VW Golf Cabriolet

The Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet is back! After an absence of almost a decade, the popular convertible has returned and slots below the folding hard-top Eos in the range.

For the first time on an open-top Golf, this model doesn’t get any visible roll-over hoops. Instead, it gets the pop-up system featured in the Eos that activates if the car detects it’s about to flip over. As a result, the design of the car is not as fussy, and it looks a lot more upmarket.

The front and rear lights are LED units as standard which adds to the stylish design, while the canvas roof can be lowered in only 9.5 seconds while driving up to speeds of 18mph – if you are interested in practicality, it's worth noting that there’s still a surprisingly spacious 250-litres boot when it is folded away. 

As well as the practical boot, the Golf Cabriolet boasts the same wheelbase as the Eos which makes seating four tall adults a breeze. Rear seats are comfortable, if a little exposed to the elements with the roof down!

Inside, the cabin layout is identical to the hard-top Golf but some of the materials have been made slightly more durable to deal with the elements. 

The drive will be familiar to Golf owners too. Despite losing the roof, Volkswagen engineers have reinforced the window-frame, cross-members, side-panels and doors to make the drive as sharp as possible.

The steering is precise, responsive and despite slightly more flex in the chassis the newcomer grips and handles just as well as its hard-top sibling. 

On the move, the car also feels surprisingly refined. The fabric roof has an extra insulating layer and the window and door seals have been improved for what Volkswagen claims is class-leading quietness - and on the evidence it’s hard to argue.

Even with the roof down there's very little buffeting or wind noise around the front seats.. You can easily hold a conversation at motorway speeds.

Over bumpy surfaces, the Golf Cabriolet performs well, with only large imperfections unsettling the suspension. The car feels stable, particularly through long, sweeping corners.

On top of that, the 157bhp 1.4-litre TSI unit fitted to our model is smooth, quiet and provides plenty of punch - particularly in the middle of the rev range.

The 1.4TSI is relatively economical, but buyers with an eye on fuel economy can also choose between a 104bhp 1.2-litre TSI, or 1.6-litre TDI engine.

Later 2.0-litre TSI and 2.0-litre TDI engines will be added to the range, boasting 207bhp and 138bhp respectively.

So is this Golf Cabriolet a worthy successor to the legendary machines that came before it? In a word, yes. It's better built, more neatly styled and above all, more luxurious than ever before.

2011 VW Beetle, Bigger and Sportier

The Bug is back – but don’t you dare call it cute! An almost unbelievable 73 years since the Beetle made its worldwide debut, Volkswagen has gone for a tougher look for its MkIII model.

To emphasise its global appeal, the striking new car was simultaneously unveiled this week in Shanghai, New York and Berlin. Simply dubbed The Beetle (dropping the ‘New’), this third-generation model moves away from the soft, cutesy styling of the current model. Instead, the new machine gets a much sportier, coupé-like stance, while retaining the original’s classic proportions.

This means the loss of one the car’s most talked-about features: the dash-mounted flower vase! A VW spokesman explained why: “Clearly the current car’s styling was aimed at the feminine side of the market, and the vase didn’t really fit with this model’s sportier appearance.”

The dynamic styling changes are particularly apparent at the back, where the squared-off rear light clusters now sit flush with the boot lip. Meanwhile, on the most powerful turbo petrol versions, a fixed rear spoiler and twin exhausts add an extra dose of aggression to the styling.

However, despite looking more compact thanks to shorter front and rear overhangs and a lower roof, the Beetle is much bigger than before. It is now slightly longer than the Golf, having grown by 152mm. This should address a criticism of the current car by freeing up more space in the cabin and boot; the latter increases from 209 to 310 litres.

At the front, semi-circular LED strips are integrated into the rounded lights, and the steeply raked screen is mounted further back than before. The squared-off bumper, similar to the latest Passat’s, gives the car a much more masculine face, and 19-inch alloys fill the flared wheelarches.

A powerful new range of four turbos backs the beefed-up looks. The petrol line-up comprises a 1.2 TSI 105, 1.4 TSI 160 and 197bhp 2.0-litre, while the diesel is the ultra-efficient 1.6-litre TDI from the Golf BlueMotion, which makes 65.7mpg. Each unit is available with VW’s slick seven-speed DSG gearbox.

The car is claimed to offer genuine driver appeal, with the top-end Sport-badged petrol versions fitted with VW’s torque-vectoring XDS differential as standard. This brakes the inside wheel in tight corners. Inside, quality has been greatly improved. There’s a far more driver-oriented feel, and sporty touches such as the carbon-effect dash and central instrument pod all add to the effect.

Some retro additions feature, though, with the double-layered glovebox instantly recognisable to owners of the air-cooled original. At launch, there will be three simplified trims to choose from: Beetle, Design and Sport. Yet VW claims there will be a wide scope for personalisation whatever the spec, with more revealed closer to the official launch.

We won’t see the Beetle on UK roads until next January, but when the car does arrive, it will sit just below the equivalent Golf in the line-up. Expect prices to range from around £14,000 for smaller-engined Beetles to more than £22,000 for fully loaded Sport models.

2011 Geneva’s Top 10 new cars

The Geneva Motor Show 2011 has already gone down as one to remember! Given the shear number of new production cars and concepts at the show, it’s fair to say that the automotive industry has shaken off the pain of the past couple of years.

But it seems that the recession has proved to be the mother of reinvention for the car industry, with a host of truly innovative, interesting and exciting new cars making their debut at the Swiss expo.

And you’ve been hooked too, judging from our exception site traffic throughout the show. Here we rank the top 10 new cars.

1. Volkswagen Bulli

Sensational Bulli brings classic van bang up to date, featuring electric drivetrain and seating for six.

2. Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

Alfa’s 4C debuts with 250bhp Giulietta engine and chassis developed by Dallara as evolution of KTM X-Bow.

3. Ford B-MAX

Ford reveals new Fiesta-based MPV at last, featuring unique ‘pillarless’ design.

4. Skoda Vision D

Five-door Vision D concept reveals future design direction for Skoda and offers glimpse of new family car.

5. Lamborghini Aventador

Aventador blasts off to replace Murciélago with hi-tech carbon construction and a 691bhp V12.

6. Saab PhoeniX

Bold new PhoeniX shows brand’s new styling direction and points to look of next 9-3.

7. Toyota FT-86 II

Legendary Celica returns as Toyota debuts close-to-production second FT-86 concept.

8. Fiat 500 Coupe Zagato

Fiat’s 500 gets a coupe makeover from Italian design house Zagato and could preview a production model.

9. Audi A3 saloon

Saloon previews Audi’s next premium family model, joining three-door, Sportback, Avant, Coupe and Cabriolet.

10. Citroen Metropolis

Metropolis revealed in Europe for first time, and production version will top DS range as part of joint venture with Chinese maker.

VW Camper is reborn

Volkswagen has hit a retro bullseye! More than 60 years since the classic camper van debuted, the firm has unveiled the latest incarnation: the Bulli.

Generations of fans have known successive models as the Camper, Type 2, Microbus and Samba bus, but Bulli was the name given to the original van from 1950. It returns in a concept that borrows classic design features such as the oversized front badge, two-tone paintjob and plunging V in the bonnet.

But this latest camper is a thoroughly modern affair. Unlike the rear-wheel-drive original, the newcomer sends drive to the front wheels via an 85kW electric motor drawing power from lithium-ion batteries mounted under the floor.

VW claims the Bulli can cover 0-62mph in 11.5 seconds and go 186 miles on a charge. Petrol and diesel units from 1.0 to 1.4 litres can also be fitted, hinting at powertrains for the forthcoming Up!

The new car is shorter than the original and 2001’s Microbus concept, at just under four metres long. It’s much wider than the old camper, though, allowing for two rows of chairs to seat six, plus a 370-litre boot.

The camper element is also carried over: the benches can be rearranged into a flat bed, or the rear bench folded away to allow for a 1,600-litre boot. Functions including Bluetooth and sat-nav are controlled via a centrally mounted Apple iPad.

VW Design Vision GTI

The Design Vision GTI has been revealed at the Worthersee VW event in Austria. Designed to please the 200,000 fans who are expected to attend the event, which runs from 8-12 May, the Design Vision GTI is intended to show a vision of what a GTI built specifically for racing could look like.

The one-off concept is built on the familiar MQB modular platform, but measures 4,253mm long, 1,442 high and 1,870mm wide, making it 15mm shorter, 57mm lower and 71mm wider than the current VW Golf GTI, giving a more aggressive stance.

Instead of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine used by the GTI, the concept features a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6. As a result, power jumps from 217bhp and 350Nm of torque to 496bhp and 560Nm.

The engine drives all four wheels via a twin-clutch gearbox, while the brakes now feature ceramic discs.

The Vision GTI completes the 0-62mph sprint in 3.9 seconds – down from the 6.5 seconds that a DSG-equipped GTI can manage – while its top speed climbs from 152mph to 186mph.

The Design Vision GTI has been styled by Marc Lichte, Andreas Mindt and Philipp Romers, the same team that penned the latest Golf and GTI models.

Finished in white, with piano black trim, the Design Vision GTI takes the subtle but striking design features of the standard car and exaggerates them.

For example, the curvy C-pillar now sticks out, almost like a flying buttress that's separate from the car bodyside, while the rear diffuser has grown significantly. Likewise, the front wheelarches are much more aggressive, and now flare out with vents in front of and behind them, and 20-inch wheels closely fill the arches.

Inside, the controls on the dash have been minimised, so the buttons for the three driving modes – street, sport and track – are now on the steering wheel, while the dashboard itself is now more angled towards the driver.

The interior is constructed from carbon fibre and alcantara, and features the same red fabric loop door closers as used in Porsche Cup cars.

As it’s designed as a racer, the Vision GTI has an X-shaped cross brace instead of rear seats, and built-in helmet storage. The car also has a display of the current racetrack you’re driving on, along with split times of other cars.

Sadly there are no plans to build a production version of the concept. Much like VW's previous Worthersee Golfs - such as the mid-engined Bentley-W12-powered Golf W12-650 - the Vision is more an excuse to let the firm's designers let off some steam.

Nissan Golf?

Well after Nissan recently teased five redesigned models and with rumors circulating that the Japanese brand is considering a sub-370Z sports car, Nissan definitely has its fair share of projects on hand. But that’s not all, as the company recently announced that it will produce a brand new vehicle to compete with the VW Golf, Ford Focus, and Citroen C4 from 2014 onwards at its British production facility.

Very few details about this new hatchback have been released, but it’s been confirmed that in excess of 1000 jobs will be created in the United Kingdom because of it, with 225 being directly involved in the production of the car. The remaining jobs will be created in companies supplying components for the car.

Nissan’s chief operating officer, Toshiyuki Shiga said, “Nissan already produces more vehicles in Europe than any other Asian manufacturer and the model announced today will bring world-class quality and leading technology to our customers at the heart of the European C-segment."

In order to compete with the VW Golf and the Ford Focus, Nissan will have to create a car that can be easily upgraded and modified for future variants as both the Golf and Focus are offered in array of different versions.

Additionally, Nissan will have to develop new systems for the car as there’s no way it’ll be able to recycle all the required components from its extensive range of cars. In saying that however, we wouldn’t be surprised if the new hatchback came fitted with the same 1.6-liter engine as the base Juke, which has already proven itself to be quite capable.