The new Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet returns to the Golf line after a two (and a half) generation absence, its place in Volkswagen’s line-up taken by the similar-sized Eos.
Built on the same platform as the current Golf 6 hatch, itself inherited from the previous Golf 5, the two-door Cabriolet gets an electro-hydraulic folding roof that can be lowered or raised in 9.5 seconds, at speeds up to 30km/h. As with most convertibles, the windscreen of the Golf Cabriolet takes on a more raked profile, leading to a lower overall roofline. VW claim the Golf Cabriolet to be one of the quietest convertibles on the market, attributable to the new optimised soft top.
Like the Eos and Beetle Cabrio before it, the new Golf Cabrio does away with the centre-mounted rollbar that was a standout feature of previous Golf Cabrio generations, replaced with the same protective pop-up bars featured with the Audi A3 convertible.
The engine line-up includes six turbocharged direct-injection engines, with power outputs ranging from 77 kW to 155 kW. Four of the petrol engines (TSI) and one diesel (TDI) are available with the DSG dual-clutch gearbox; while three of the engines are available with energy-saving BlueMotion Technology. Just how efficiently the new Golf Cabriolet handles fuel is illustrated by the 1.6 TDI BlueMotion that sips just 4.4 L/100 km.
The new VW Golf Cabriolet is scheduled to arrive in South Africa during the first half of 2012. The question is, how will the topless Golf and Eos play together in their small South African market?
