[v.anand]

@Screwdriva, what makes you think Golf comes for Rs. 9 lacs or 10 lacs? It is effectively the next gen of its platform sharing Skoda Laura and VW Jetta sold here. Does that come for those prices? By the way, Laura has a hatch but the body style is popularly known as notch-back. Its by no means a sedan.

[Pedal2Metal]

Originally Posted by v.anand

@Screwdriva, what makes you think Golf comes for Rs. 9 lacs or 10 lacs? It is effectively the next gen of its platform sharing Skoda Laura and VW Jetta sold here. Does that come for those prices?

Platform sharing doesn't necessarily mean the same price. For eg. the Audi A1, the VW Polo Mk5 and the Seat Ibiza all share the VW's PQ25 platform. Each of these cars sells in different segments with a huge parity in the price between them. Platform sharing only enables the manufacturer to avoid re-inventing the wheel over and over again with each car hence saving huge costs and the time to develop a new car.

This is one of the motives of the recent Renault -Nissan alliance with Daimler as well. The cars may be of completely different segments but the platform could be the same.


In any case, I do agree with the point you are trying to make. Golf is not a cheap hatch.

[indivic]

Originally Posted by v.anand

@Screwdriva, what makes you think Golf comes for Rs. 9 lacs or 10 lacs? It is effectively the next gen of its platform sharing Skoda Laura and VW Jetta sold here. Does that come for those prices? By the way, Laura has a hatch but the body style is popularly known as notch-back. Its by no means a sedan.

My opinion on how it can be priced between 9 - 10 lakhs

1) If the kits come from Mexico
2) Since it does not have a Skoda counterpart which has to be then pushed down by the pricing of Golf
3) If they start assembling the 1.2 petrol and 1.2 diesel in India, then they can also do 1.6 petrol & diesel which are effectively the 4 cylinder versions of the 1.2 engines
4) Plus the parts sharing already in place for Jetta and Laura and possibly Polo and Fabia.

I would expect that the Golf pricing would be neck and neck with Vento i.e they would want us to believe that the Golf is actually Vento minus boot in order to justify the Jetta pricing (still based on Mk. V style).

P.S I keep getting the feeling that the Golfs are here only to validate the 1.6 l engines for India and we may not see them anytime soon till VW picks up more volumes and gets the engine assembly into India.

[imp!]

Okay, to give you an example of where this car can be useful. I routinely have 5 full sized adults in my car when I drive around the city. Personally, I have no qualms driving a "big" car in the city. Others may want a small car that is comfortable, fun and easy to drive in the city. What car would one buy in this case? The ANHC is the only one that fits the bill, but I don't find the city muc fun to drive. If I had those requirements, a decently equipped golf with a 1.4/1.2tsi engine would be my top pick.

If I had the money, I'd be willing to shell out 17-18lacs otr for a gti. As you see an increase in our middle class' purchasing power, I suspect that you will see an array o performance hatches in our country. Most priced between 12 and 20 lacs.

[v.anand]

Point taken with respect to platform sharing. As for pricing between the same platformed cars in VW family, its well established fact the Skoda will be cheaper, then come VW and the highest is Audi. Also, Audi A1 is not yet launched, so nobody knows its pricing. It may not even come to India to not dilute the premium image of Audi. I too get your point Pedal2Metal, but there won't be such huge difference that one costs 9 lacs and the other 15 lacs, everything else remaining the same.

@indivc, there exists the Skoda counterpart in this market, and its Laura. Jetta may be an extended one due to boot, but no such fancy with this Skoda. If Golf is to share platform, then its 95% Jetta like Swift is to Dzire including all interiors and stuff(Indian Jetta is the previous gen one which in due course would be replaced by new one after its launch). Hence, I for one don't expect it to be priced less than the above mentioned cars, which otherwise would be a compromise on engines like the case of Honda with Jazz. Also, as rightly pointed out by you, both 1.2L engines are 3pot versions of their respective 1.6L ones, but they may be restricted to Polo platform alone. Its again a question of diluting the Golf image built up over the years, worldwide. Imagine Golf with the engines of Skoda Laura and there you have a winner even before launch, what with that 1.8 TSI and 2.0 TDI doing badly only because they are Skoda. If VW don't have plans for launch, they may be testing the New Jetta platform, if not the 1.6 engine.

[indivic]

Originally Posted by v.anand

@indivc, there exists the Skoda counterpart in this market, and its Laura. Jetta may be an extended one due to boot, but no such fancy with this Skoda. If Golf is to share platform, then its 95% Jetta like Swift is to Dzire including all interiors and stuff(Indian Jetta is the previous gen one which in due course would be replaced by new one after its launch). Hence, I for one don't expect it to be priced less than the above mentioned cars, which otherwise would be a compromise on engines like the case of Honda with Jazz.

@v.anand, yes the Laura is indeed the counterpart for the Golf, but for the aam (but rich) aadmi, it is a sedan not a hatch so they would view it on par with the Jetta rather than the Golf and the Jetta/Laura is about 30 cms longer than the Golf ,which makes the Golf a smaller car.

I think the Golf VI platform is the same as Golf V, except for the refinement and improvements in cost of manufacturing, otherwise the hard points, suspension and some engines are all carried over from Golf V (this was a major step forward from Golf IV).

I think, VW are going to mull on the Golf for some more time possibly to see if some other markets would open up - e.g manufacturing here for South Africa like Ford, Fiat and MRPL (Logan) do

[dar3dev|l]

caught testing on Thursday in pune

[fz_rider]

@daredevil
Great find! I can see two golf's here. How many car's were there in the convoy?

[ampere]

I dont think VW has started Golf production in India yet.
This would be test mules doing rounds and testing India waters.

But since we are seeing this regularly, something is definitely cooking!

[dar3dev|l]

Originally Posted by fz_rider

@daredevil
Great find! I can see two golf's here. How many car's were there in the convoy?

yeap there were 2 Golfs with the TDI engine

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by dar3dev|l

caught testing on Thursday in pune

Nice catch indeed...! But I do agree with some of the earlier comments that VW may not think of bringing Golf to India. Globally Golf is always positioned above Jetta (even though the latter is MK5 Golf with a boot). Which means the pricing could be somewhere in the range of 12 to 25 L (for the range of Regular Golf to Golf GTI). Wishful thinking is that VW is really serious about India, and they want to offer their full range in the near future

[GTO]

In all probability, the Golf is only being used to test the engine / mechanicals of the upcoming Polo sedan.

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by GTO

In all probability, the Golf is only being used to test the engine / mechanicals of the upcoming Polo sedan.

that the Vento's engines are being tested for Indian conditions. I have read that the engines that are finalised for the Vento are the same as Polo hatch in Europe (expect the power figures in Diesel engine).

I do not think that VW will like to repeat a Jazz story with Golf with its pricing pricing, nor will they like to sell in the same league as Fiat 500.

[stefanm]

I had seen 3 Vw's in testing back in September LHD with German number plates, all diesel one was a Golf the other two were saloons, jetta and something else maybe passat, i was going to buy a mk4 golf diesel gti about 3 years back when i was in the Uk, i had test driven a couple second hand vehicles, which were extremely quick and give phenominal milage, but found them expensive for their age and went for something else, Golfs have always been very good cars and excellent driving experience, they depriciate a lot less than mercs/audi's and bmw's in europe and are considered more reliable. My freind in the UK has a mk2 Gti 16v, the car is an 1989 model, still with original engine(head was reworked 3 yeards back) and absolutly no rust/original paintwork, the car is begining to become a classic, he is constantly being offered a sale, though to date he is refusing. They will probably start at around 10lacs and go up to 20lacs for the top end Gti if assembled over here.

Just my 2 paise

[KALINGA]

Spotted this "GOLF" on JM Road. Took these pics.
Sorry for the poor mobile cam pics.

The wheels are looks huge seems 15 or 16 inch (Not sure).