Volkswagen is aiming to corner the market for small cabriolets by offering this soft-top Golf alongside its folding hard-top Eos and, from next year, a new Beetle convertible.
Having made its public debut at the Geneva show, the Golf cabriolet brings open-air motoring back to VW’s mid-size hatchback for the first time since the facelifted Mk3 version that was sold alongside the Mk4 until 2002.
See the official pics of the VW Golf cabrio plus pics from the show
The Golf follows the Audi A3 (and previous Golf cabrios) by having a folding fabric roof. VW claims the unit opens in 9.5sec, and says it can operate at speeds of up to 30km/h (19mph).
Unlike previous Golf drop-tops, the Mk6 doesn’t get a fixed rollover hoop. Instead, it uses the same deployable system that has featured in the Eos and the Beetle cabriolet. VW claims the car offers 250 litres of boot space, even with the roof retracted.
Read the full story on the revised VW Eos
The front-end styling is pure regular Golf hatch, but at the rear the cabrio gets GTI LED tail-lights and a redesigned bootlid to aid access. A chrome strip highlights a crisp, unbroken line that extends from the base of the A-pillars all the way around the cabin.
VW will offer six powerplants. Petrol engines include a 103bhp 1.2, 122bhp and 158bhp 1.4s and a 208bhp 2.0, while the diesels are a 103bhp 1.6 and a 2.0-litre unit producing 138bhp. Transmissions will be five and six-speed manuals or six and seven-speed DSGs.
The car will be offered in one trim level, with single options and ‘packs’ available as add-ons.
John McIlroy
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