QOTD: VW Golf – Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone? [UPDATED]
VW today announced the end of the road for the base Golf for North America. The question is, will you miss the base Golf when it’s gone?
Don’t weep too long, as the 2021 Golf is still being produced in quantities that should last through the end of the year. Before that, a 2022 model, the Golf R, will appear in showrooms, a much more robust package than the current Golf TSI, which features a 1.4-liter turbocharged and direct-injection engine. With 147 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, the TSI engine is mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic. The GTI will also remain.
What is replacing the current Golf will be the 2022 Golf R, a variant we covered previously. The Golf R offers a 2.0-liter EA888 turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 315 hp, 27 more than the prior Golf R, and 310 lb-ft of torque, up from 280 lb-ft, the most powerful hot hatch VW has ever sold, at least in the U.S. With the most sophisticated 4Motion all-wheel-drive system yet, all that power can be routed through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic. The 2022 Golf R can reportedly reach 62 mph in 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph on the track.
The strategy VW is employing is one that will keep the Golf in the U.S., and should satisfy the hardcore loyalists who loved the R32, and will likely buy the new R. We wondered if this wasn’t a game plan Mini should adopt, particularly with their sales off as far as they have been. Maybe if they offered only the John Cooper Works versions of their vehicles, it might make them more profitable, and thus sustain the brand in the U.S. indefinitely. It may be a long shot at this point, but we’d rather see Mini give it a shot rather than just folding their tent and going away.
Ed. note — It has come to my attention that our verbiage in the original story was a bit misleading. This wasn’t our intent, nevertheless, this story has been updated to improve clarity. To be clear — the base Golf remains on sale outside of North America, but won’t be sold in the North American market. The Golf GTI and Golf R will remain available for sale in North America.
[Images: Volkswagen, Mini]
With a father who owned a dealership, I literally grew up in the business. After college, I worked for GM, Nissan and Mazda, writing articles for automotive enthusiast magazines as a side gig. I discovered you could make a living selling ad space at Four Wheeler magazine, before I moved on to selling TV for the National Hot Rod Association. After that, I started Roadhouse, a marketing, advertising and PR firm dedicated to the automotive, outdoor/apparel, and entertainment industries. Through the years, I continued writing, shooting, and editing. It keep things interesting.
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The fun to drive difference between the Golf and the GTI was too big. And the Golf always looked significantly worse. I think this contributed to its downfall in the US. Ever driven a Golf Rabbit MK5 Easily one of the most painfully boring cars to drive ever.
I don't get why VW didn't import Skodas like they planned 5 years ago. They don't even need to use the brand, they aren't above badge engineering (Felicia pickup was a VW Caddy, Rapid was a SEAT Toledo/China Jetta etc), sell them as VW models (Scala as VW Fox, Octavia as Jetta, Kodiak as whatever crossover name they want to use etc.) Or, as they did in China where Jetta is a sub-brand, have "Skoda by VW" as a sub-brand and have VW focus on their new EVs - a clean break from dieselgate while also selling non-EVs.