For some readers, it might seem a little too early in the series to be talking about an all-new Volkswagen Golf. The current model, after all, was only released a couple of years ago! Sure, in Australia. The MkV (Mark 5) Golf has, however, been around since 2003 in the European market—so it’s in fact getting a little long in the tooth depending on how you look at it.
News comes today though that the next Golf may not even make it to Australia after all. German news website Spiegel Online (good ol’ Spiegel) has reported that concerns over the exchange rates in Australia (and in the US and Brazil, for that matter) are giving the beancounters at Volkswagen reason to think twice about sending the Golf to our golden shores. In the end, it’s all about profitability, and the story is that the new Golf simply wouldn’t meet Volkswagen’s minimum targets if sold in our tiny little market. Spiegel report that VW chief Martin Winterkorn advised the board that they would not be selling the car in Australia, Brazil, or the US, and that’s that.
The Golf is currently one of the world’s top sellers in its segment, and so when put in that perspective, it’s likely of little consequence to Volkswagen—image aside—if they decide not to bring us a new Golf.
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I was hoping this would be an April’s Fool joke, but it’s June.
This ‘ll be like a return to the bad old days of the eighties when all we got here was the Transporter.
They’re not going to achieve their desired aim to topple Toyota with this attitude.
i agree, it’s an error of judgement to NOT bring the golf into Aus, especially after it’s had and still has great sales, unless they know that the next golf might be worse than the mark 4, otherwise it makes no sense.
Australia needs real cars like the golf, and less lemons (toyota hyundai kia holden) on the road.
I find it very hard to believe that VW will do this when they have their sights set on Toyotas crown and have spent so long re-establishing their reputation in Australia.
Speigel or no Speigel, I guess the proof will be in the pudding.
Shouldnt we be talking about markV 5 current & markVI 6 pending?
Doesn’t quite make sense. Our exchange rate appreciation favours importation not visa versa. If they hold prices their will be more margin in it. The $USD depreciation would make it harder for VW to crunch the numbers.
& I thought the Mark 6 is being brought to market with the express intent to pull cost out of the platform. It seems in the early days MK 5 was costing VW about $1500 per car on the count of the President Ferdinand Peich of VW ordering the torsion beam suspension srapped late in its development for a multilink setup after driving a Ford Focus.
For real? How stupid - so we’re not going to get a Golf *at all*?? The Golf has been sold here (on and off) since the Mark I and has had a strong following ever since.
with the $aud worth more than its been in 20years, these comments are garbage
it is scheduled here…. i think this is a bit of a porky pie story!
I have been really looking forward to the Golf VI. VW will be letting a lot people down here.
If the only reason is our exchange rate, this is all false. Conquistador is correct in saying that our higher exchange rate makes it cheaper for importers (Also why there is a much smaller profit margin in the US for the Aussie-built Commodore than there would have been 5 years ago).
I don’t believe it. If VW are serious about being the Numero Uno in car production then all markets matter. Nah this is rubbish, VW’s big blunder if its true.
Autoblog spoke with the head of Volkswagen North America, who confirmed that the U.S. would be getting the Golf MkVI (including the MkVI GTI).
Doesn’t our Golf come from South Africa, anyway? Golf is practically Volkswagen’s flagship product in Australia; it’s the equivelent of Toyota discontinuing the Corolla or Holden refusing to build a new Commodore.
It will be here. Bet you anything.
VW Aust said that it’s, quote, “not true”.
This story is a storm in a teacup. What’s the point of writing it when we all knew it wasn’t true?
guys i work at a VW dealer and its defentially coming, its cheaper to build than the current golf and will have a lot of new volkswagen group technology, this story is very untrue!
Bloody Spiegel. I seriously doubted the claims, it would have been a massively bad move on VW’s part, particularly with their sites so firmly set on trumping Toyota.
remembering that Australian supply will depend on Sith Aarfricken production.
Its likely the Rabbit will be produced in Seppoville negating exhange rate considerations.
Change the name to Golf in america might sell a few more too.
“Change the name to Golf in america might sell a few more too.”
I think they tried that a couple of years ago actually, and ended up changing it back to Rabbit in response to popular opinion!
Sorry guys didnt mean for you guys to sound like liars but i have seen some of the stuff coming on it and is going to be very good.
No worries tonyn, no offence has been taken. I’m glad that Spiegel’s claims are incorrect to be honest.
The info is incorrect. It is coming here from as vwoa said its on the cards.