Ultimate Golf has come a fair way

By ALASTAIR SLAONE

Volkswagen is launching the ultimate Golf - a leather-lined, four-wheel-drive hatchback powered by the 2.8-litre V6 engine used in the top-range Passat.

At $59,990, the 4Motion Golf sits at the top of the updated line-up, which will be unveiled in Auckland early next month.

The car comes with all sorts of whiz-bang options designed to take the price beyond $70,000 and to appeal to a small but select market.

The suspension has been reworked to handle the engine's extra weight and performance. The ride is consequently firmer but won't shake your fillings lose and the 4Motion system provides excellent grip.

But the V6 Golf is an upmarket niche model and not a throwabout performer like the more accurate but similarly priced Subaru WRX .

The new Golf model range includes manual and Tiptronic versions of the 2.3-litre V5, expected to start in price around $45,000, and two entry-level 2-litre models - a five-speed manual at $36,490 and automatic at $38.490.

A 1.9-litre turbo-diesel is also available and is expected to be marginally more expensive then the petrol manual.

The V6 engine produces 150kW at 6200 rpm and 270Nm of pulling power at 3200 rpm. The 2.3-litre five-cylinder develops 110kW at 6000 rpm and 205Nm at 3200 rpm.

Output from the 2-litre engine is 85kW at 5200 rpm and 170Nm at 2400 rpm.

The turbo-diesel powerplant produces 81kW at 4150 rpm and 235Nm at 1900 rpm.

The 2-litre models replace the four-cylinder 1.6-litre Golf and the V5 replaces the 1.8-litre GTi.