Currently reading: Sao Paulo motor show 2012: VW Gol
Volkswagen has revealed the three-door version of Brazil's best-selling car, the Volkswagen Gol

A new three-door version of the Volkswagen Gol, Brazil's best selling car has been revealed at the São Paulo motor show.

The locally produced Gol has been Brazil's best selling model in each of the last 25 years, and is on track for a 26th in 2012. More than seven million units have been produced in that time.

The Gol is closer to a current Volkswagen Polo than a Volkswagen Golf in size, and although VW officials wouldn't confirm its exact underpinnings in relation to a more familiar European model, it has been upgraded to be given the VW Group's latest electrical architecture and design.

The engine line-up is made up of FlexFuel units, which can run on petrol, ethanol or a combination of both.

The Gol is such a success for VW in Brazil, a market expected to expand to 5 million sales per year by 2018, that if it was a brand by itself it would be the fourth largest in Brazil with a 10 per cent market share.

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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superstevie 22 October 2012

Also according to wiki, the

Also according to wiki, the one that's being replaced "shares Volkswagen's PQ24 platform with the Fox and Polo, with some components from the PQ25 platform."

TS7 22 October 2012

VAG 'B' platforms have

VAG 'B' platforms have traditionally featured longitudinal engine mounting with front wheel drive.

AutoChomp 22 October 2012

The old Gol used to be based

The old Gol used to be based on a mk2 Golf. Sold in Brazil, Mexico and South Africa mostly. Similar to VW in China it had a newer front end, similar to the new at the time MK4 golf. Weird looking.

TegTypeR 22 October 2012

AutoChomp wrote: The old Gol

AutoChomp wrote:

The old Gol used to be based on a mk2 Golf. Sold in Brazil, Mexico and South Africa mostly. 

I'd debate that.  If you look on the VW Brazil web site they show pictures of the engine which is mounted longitudinally, suggesting it is a rear driver.

AutoChomp 22 October 2012

Its not.... On wiki pedia

Its not.... On wiki pedia there is a even newer facelift than I have seen. Looks more like a mk3 polo rear now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Gol#Gol_G2_to_G4

 

There was a Gol GTI in the version I was on about based off the mk2 golf. This is the one I was on about

http://www.marcosarouca.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/carrosdossonhos001.jpg

2.0 8v with just over 110BHP

 

Recently they have got the 1.0 Turbo with 112BHP