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I didn't realize VW was even pursuing a hybrid platform as they have been skeptical of the benefits of hybrids in the recent past. Their school of thought seemed to be just continually improve on diesels, and forgo the complexity of hybrids. I guess the popularity hybrids have seen in recent years may have got their attention. If the 69 mpg ascertion is true, this could be a significant vehicle for VW. One in Jetta form would be pretty much a no-brainer too for that matter.

Keep us posted Sam.

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I have been advocating this combo since hybrids first hit the streets. Well done VW

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I'm not surprised VW picked the 7-speed DSG for this, a beefy parallel hybrid is difficult to implement with a manual transmission. It'll be interesting to see where in the driveline they decided to attach the electric motor. The company decided a while ago to discontinue conventional ATs in favor of the cheaper and more efficient DSGs.

However, this combo of diesel engine + DPF + electric motor + power converter + battery pack + DSG + control system will cost a pretty penny. In terms of total cost of ownership, I fear it will only make sense for those who drive well in excess of 20,000km annually in spite of European fuel prices.

A US version would have to feature a lean NOx trap in addition to all the other elements and priced more aggressively. Given the weak dollar, I don't see this crossing the pond at all.

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I agree I don't see this coming to the US. The Diesel engine option alone adds approx $2,000 to the price of the car, add in the hybrid set-up, dollar devaluation and you probably looking at a $28K-30K Golf/Rabbit. That will be a tough sell when a Prius and Civic hybrid are 22K. VW still does not have the most stellar rep for reliability in the US either. A Polo Bluemotion makes more sense for us.

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Could be quite expensive, but i still think this possibly could be one of the versions of the new golf:
Volkswagen did invest millions in development of hybrid platform since the beginning of the 90s and it would just make sense to make some money with the expensive hybrid project. The other big point is Volkswagens new CR-Diesel motors. They have a production cost reduction of 300 to 400 dollars compared to their old diesels. Another point is that Volkswagens cars are all based on some nice modular kit. This could be something interesting for the Passat , the Audi A3 or the Tiguan, because that are cars that sell good although they have high prices.

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I disagree about the price point estimations. I believe if VW wanted to they could make this thing in the US probably at 2k over a prius, considering a diesel engine/nox conversion premium on top, and it'd be worth the 2k extra for the added fuel economy (if in fact they can implement a hybrid drivetrain as well as a prius does).

It probably would also need something to differentiate it from the standard golf.. (if they wanted to siphon off prius buyers that is)

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I am with the others.

Premium for DSG + premium for Diesel + more premium for Tier2 bin 5 cleanup + Hybrid premium = priced out of the market.

A concept at a show doesn't even mean a product in any market, let alone the US market, which if we believe analysts, isn't interested in either hatchbacks or diesels.

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Depending on how you want to look at it, it is either 'hybrid lite' done right, or 'micro-hybrid' super sized!

The helper motor obviates the need for a CVT.

Doesn't the 7 speed dry double clutch transmission reduce the 'cost premium' over the wet clutch DSG.
And isn't the additional cost for a DSG less than a traditional automatic?

Wasn't there a non releated press release that showed the helper motor is clutched directed to the final drive?
So the drivetrain is conceptually simple, and probably not that expensive. The 'problem' is where to put the battery, but if you look under a golf/rabbit you will see that there is plenty of spaces that could be used because of the poor space utilization by VW.
VW just didn't optimize the vehicle because there are so many variants; haldex/non-haldex, VR6, etc., etc.

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Dang I hope they bring that over here..... a biodiesel parallel hybrid. Sweet.

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Auto-motor-sport says the concept will use a 90 hp 1.4 TDI. A new very cost-efficient 3-cylinder CR-diesel-motor. I think this could replace the old 100 hp PD-4-cylinder-Diesel in the next German Golf. The old PD-Diesel was an expensive four cylinder motor. Another statement form the Auto-motor-sport-article was that Volkswagens PR-guy said that this wouldn't stay a concept. I think it is quite likely that the new Golf 6 will have a diesel-hybrid version.

P.S.: Don't forget the cost scaling effects. This is a Golf. If Volkswagen builds one million golf-based diesel-hybrid cars costs will definitely get lower.

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According to VW's own sales figures, combined "Golf/R32/GTI/Rabbit" sales for 2007 is about 41k units.

The audience who would be interested in a hybrid/diesel would be those who bought Rabbit or Golf, which makes up about 25k of the 41k. Even if 50% of all potential Golf buyers would buy a diesel+hybrid, that's about a 12K annual projection. I would have to assume that number is bad for a low-margin vehicle.

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Yeah I meant the German market where the golf is a top seller.

Golf-based cars are:
Audi A3, VW Jetta, VW EOS, VW Golf Plus, VW Tiguan, Skoda Oktavia and VW Touran.

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@eddy

You forgot the Audi TT, VW Caddy, Seat Leon, Altea and Toledo...

there's a lot of stuff on the Golf platform.

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If that thing came over here as an Audi A3 or Audi TT (it will probably lack the "performance" for that badge) I think they could sell them at a price point that makes sense. I, with most other commentators, am skeptical it could arrive in the US (or Europe) at a VW Golf pricepoint.

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It will be pricey but that's the price you have to pay for new concepts, the Prius was a several 1000 $ more a few years ago too.

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I can see this car easily costing a significant amount more than a Prius or Hybrid Civic... but it's a Golf. Can anyone here truly say they would much rather be seen in a Prius over a Golf? Seriously? I have been dying waiting for more Euro makes to bring their diesel cars to the US, but it probably wont happen. That's sad to because they really would do well here, IMHO. About time VW.

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If American car companies had their sh*t together - which they don't - they would have been building gas-hybrids and diesel-hybrids years ago.

Leave it to the rest of the world to actually make progress in transportation technology.

How far will America have to sink before anyone does something about it? Gotta run, gotta go see what Britney and Paris are doing.

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Jake, America wont see the light, because they cannot. The US is like Jurassic Park.
When people loose their ability to think with "common sense", which is very obviously the case in any part of the US society, there is no turning back from the decline until rock bottom.
It doesn't stop me from loving the US though, but it could be so much nicer!

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No matter how one spins it, Golf is a low-margin car. The premium versions of Golf-based vehicles are sports variants, which it pretty much the opposite of the purpose of diesel-hybrids.

Hybrids are not all that popular in Europe, so even if there is a lot of golf-variants sold in Europe, we should only project a small percentage of that would be diesel-hybrids.

The only way this is going to be competitively prices is if VW subsidize the vehicle like Honda and Toyota did with the first generation hybrids. Somehow that seems unlikely. VW isn't doing all that well in US to begin with, and again, I don't know why suddenly European market would warm up to a hybrid car when all the press seems to prefer diesel over hybrid. This really is more of a PR campaign than real commitment in my opinion.

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Check it out:
http://vwgolfhybrid.com

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