We last wrote about the Golf 7 some days back, at the Malaysian debut of the car. The big question on everyone’s mind at the time was its price – how much would the Golf 7 cost? Most were expecting a slight increment, so when it was finally revealed to us media folks that the price would remain at RM158k, you can imagine some of us were mildly surprised. Price aside, we’ve just gotten back from the drive to Penang, and can share some of the first impressions we’ve gained over the short trip.
Earlier tonight, Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) finally unveiled the seventh iteration of the Golf to the Malaysian public. In typical VW fashion, the launch was a well-planned event at an airplane hangar, with performances to entertain the crowd of both guests and media folk. Many of you would have no doubt already seen pics of the new Golf, but we’ve got to say that the new car looks much better in person than it does in pictures; more chiseled and angular than its predecessor.
GTI fans rejoice! Whilst we wait patiently for VGM to start selling the Mk7 Golf TSI locally (and this should be relatively soon), we’ve already been waiting for Volkswagen to let loose more details about the Mk7 Golf GTI. Well, that time is now because Volkswagen has said it will introduce the Mk7 Golf GTI at the Geneva International Motor Show (March 7-17th 2013). There’s a twist this time, because the new GTI will be offered in two flavours: a standard 220PS or a GTI Performance with 230PS and a front axle differential lock.
Since its establishment back in 1993, McKee Racing is one of the top and trusted tuners that one could find in Malaysia. Starting off its journey tweaking JDM machines into barely road-legal monsters, McKee now widens up their scope by also getting their hands dirty on European cars and being a specialist in tuning Nissan’s new monster, the GT-R. But it does not stop there as McKee is always set to give the customers a satisfying experience by also providing them events and activities for them to participate, like what we have seen last weekend through their inaugural McKee Festival of Speed.
Featuring an all-Euro lineup, the top tuner from Sunway’s horsepower valley shook the Sepang International Circuit wide awake with the roar of thousands of wild horsepower waiting to be unleashed. A huge number of famous European marquees crowd the pits and the circuit, all ready to spend the weekend with an ample dosage of speed and adrenaline. Read the rest of this entry »
Some might view Sundays as a perfect opportunity to kick in and have some time out, which also includes hanging up the car keys to let the engine rest for a bit. While that might have sounded great for some, the Emperor Touge guys however prefer to do otherwise. Rather than snoozing off the sunny Sunday morning of 30th September, they fired up their rides to again conquer the twisty uphill course of Genting Highlands for the umpteenth time.
It looked more like a stunt that the three chaps at Top Gear UK would have performed. But instead, we have David Coulthard, a former Formula 1 racing driver to perform yet another crazy challenge that involves cars moving at high speeds. Unlike the “Genesis vs Arrow” challenge that just requires the car to outrun the arrow before reaching the target, this one is going to be a bit trickier.
A tennis ball has the ability to travel to speeds up to 250km/h, and that is not one would call “slow”. But a golf ball could go faster than that. And armed with an SLS AMG Roadster, Mr. Coulthard will attempt to catch the speeding golf ball while falling from the skies. Sounds easy? Not really. Unlike the arrow stunt, this requires the full coordination of the golfer and the driver like where the ball is heading, and where the driver should be heading to. And after the golf ball leaves the tee, it is up to Mr. Coulthard’s own eyes to spot and track the ball until it lands into the convertible. Speed is also an issue too, as the ball could go to a speed of around 290km/h!
It’s been 10 years since Peugeot last slapped on the GTI badge on a car in the same class as the 308 and for many, it’s been a long wait. And after a decade, Peugeot’s reemergence into the category is in the form of a 1.6-liter THP 199hp 308 GTI that will effectively makes it a direct competitor to the Golf GTI – the benchmark GTI for this segment.
The THP engine will also be powering the upcoming RCZ model and features a twin-scroll turbocharger and a high pressure direct-injection system with variable valve and timing injection. It produces an incredible 275Nm of torque and is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. This combination allows the 308 GTI to make the sprint to 100km/h in just 7.7-seconds while fuel consumption figures stand at 6.9 liter/100 km.
Volkswagen has revealed its much anticipated Polo GTI ahead of its official unveiling in Geneva next month and together with these pictures are almost complete details of the inner workings of this fifth-generation Polo GTI.
The GTI will appear as both a three and five-door model but expect only the four door models to make it to the Malaysian market. To power the new VW, engineers are using both the twin-charged 1.4-liter TSI engine and seven-speed DSG transmission from the Seat Ibiza Cupra. A major step away from the previous generation Polo, the new GTI will feature steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters. Read the rest of this entry »
A new video from Volkswagen showcasing the Scirocco R and Golf R in action. The new Scirocco R will be powered by a turbocharged 2-liter engine with 265hp and 350Nm of torque at it’s disposal. Transmissions on offer will be a manual six-speed shifter or an optional dual-clutch DSG gearbox (which will very likely make its way here). The Scirocco R will run from 0-100 in 6.5 seconds before maxing out at a electronically limited 250km/h.
On the other hand, the Golf R uses a turbocharged 2-liter TSI engine (with direct injection) which is good for 270hp and 350Nm of torque. The Golf R will channel all that power to the tarmac via an all-wheel-drive system similar to the one in the R32 and despite the weight gain, the car accelerates from 0-100 in 5.7 seconds (5.5 with DSG) and will also be electronically limited to 250km/h.
Expect the Scirocco R and Golf R to make it to our shores sometime next year. Read the rest of this entry »
Volkswagen has just released its second new R model in its current line-up at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Golf R shares its underpinnings with the recently-unveiled Scirocco R and also features VW’s 4Motion AWD to its drive-line. Read the rest of this entry »