2012 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet
The first Volkswagen Cabriolet—based on the first-generation Rabbit—was a huge success, but the company’s last economy convertible was the Golf III, face lifted in 1999 to resemble the Golf IV. After that, the Golf Cabrio's place in the lineup was filled by the Beetle convertible and, to a lesser degree, the Eos. But VW has reconsidered and is re-launching the softtop Golf Cabriolet at the 2011 Geneva auto show. It is based on the current Golf MkVI and arrives curiously late, considering that the entirely new Golf MkVII is just around the corner. Perhaps another cross-generational freshening is in the plans.
In any event, the sixth-gen Golf is one of our favorite compact cars, and, at least aesthetically, the removal of its top worked out beautifully. A chrome strip around the shoulder stretches the Golf Cabriolet’s visual length, and the fabric roof disappears almost entirely when lowered. Aside from toplessness, visual variations from the fixed-roof Golf are few: The windshield is more canted, and Golf R–style LED taillights are standard.
Why Cloth Tops are Great
The trunk holds nine cubic feet of luggage regardless of whether the Cabrio’s top is open or closed. By contrast, the metal-roofed Eos can hold 11 cubic feet with the top up, but only seven when it’s stowed—and it is 8.2 inches longer than the Golf.
The Golf Cabriolet’s cloth top—which features a glass window—is built at the former Karmann plant in Osnabrück. Volkswagen claims it is so well insulated that the Cabrio will be one of the quietest convertibles on the market. The roof lowers fully in just 9.5 seconds and at speeds up to 18 mph, so drivers won’t have to worry about ticking off drivers behind them when they use a red light to drop the top, only to be surprised by a premature green. Instead of a fixed roll bar, rollover protection behind the rear seats deploys instantly if necessary. A fixed roll bar would have aided structural rigidity, however. Despite the absence of one, the Golf Cabriolet is reinforced in several key areas. The sills and rear subframe are strengthened, and diagonal members in the floorpan further aim to keep the convertible tight and relatively rattle-free.
A Very European Engine Lineup
VW will offer the Golf Cabriolet with six engines, all of them turbocharged and direct injected. The four-cylinder gas lineup includes a 105-hp, 1.2-liter; a 122-hp, 1.4-liter; the 160-hp, 1.4-liter Twincharger; and the GTI's wonderful 210-hp, 2.0-liter. The most powerful engine, sadly, will not be available with a manual transmission. Diesel proponents will be able to choose between 105-hp, 1.6-liter and 140-hp, 2.0-liter fours.
In metropolitan areas plagued by parking troubles, the Golf Cabrio’s smaller footprint alone is good reason to choose it over the recently face-lifted Eos—and there is something to be said for the simplicity and quick operation of the fabric roof as well. But American urbanites won’t know what they’re missing, because the Golf Cabrio won't be offered in the U.S. Being built in Europe, it would have to be significantly more expensive than the next-generation Beetle convertible, which technically will be positioned as a premium variation of the Golf. Moreover, its pricing would then step on that of the Euro-built Eos, from which it would cannibalize sales.
Frankly, we’re just glad the Golf Cabriolet will come with a fabric roof as opposed to a retractable hardtop. Considering the fact that folding hardtops are heavier, slower, and eat up far more trunk space when stowed, it’s a trend that many of us feel can’t end soon enough.
The first Volkswagen Cabriolet—based on the first-generation Rabbit—was a huge success, but the company’s last economy convertible was the Golf III, face lifted in 1999 to resemble the Golf IV. After that, the Golf Cabrio's place in the lineup was filled by the Beetle convertible and, to a lesser degree, the Eos. But VW has reconsidered and is re-launching the softtop Golf Cabriolet at the 2011 Geneva auto show. It is based on the current Golf MkVI and arrives curiously late, considering that the entirely new Golf MkVII is just around the corner. Perhaps another cross-generational freshening is in the plans.
In any event, the sixth-gen Golf is one of our favorite compact cars, and, at least aesthetically, the removal of its top worked out beautifully. A chrome strip around the shoulder stretches the Golf Cabriolet’s visual length, and the fabric roof disappears almost entirely when lowered. Aside from toplessness, visual variations from the fixed-roof Golf are few: The windshield is more canted, and Golf R–style LED taillights are standard.
Why Cloth Tops are Great
The trunk holds nine cubic feet of luggage regardless of whether the Cabrio’s top is open or closed. By contrast, the metal-roofed Eos can hold 11 cubic feet with the top up, but only seven when it’s stowed—and it is 8.2 inches longer than the Golf.
The Golf Cabriolet’s cloth top—which features a glass window—is built at the former Karmann plant in Osnabrück. Volkswagen claims it is so well insulated that the Cabrio will be one of the quietest convertibles on the market. The roof lowers fully in just 9.5 seconds and at speeds up to 18 mph, so drivers won’t have to worry about ticking off drivers behind them when they use a red light to drop the top, only to be surprised by a premature green. Instead of a fixed roll bar, rollover protection behind the rear seats deploys instantly if necessary. A fixed roll bar would have aided structural rigidity, however. Despite the absence of one, the Golf Cabriolet is reinforced in several key areas. The sills and rear subframe are strengthened, and diagonal members in the floorpan further aim to keep the convertible tight and relatively rattle-free.
A Very European Engine Lineup
VW will offer the Golf Cabriolet with six engines, all of them turbocharged and direct injected. The four-cylinder gas lineup includes a 105-hp, 1.2-liter; a 122-hp, 1.4-liter; the 160-hp, 1.4-liter Twincharger; and the GTI's wonderful 210-hp, 2.0-liter. The most powerful engine, sadly, will not be available with a manual transmission. Diesel proponents will be able to choose between 105-hp, 1.6-liter and 140-hp, 2.0-liter fours.
In metropolitan areas plagued by parking troubles, the Golf Cabrio’s smaller footprint alone is good reason to choose it over the recently face-lifted Eos—and there is something to be said for the simplicity and quick operation of the fabric roof as well. But American urbanites won’t know what they’re missing, because the Golf Cabrio won't be offered in the U.S. Being built in Europe, it would have to be significantly more expensive than the next-generation Beetle convertible, which technically will be positioned as a premium variation of the Golf. Moreover, its pricing would then step on that of the Euro-built Eos, from which it would cannibalize sales.
Frankly, we’re just glad the Golf Cabriolet will come with a fabric roof as opposed to a retractable hardtop. Considering the fact that folding hardtops are heavier, slower, and eat up far more trunk space when stowed, it’s a trend that many of us feel can’t end soon enough.
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