To replace the Golf Plus model, the German automaker has prepared a larger subcompact van Golf Sportsvan, which in the model range will take an intermediate place between a hatchback and a full-fledged station wagon. The official premiere of the novelty is scheduled for the Geneva Motor Show, but today almost all technical details are known, as well as prices for the German market have been announced. All this allows us to get as close as possible to the Volkswagen Golf Sportsven, which is to reach Russia in the second half of 2014.
The exterior of this compact van was "exposed" last fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but then the novelty was presented to the public just as a concept car. The serial version differs from that version only in small, almost imperceptible touches, so that the dynamic, modern and slightly sporty design of the VW Golf Sportsvan has long and repeatedly been considered from all sides. Note that the novelty has a body length of 4338 mm and a wheelbase of 2685 mm, which is 48 mm more than the standard hatchback of the current seventh generation. The width of the novelty is 1807 mm, and the height is 1578 mm.
The interior of the car received a classic five-seater layout, but at the same time, due to the growth of the wheelbase, German designers managed to significantly increase the amount of free space above the heads, as well as in the legs of the rear passengers. In addition, the Germans preferred to use more expensive finishing materials, which will position the Golf Sportsven as a more luxurious car than a standard hatchback.
We also note the trunk of the novelty, the minimum volume of which varies within 498 - 590 liters, depending on the position of the rear row of seats, which can be displaced in the longitudinal direction by 18 cm.Moreover, if the backrests of the rear seats are folded, the useful volume of the trunk increases to 1520 liters and at the same time allows you to transport lengths up to 2.5 meters.
Specifications. Initially, the line of engines for the Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan will include two gasoline and two diesel engines, already known from the current generation of the hatchback, but in the future the manufacturer promises to add new units to this list.
As for the start of sales, first of all, buyers will be offered a 1.2-liter gasoline engine with 85 hp output, as well as a 1.4-liter petrol engine with 150 hp. The list of diesels will be represented by a 1.6-liter unit with a maximum power of 110 hp. (250 Nm) and a 2.0-liter engine capable of developing up to 150 hp. (320 Nm).
The list of available gearboxes also includes four options: 5 or 6-speed "mechanics", as well as 6 or 7-band "robot" DSG with a dual clutch system.
The new compact MPV is built on the basis of the modular MQB platform, which has been slightly lengthened. The suspension design is no different from the usual Golf: in the front there are MacPherson struts with an anti-roll bar, and in the rear there is a semi-independent torsion bar with coil springs for initial configurations with lower motors or an independent multi-link design for versions with more powerful engines. The front wheels are supplied by the Germans with ventilated disc brakes, but on the rear, as usual, they are limited to simple disc brakes. The rack and pinion steering gear is planned to be supplemented with an electromechanical power steering with a variable gear ratio.
Options and prices. The VW Golf Sportsvan subcompact van will be officially presented during the Geneva auto show, but the release of the new item at the facilities of the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, Germany has already started. It is expected that sales in Germany will begin in March-April 2014, then the new product will enter other European markets, and presumably will reach Russia in the fall. The starting price for Volkswagen Golf Sportsven in Germany is 19,625 euros, and in the Russian market, according to experts, the basic version will be estimated at 900,000-1,000,000 rubles, which is significantly more expensive than the predecessor "Plus".
