars!
Volkswagen recently published an interview with head designers Walter de Silva and Klaus Bischoff discussing the new Golf:
http://www.autoconception.com/video-interview-volkswagen-head-designers-walter-de-silva-and-klaus-bischoff-discuss-the-new-golf/
Frank, thanks for your great reports, one small hint, as already mentioned to Ash it is the A3 not the Q3 produced in Foshan,Klaus
God bless you for your exploit
God bless us, another boring vw car.