VW Golf Sportsvan Concept Press Release

7/29/2019 VW Golf Sportsvan Concept Press Release

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VW Golf Sportsvan Concept

Along with the world premieres of the new Golf R (all-wheel drive flagship)and the pioneering e-Golf (high-volume production car with zero tailpipeemissions), at the 2013 International Motor Show in Frankfurt Volkswagen isalso presenting a concept car: the new VW Golf Sportsvan. In thisVolkswagen, the worlds of compacts and minivans meld together into a newvehicle that offers more space for active recreation, family and work. The GolfSportsvan impresses with a perceptibly more spacious and flexible interior(with rear bench seat that offers 180 mm longitudinal adjustment and a cargocapacity of over 1,500 litres) and highly advanced assistance systems. Thesesystems include the Blind Spot Monitor incorporating an assistant for exitingparking spaces, which is being implemented in a Golf for the first time. Whiledriving, the Blind Spot Monitor warns the driver of vehicles in the blind spot.When reversing out of a parking space, the system also recognises

approaching traffic behind the car that can be difficult for the driver to see; notonly can it then warn the driver, but if a collision is imminent, the systemautomatically activates the emergency braking function.

Third Golf body version

The Sportsvan is now the third Golf body version to follow the technical layoutof the modular transverse matrix (perfected package, new engines), and itshows its 'DNA' links to sporty icons such as the Golf GTI. Derived fromthe Golf GTI, for example, is the standard XDS+ system; technical speaking,this electronic differential lock is vehicle dynamic functionality that is

integrated into the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system. XDS+ makesdriving through bends sportier, faster and more precise. The Volkswagen GolfSportsvan is the successor to the Golf Plus, and will appear as a compactminivan in the middle of 2014.

2013 Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan Concept

Model series has great potential

The predecessor of the Golf Sportsvan attained significant market share

within the compact class. For good reason: its elevated seat position, whichoptimised visibility, and the longitudinally adjustable rear bench seat havemade and are still making this Volkswagen an excellent alternative for thosecustomers who want more flexibility, but do not need a classic 'minivan'.Volkswagen has now refined this concept in the Golf Sportsvan, interpreting itmore dynamically and placing it on an even more independent visualfoundation. Consequently, the compact minivan has the potential to extend itsmarket share significantly. The ten top sales volume countries for the newSportsvan are Germany, France and Italy, followed by Austria, Russia,Belgium, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.

Extensive range of standard features


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Like the Golf hatchback and Golf Estate, the Sportsvan will launch in the"Trendline", "Comfortline" and "Highline" trim versions. Even the base versionoffers such standard features as XDS+, the Automatic Post-Collision Brakingsystem, air conditioning, seven airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring indicator,new electronic parking brake with auto-hold function, a 5-inch touchscreen,

variable cargo floor, cargo space cover and practical unlatching of the rearbench backrest from the boot space. The Sportsvan is also the first Golf tooffer steering wheel heating as an option.

Premium class technologies

Highly innovative assistance systems are making their way into the vehicle,such as the aforementioned Blind Spot Monitor with assistant for exitingparking spaces that is being offered for the first time in a Golf. In addition,technologies such as DCC dynamic chassis control, the Front Assistsurroundings monitoring system with City Emergency Braking, adaptive cruise

control (ACC), Driver Alert System, PreCrash Occupant Protection system,Light Assist and Dynamic Light Assist main beam control systems, driverprofile selection, Lane Assist lane-keeping system, Park Assist parkingassistant, an entirely new generation of radio and radio-navigation systems(top system: Discover Pro with WLAN hotspot) and a 400 Watt sound system("Dynaudio Excite") with subwoofer and new centre speaker (high on thedashboard) will be available. Another new system on-board the futureVolkswagen Golf Sportsvan: Car Net for transmitting online information suchas the Google Earth maps service. This means that premium classtechnologies are increasingly making their way into the compact class.

Up to 19 percent more fuel efficient

At its launch in 2014, the Golf Sportsvan will be offered with a range of sixnew engines; they are all equipped with a stop-start system as standard andare up to 19 per cent more fuel-efficient than the previous versions. All of theengines available at market launch conform to the Euro-6 emissions standard.The four turbocharged petrol direct-injection engines (TSI) produce 63 kW /85 PS, 81 kW / 110 PS, 92 kW / 125 PS and 110 kW / 150 PS of power. Therange of the turbodiesel direct-injection engines (TDI) covers two powerlevels: 81 kW / 110 PS and 110 kW / 150 PS. Except for the 63 kW TSI, all of

the engines may be combined with an optional automatic dual clutch gearbox(DSG). The 1.6 TDI BlueMotion with 110 PS is representative of just howefficient the new engines of the Golf Sportsvan are: its estimated fuelconsumption will be a low 3.7 l/100 km (equates to 95 g CO2/km) - the bestvalue in the field of compact minivans.

MQB enables maximum flexibility

The Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan concept car was created as the third bodyversion of the model series, after the classic Golf hatchback and the GolfEstate, and it is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB). Thanks to

this design layout, it was possible to extend the body over its 2,685 mmwheelbase, which is 107 mm longer than that of the Golf Plus. Compared to


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the hatchback Golf and the Golf Estate, the wheelbase has grown by around50 mm.

Longer than the Golf, shorter than the Estate

With a bumper to bumper length of 4,338 mm, the concept car is 134 mmlonger than the Golf Plus, 83 mm longer than the Golf hatchback and 224 mmshorter than the Estate. At 1,807 mm the Sportsvan is just 8 mm wider thanthe Golf and Golf Estate; the previous model was 48 mm narrower. TheSportsvan and Plus are nearly identical in height without roof rails (1,578 and1,580 mm, respectively); the Golf, however, is 126 mm lower, and the GolfEstate without roof rails is 117 mm lower. Also highlighting the dynamicpresence of the Golf Sportsvan is its 20 mm shorter front overhang.Meanwhile, the rear overhang was lengthened by 46 mm; among otherbenefits, this increased the size of the luggage compartment.

Clear positioning

These dimensions show that the Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan is carrying onthe mission of the Golf Plus within the model series. It offers maximum spaceand versatility over an even more compact exterior length - longer than a Golf,shorter than a Golf Estate. Its greater height not only results in more verticalcargo space, but also permits the higher seating position that is appreciatedby many users in this model series. Nonetheless, the Sportsvan, which isequipped with two rows of seats, is lower (-56 mm without roof rails) andshorter (-59 mm) than a Touran, which follows a different interior concept andincorporates up to three rows of seats.

Dynamic proportions

The exterior dimensions of the VW Golf Sportsvan give it a more extendedlook than the Golf Plus; together with its completely new and sharplycontoured styling, this gives it an independent and sophisticated look. With itstaut body shapes and precisely drawn lines, the Sportsvan transfers thedesign quality of the new Golf to the class of compact minivans. The tallerGolf Sportsvan also expresses dynamic proportions with its longer wheelbase,and the extremely prominent character line also unites objectivity and

elegance. "For us, the Golf Sportsvan is an ambassador of a new designidiom. Its quality and precision form the foundation for a dynamic yet smartcharisma," says Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design for the Volkswagen brand.

Side profile

The silhouette of the VW Golf Sportsvan emphasises an extended look, tomake it appear lower and in general sportier than the Golf Plus. Definingdesign traits of the Sportsvan include its very long side window look, sharplydrawn character line that integrates the door handles and which weredesigned specifically for the Golf Sportsvan, the exterior mirrors that are

mounted on the door shoulder, and the D pillars. Klaus Bischoff comments: "Itwas a great challenge and at the same time a great pleasure to implement the


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advantageous proportions of the Sportsvan in an independent form. A typicaltrait of the new design: the prominent character line on the car's sides. Thisonly works if the designers and engineers are following the same goals - ofquality and precision."

In particular, the design team used the prominent character line to create aclean, well-defined shoulder, which gives the car a more muscular, powerfuland wider appearance. The high art of carmaking is not only reflected in thedesign of this line - which appears as though cut by a knife - but also in theproduction of these light-refracting edges that are precisely worked into thedoors, wings, D pillars, headlights and rear lights. Maximum precision is alsorequired in body manufacturing to integrate the door handles with their uppertermination into the character line with millimetre precision. Amongcompetitors, details of this type - if they are implemented at all - are onlyfound in premium class automobiles. The handles are worked so preciselyinto the design of the side line that when viewed from a distance they appear

to meld into the body.

Since the exterior mirrors are, as described, directly mounted on the doorshoulders of the VW Golf Sportsvan, there is room for an additional sidewindow in the vicinity of the A pillar. This improves all-round visibility andstylistically lengthens the surface of the windows. The same applies to the fifthside window at the D pillar, which lengthens the transparent surface towardsthe back of the vehicle and ensures optimal visibility there. Despite thischange, the design of the c-shaped D pillar forms a stylistic bridge to the Cpillar of the classic Golf. Sophisticated: Highline versions of the laterproduction vehicle will include frames in chrome look for the side windows;until now, this detailing was a characteristic of mid- and premium class cars atVolkswagen.

Front end

Designers also defined a new direction when designing the front end. In theVolkswagen Golf Sportsvan, a design was developed for the bonnet and itstransition into the windscreen that makes the vehicle look more extended andelegant - radiating more sophistication. To attain this goal, the strongcharacter line once again comes into play, extending all the way into the

headlights. At the same time, the roof has a distinctive light-refracting edgethat extends from the A pillars down to the radiator grille. Between these linesand the bonnet that is contoured upwards in a V-shape, the designers haveincorporated powerful wings with a shoulder that is also visible here. This hasresulted in a front section that appears longer, more powerful and impressive.

At the same time, the front end now has much more charisma, being basedon a new type of shaping and an independent layout of radiator grille,headlights and bumper. The three horizontal struts of the radiator grilletogether with the headlights and the U-shaped LED daytime running lights ofthe bi-xenon headlights integrated there (optional) create a modern and

passionate interpretation of the horizontally aligned front styling. Other style


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elements are the winglets - struts in the lower area of the bumper that act likesmall wings, framing the middle air intake and the fog lights.

Rear end

The theme of generously sized glass surfaces and optimal visibility is acommon thread running throughout the rear section. Here, in contrast to theprevious model, there is a significantly wider rear windscreen, which providesfor optimal all-round visibility and clean lines. The top of the window is framedby the roof spoiler which has air guide elements worked into its sides. Underthe window are the two-part rear lights, whose shapes form aerodynamictrailing edges and take up the contour of the character line on the sides sothat they meld with the sporty shoulder section.

Interior design - Sophisticated and driver-oriented

Interior designers of the VW Golf Sportsvan created an interior that is as high-end and stylistically sophisticated as it is clean and fresh. The dominantelement here is the newly designed dashboard. Drivers of the current Golf orGolf Estate will find the instruments, central touchscreen of the centre consoleand controls to be familiar. Yet the design of the dashboard, in which all ofthese elements are embedded, was redesigned down to the last millimetre.This is also true of the door trim panels with integrated ambience lighting(standard in "Highline", optional in "Comfortline").

Centre console has a sporty incline

While the Golf Plus had a very vertical dashboard, the one in the Sportsvan isnow more exclusive, lower and wider, and appears to have 'wings' that unfoldto the left and right. In between, there is now a centre console that is inclinedtowards the driver with a touchscreen, climate control switches and the gearshift. The area between the seats ascends forwards near the gear knob justas in a high-class sports car, and this creates an ergonomic environment thatmakes the driver and front passenger forget that they are sitting in a compactminivan. Between the driver and front passenger, there is also a centrearmrest (version-independent; adjustable in height and length) with anintegrated storage compartment and two cupholders. Other practical storage

bins are located on the dashboard above and in the door panels (with storagecapacity for a 1.5-litre bottle in front and a 1.0-litre bottle at the rear). From the"Comfortline" trim version, the production version of the Golf Sportsvan willalso be fitted with sliding drawers under the front seats as well as pockets andfolding tables on the backrests of the front seats. Overall, the high-endplastics and accents are eye-catching, and this creates an ambience whichovercomes traditional boundaries of the compact class and clearly bridgesover to mid-class cars.

Interior concept

The new Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan is a car in which Volkswagen onceagain brings the focus back to maximum on-board comfort. The vehicle is


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already very comfortable to enter, thanks to the wide-opening doors and theelevated seats, as on the previous model. What is known as the H-point (hippoint) of the front seats lies 7 mm lower than in the previous model, but itsheight is 59 to 85 mm above the H-point of the Golf and Golf Estate,depending on the seat height setting. A new feature of the Golf Sportsvan is

the optional ergoActive seat with 14-way adjustment; this very ergonomicdriver's seat offers such features as electric 4-way lumbar support and amassage function. Compared to the previous model, interior length has grownby 30 mm.

Positive atmosphere

Also providing for a very positive atmosphere are a bright "Ceramique"interior, which is being offered for the first time in a Golf, and the large,optional panoramic sliding sunroof whose transparent surface extends into therear seating area.

The new Golf Sportsvan also benefits from the basic concept of the modulartransverse matrix (MQB) in terms of the space it can offer. Although theconcept car is exactly the same height as the previous model, its interiorheight in front was increased by 10 mm to 1,017 mm, and at the rear itimproved 32 mm to a maximum height of 1,008 mm.

More space in the second row

The VW Golf Sportsvan offers significantly more space in the rear seatingarea than the previous model, thanks to its extended wheelbase and largerrear overhang. The maximum distance between the H-points of the front andrear seats was improved from 865 to 898 mm for the second row of seats(rear bench seat adjusted to the rear-most position). In practical terms, thisapproximately 30 mm has a tremendous positive effect, because even peoplemeasuring 1.90 metres can now sit comfortably, one in front of the other.

Multifunctional rear bench seat

As mentioned, another key characteristic of the new version is the 60:40 splitrear bench seat that features individual longitudinal adjustment of its sections.

The entire three-seat bench can be adjusted up to 180 mm in a fore-aftdirection (previous model: 160 mm); as an alternative, the individual seat onthe right side of the vehicle (40 per cent) and the double-seat on the left side(60 per cent) can be individually adjusted over a range of 180 mm. In addition,rear passengers can adjust the angle of their backrests.

Unlatching of the rear seat backrests from the luggage compartment is verypractical. All three rear backrest elements (left 40 per cent, centre 20 per cent,right 40 per cent) can be folded down separately. The straps are in easy-to-access locations in the lower areas of the backrests; when unlatched, thebackrest sections automatically fold forward, creating a nearly level surface

together with the cargo floor. The cargo floor itself can be removed entirely


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very swiftly or adjusted in height. The floor can be latched into a high positionat the same level as the load sill or to 130 mm below it.

Up to 74 litres more cargo space

Compared to the previous model, cargo capacity was increased 74 litres to498 litres (rear bench seat in standard position, which is 50 mm forward of therear-most position).

When the two separately adjustable sections of the rear bench seat aremoved to their front-most positions, up to 585 litres (gain of 66 litres) of cargofit into the luggage compartment of the future Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan.When a cargo deck up to the backrests of the front seats and up to theroofliner is used, a maximum storage capacity of 1,512 litres is available - again of 62 litres.

Interior length

The concept car's maximum interior length of 1,791 mm is a top value in thecompetitive field; the previous model had an interior length that was 31 mmshorter. If the backrest of the front passenger seat is folded down (optionalfeature in all trim versions), this opens up a 2,484 mm long cargo surface thatis completely level. Loading is also easy: the minivan's load sill was loweredby 13 mm to 652 mm, which makes lifting and loading back-friendly.

One of the most versatile vehicles of the compact class. The combination ofdetailed solutions shows that Volkswagen is offering the best of the worlds ofhatchbacks, estate cars and minivans as a new, sporty all-round vehicle in theform of the future Sportsvan. So, in 2014 the European automotive market willbe enriched by one of the most versatile vehicles of the compact class.

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VW Golf Sportsvan Concept Press Release