vw-golf-the-update-2017
The 2017 VW Golf Is Light On Style But Packs In More Tech
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OK so if you live in the world of the automotive media bubble you actually start to believe the hype. Then reality sets, someone from VW Towers UK HQ, or where ever, releases the press copy. You look at the bullet points first and then you spend longer looking at the official press images. You scour the images to see what the fuss was all about and realise yet again the power of the word is mightier then the sword and image. So this is the new Golf, although it really isn’t new it’s a mid-life refresh for the exterior and interior. But this refresh packs in more useless tech that on paper sounds amazing but in reality is as distracting to operate as an idiot using a mobile phone when driving. But there are a few firsts VW have introduced for the compact class of cars the Golf is resides in and is king of it’s domain. These new features will include gesture control and semi-autonomous driving. vw-golf-the-update-interior These high-tech features are usually found in premium luxury cars  such as the BMW 7 Series. By adding these features VW hope to stave off the compact class war with it’s rials from BMW and Mercedes. If you have used gesture controls on the XBox or Playstation then you can now get these features for the Golf. For example you can select your music media files simply by waving your hand in front of the screen. There is a reason the introduction of these gadgets, the compact class in terms of sales is beginning to stagnate as buyers trend towards compact and mid-sized SUV’s. By adding more features VW hopes to stem the flow of buyers slowly from it’s main bread winner to another class of car which requires new investment and time to grow. vw-golf-the-update-interior It isn’t all doom and gloom for the Golf it is still the number one compact car sold in Europe, only VW need to add sales year-on-year because stagnating sales means stagnating profit margins. Nevertheless these updates will also include a newly developed 7-speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG) whch will gradually replace all 6-speed DSGs for the Golf. Revised front and rear sections with new bumpers will now incorporate full LED tail lights, top-of-the-range versios will feature animated indicators. Brand new LED headlights replace all Xenon headlights for the 2017 model year Golf and Golf Variant. vw-golf-the-update-family-dailycarblog The engines which range from the turbocharged 1.6-litre diesel, 2.0-litre diesel and 1.0-litre three cylinder engine will be joined by a new 1.5-litre, 4 cylinder TSi petrol unit which will output 148bhp, a claimed 57.6mpg and a claimed CO2 output of 110g.km. A bluemotion version will join the range later in the year to compliment the hybrid. The interior gets a new infotainment 6.5-inch touchscreen system as standard, mid-level spec models get 8-inch touchscreens while options include a larger 9.2-inch unit. Other options will include the 12.3-inch digital instrument binnacle currently used on Audis. And what of the Golf GTi, it gets 10bhp more, power is increased form 217bhp to 227bhp with the GTI Performance now maxing out at 242bhp. So much choice on offer. But if you are not impressed with these updates then perhaps you should wait until 2018 when the real all new Golf will be revealed. Availability of the updated 2017 Golf will begin in April next year, no prices have been announced just yet but expect a light increase, by less than £100GBp.  vw-golf-the-update-2017
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