According to Volkswagen, their ultra-flexible MQB technology allows the company to make almost any sort of variant based on the Golf. Indeed, that flexibility was a big part of the Motor Trend Car of the Year award presented here today to the Golf family – MT Editor-in-Chief Ed Loh praised the VW’s range of diesel, electric, and turbocharged gasoline power plants.
One half-hoped that Mr. Loh would have asked Volkswagen America CEO Michael Horn if the Golf R Sportwagen shown here today would be available in North America, and if the answer was “No,” then snatched the trophy back. VW can be such a tease sometimes: the car in question packs 292 hp, sprints to 100 km/h in a hair over five seconds, comes equipped with all-wheel drive, and still manages a 7.0 L/100 km mixed-mileage rating. Will we get it? Don’t hold your breath.
Also on stage was the R400 concept, which is essentially a near-400-hp ultra-GTI. VW calls it a concept, but could also quite easily move it into production. Less likely to ever enter production anywhere is the GTI Roadster Vision, an open-air two-seater turbo-Golf with wild styling which will only ever be driven virtually. You can’t buy it, but you can at least hit the digital roads and tracks if you’ve got a copy of Sony’s Gran Turismo.
Lastly, VW showed off their readiness to put fuel-cell vehicles into production – if and when the time is right. Their Hymotion fuel-cell concept is based on the VW Sportwagen, and allows for 500 km of range, a 0-100 km/h time of around 10 seconds, and it can be refuelled with hydrogen in minutes. The infrastructure isn’t quite there yet, but as it develops, VW will be happy to take advantage. Sooo, how ’bout that Golf R Sportwagon? We’ve got the gas pumps for that already…
