Filed under: Diesel, Hybrid, Volkswagen, Geneva Motor Show
VW Golf TDI Hybrid probably dead in the water
When Volkswagen showed off the Golf TDI Hybrid at the Geneva Motor Show last month there was plenty of interest in the 69mpg concept. The combination of a 1.2L diesel, hybrid electric drive and a 7 speed DSG transmission yields some seriously thrifty performance. Unfortunately all that cool hardware adds up to quite a bit of cost and it now looks like the bottom line is too big to justify for a car in the Golf's market segment. German magazine Auto Motor und Sport is reporting that the Golf TDI Hybrid will not come to pass. Instead, VW will combine the hybrid system with a 1.4 TFSI four cylinder. In the Geneva press release VW said "The Golf TDI Hybrid is currently a concept vehicle, but a version of this vehicle is likely to go into production in the future." VW of America Spokesman Keith Price told ABG that no firm production plans were announced and the car was just a concept. With the U.S. dollar in continued decline, it seems unlikely we'll see anything as fancy as the TDI hybrid or any other hybrid until VW gets a U.S. production site on-line.
[Source: Auto Motor und Sport (print only), via The Truth About Cars]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Wildgoosechase73 4:25PM (4/23/2008)
This proves the point that advanced technology is great but somebody has to pay for it. Sure 69 mpg great cocktail party discussion but American buyers are more impressed by a hybrid Tahoe getting 22 that holds the whole family, the dogs, camping gear and tows the travel trailer.
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StockDad 5:08PM (4/23/2008)
There are a whole lotta those Tahoe hybrids rotting on dealer lots, friend...
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paulwesterberg 5:23PM (4/23/2008)
VWs latest innovations are all aimed at wringing performance gains out of traditional ice powertains.
Pure electric can provide better efficiency with less cost. You dont need a fancy transmission.
The Peugeot 308 diesel-electric hybrid at 75mpg looks like it could end up owning the market in Europe. Hopefully Peugeot will sell them here after they buy a bankrupt GM for peanuts.
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Karkus 5:40PM (4/23/2008)
From what I've heard, there aren't nearly enough Tahoes being made to meet demand. But that's only because they aren't making very many.
http://www.hybridcars.com/news/can-gm-ramp-up-hybrid-sales.html
Only 655 Tahoe+Yukon hybrids were sold Jan-Mar 2008.
Too bad about VW hybrid - but VW seems to change their position on hybrids every few months, so this may not be the last work. As for the 308 hybrid, it seem to be delayed until 2011
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/02/20/psa-pushes-back-diesel-hybrid-and-moves-it-upmarket/
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armmat 7:58PM (4/23/2008)
The Germans can't build anything simply. They need to over complicate everything. Counting on them to come up with new technology is like counting on GM to build a truly fuel efficient car.
VW, Audi, BMW, Benz...wastes of time. Overweight pieces of shit.
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Tonerman 10:15AM (8/07/2008)
Anyone who can't make a reasoned argument without using gutter language can safely be disregarded.
Noz 12:42PM (8/07/2008)
Disregarded? LOL...it's you who are getting the shaft and disregarded by VW...
Enjoy the loss...
Snowdog 8:50PM (4/23/2008)
How about just giving us the Diesel Golf with all the Aero pieces and optimized gearing for mileage.
That would give you most of the mileage and be MUCH cheaper than adding hybrid.
Start building efficient, aerodynamic cars with optimized gearing and low rolling resistance tires.
Why aren't we getting efficiency optimized product in this market??
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GenWaylaid 12:44AM (4/24/2008)
I'm with Snowdog. Most of my driving is on the highway, so I have little if any need for a hybrid system. Air drag and gearing mean a lot more to me.
Dump the extra weight and complexity of the hybrid and just bring the U.S. a more efficient Golf. Heck, even the 1.4L gas engine sounds pretty good compared to the current 2.5L standard unit. I'm confident I could break 50 mpg with that, and that would be just fine.
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eddy 5:11AM (4/24/2008)
Hmm, AMS seems to be the only magazine that found out that the diesel-hybrid won't be produced. Anyway I think that the electric Lupo II will be more interesting than the Golf Hybrid.
@armmat
German engineering is always over-complicated. But there were lot of breakthroughs in new automotive technologies by these companies.
For example:
-permanent All-wheel-drive (1984 Audi)
-ABS (1978 Mercedes)
-passive safety features (1960 Mercedes)
-gasoline direct-injection (1990 Volkswagen)
-ESP (Mercedes)
-Aluminum Space Frame (Audi 1993)
-Traction Control (1987 Mercedes)
-Hybrid (1901 Porsche)
-Plug-In-Hybrid (1998 Audi Duo)
-Xenon (BMW 1994)
the big technology breakthroughs in the German automotive industry is done by the big suppliers:
- Bosch made Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive
- ZF made the first High-Tourque-CVT
- Continental/VDO is world market leader in injection systems
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Peekoyle 7:41AM (4/24/2008)
Dig up the old files on the VW Golf Eco-Matic (Start-Stop) diesel.
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Matthijs 8:22AM (4/24/2008)
There even exists a citystomer Electric Golf. With siemens technology. It's a production car but only made in small numbers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRsH3Q9dCkE
(Video is Czech)
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Matthijs 8:31AM (4/24/2008)
It seems the Peugeot 308 diesel hybrid is dead too, PSA announced it earlier. But I only have a Dutch source on this one.
http://www.autointernationaal.nl/artikel.php?id=6677
"Eerder liet PSA al weten dat er geen hybride dieseluitvoering van de 308 komt."
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Throwback 8:52AM (4/24/2008)
Killing this car makes sense to me. VW's Bluemotin cars get great mileage already. Why add the cost and complexity of a hybrid set-up for not much more economy? The new Lupo will also give exceptional mileage with a smal diesel engine and start/stop technology.
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Tim 12:00PM (4/24/2008)
Armmat, your use of language is showing your ignorance as ONLY the ignorant cannot express themselves without using curse words. Please keep the Sh@t comments to yourself. They make you sound stupid and although we usually disagree, I don’t think you’re stupid. Thank you.
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66coronet 2:59PM (4/24/2008)
The base golf is probably $15,000-18,000 and a diesel hybrid is probably $25,000 - 30,000.
Something that get's 69mpg + goverment tax assistance is probably worth producing even at twice the base price.
People may laugh at you and say you paid what for a base price. But if you travel alot the fuel prices pay for it self + sometimes the bennifit of a special lane if sold in Califoria.
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mike 4:40PM (4/24/2008)
Gas will probably be $4.00 this summer in the US, and RATIONED in 2016. VW better reevaluate it's decision.
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Andrewf 4:40AM (9/29/2008)
horses for horses- the 1.4TFSI is very similar in mpg and CO2 to the 2L oil burners. Check out the figures the Mk 6 Golf with the very latest 1.4TFSI (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/carreviews/2989966/Volkswagen-Golf-MkVI-The-new-Golf.html)
In DSG form - the petrol betters the diesel on all counts! Plus, in the EU, diesels pump about 10 times the NOx of a petrol and many times more soot! Me, I'd take a 1.4TFSI/Hybrid!
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John 4:48PM (12/02/2008)
I have a VW Jetta TDI and I was looking forward to the day that I could get a TDI hybrid, maybe one of these years.
http://www.giftprose.com
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