# Golf 7 Test Mules Out and About



## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Spy photographers in Europe have started spotting Golf 7 test mules out and about. While we can tell nothing whatsoever about the exterior design of the new car, we can see some mechanical changes. Volkswagen goes to great lengths to hide their future products and these cars are no exception...

*FULL STORY and PHOTOS*


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## ASurroca (Sep 3, 2001)

Damn, and I just got a MkVI GTI a year ago. I feel like Volkswagen has been taking the Google Chrome approach to cars lately, constantly tweaking, and increasing the version number quickly. Not that there's anything wrong with that.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Sounds like the Golf will become appreciably larger- wonder if that ripens the case for the Polo?


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

Dan Halen said:


> .....appreciably larger....


Really? The test mule would indicate the size change is less than between the Mk4 and the Mk5/6.


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## KahviVW (Feb 26, 2009)

ASurroca said:


> Damn, and I just got a MkVI GTI a year ago. I feel like Volkswagen has been taking the Google Chrome approach to cars lately, constantly tweaking, and increasing the version number quickly. Not that there's anything wrong with that.


It only seems that way because North America usually gets models a few years late.



Dan Halen said:


> Sounds like the Golf will become appreciably larger- wonder if that ripens the case for the Polo?


Wonder what happens to the weight?


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

KahviVW said:


> Wonder what happens to the weight?


Yeah, it'll be interesting to see. I know Audi's starting to get into more advanced weight-saving materials, but I figure it's still cost-prohibitive on the bread-and-butter Golf.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Like was already mentioned, the increases in dimensions are overall fairly small. VW is also talking up more lightweight materials and better economy, so I don't worry too much.

-jamie


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## chisai88 (Jan 10, 2003)

that rear spoiler is ugly 
I am all for wider track, and less weight. If you make it longer, make it shorter(meaning, not as tall)


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## jbaumann (Nov 3, 2010)

chisai88 said:


> that rear spoiler is ugly


If you mean the one with the 3rd brake light, it's the same one the current Golf has.


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## quailallstar (Dec 2, 2001)

*VWOA Product Planners for the Golf please read

If VWOA brings this to the states with an "Americanized" flavor (See: 12' Passat) I'll be pissed! 

We want À la carte options back (here for 2011 but gone for 2012) and more colors too 


*


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## Eurofan4eva (Aug 21, 2002)

I'm am keeping my fingers crossed for the 2.5T in the next Golf/Jetta R. Great power, good milage, big power with a tune and one of the best exhaust notes around! Come on VW make a proper R car and stop watering down the American market. Hell start making them in Chattanooga so we don't get killed by the exchange and get better options!


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## hubris007 (Aug 26, 2009)

Awesome! They almost have it looking less like a Chevy Aveo!


Maybe someday they will go more retro and realize the IV was better.

Wait a sec...they must already have realized that, since they designed the Golf24 around the IV platform...


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

hubris007 said:


> Awesome! They almost have it looking less like a Chevy Aveo!
> 
> 
> Maybe someday they will go more retro and realize the IV was better.
> ...


What are you talking about?


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## hubris007 (Aug 26, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> What are you talking about?


I've yet to figure out why they took the fantastic, unique style of the MKIv and manage to make it look more and more like a Chevy Aveo with every new model...


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## PSU (May 15, 2004)

Dan Halen said:


> Sounds like the Golf will become appreciably larger- wonder if that ripens the case for the Polo?


A Polo would be nice.

I'm liking the rear arches on the MK7. :thumbup::thumbup:


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

hubris007 said:


> I've yet to figure out why they took the fantastic, unique style of the MKIv and manage to make it look more and more like a Chevy Aveo with every new model...
> 
> [picture with obnoxious watermarks]


What are you talking about?


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## Mr.Tan (Jun 9, 2004)

if this ends up being the final product, i'll be kind of dissapointed...it doesnt have a distinct enough change to it that it totally blows the mkvi out of the water. I mean, look at past years and the intense body/interior changes that have happened...a bit wider and longer, ok, but everything else looks identical. Maybe they realize they did it right with the VI, but they still could do some other things to change it up A LOT


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Mr.Tan said:


> if this ends up being the final product, i'll be kind of dissapointed...it doesnt have a distinct enough change to it that it totally blows the mkvi out of the water. I mean, look at past years and the intense body/interior changes that have happened...a bit wider and longer, ok, but everything else looks identical. Maybe they realize they did it right with the VI, but they still could do some other things to change it up A LOT


Test mules this early on are known to be constructed with tweaked current-gen sheetmetal. I personally don't expect a radical change in aesthetics for the seventh Golf, but that really doesn't mean anything as I have no information one way or the other about the car.


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## Polo_driver (Sep 25, 2008)

My God people...this is NOT the look of Golf 7, but the cover up. New technology in old body.


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## VR6 NRG (Apr 23, 1999)

i saw one of these in Phoenix, AZ about 2 months ago and even posted a video on here that i took. It was 4am and the lighting was bad, but it had the same widened rear arches as the car in the pic but no exhausts or badging at all.


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## chisai88 (Jan 10, 2003)

jbaumann said:


> If you mean the one with the 3rd brake light, it's the same one the current Golf has.


I don't want that ugly spoiler on the GTI. The golf one is hideous.


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## RAD32 (Dec 21, 2004)

HITCH FAIL :facepalm: Come on VW really. 
well atleast we know it's a boy (and happy 2 see ya)


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## DaWolfsburg (Sep 12, 2002)

Surprised no one mentioned the return of the 1.8T for the U.S.


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## ghettojetta20vT (Jul 3, 2005)

DaWolfsburg said:


> Surprised no one mentioned the return of the 1.8T for the U.S.


yeah, more info on this engine please??


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## Stealth18T (Oct 9, 2005)

I'm sure it's not the old 1.8T that we know and love. It did say an FSI 1.8T, should be exciting


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

RAD32 said:


> HITCH FAIL :facepalm: Come on VW really.
> well atleast we know it's a boy (and happy 2 see ya)


That's a European hitch- you know, for utility and all that useless stuff...

As is quite obvious from the vehicle in the photo, beauty isn't at the top of their list. This is being taken way too seriously.


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## KahviVW (Feb 26, 2009)

Some of the comments :screwy:


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## !monkey (Jul 6, 2007)

i miss the old days when a new generation actually looked new


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## jetta2002silver (Feb 28, 2005)

*Golf Wagon*

The question I have is if the Golf wagon will be based on this model and get ALL the updates that the MK VII Golf will get (as opposed to the current Golf wagon that only gets SOME of the MK VI updates). I hope it will get all the updates. The following link has info on the MK VIII Golf (next, next generation).


http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_vehicles/1108_2016_volkswagen_golf_inside_and_out/index.html


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## NuespeedGTi (Oct 18, 2002)

i'm confused, does no one realize that this is drive-train / power-train testing and not cosmetic / body /aero? if so :facepalm:


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## hubris007 (Aug 26, 2009)

NuespeedGTi said:


> i'm confused, does no one realize that this is drive-train / power-train testing and not cosmetic / body /aero? if so :facepalm:


You mean the new 7's won't have hose duct taped to the sides of them? DAngit! I thought they were gonna give the new model pressure sensing tires.


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## SPM_GTI (Jun 11, 2009)

KahviVW said:


> Some of the comments :screwy:


x2

They better be sending us GTI's made in germany. I dont wanna hear that they are being made in the new factories in Mexico. Not that its a big deal, I drive a MK4, but I love the fact that the GTIs are 100% German as of late.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

hubris007 said:


> I've yet to figure out why they took the fantastic, unique style of the MKIv and manage to make it look more and more like a Chevy Aveo with every new model...



I don't see it. I think the Golf V broke the Golf IV look completely. But when the GOlf VI came out I think it brought the design back to an evolution of the Golf IV. 

Design is obviously subjective, but I think VW redeemed themselves with the Golf VI.


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## asal (Oct 12, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> I don't see it. I think the Golf V broke the Golf IV look completely. But when the GOlf VI came out I think it brought the design back to an evolution of the Golf IV.
> 
> Design is obviously subjective, but I think VW redeemed themselves with the Golf VI.


Agreed :thumbup:, which is why i'm looking at the Golf R and MKVI as a replacement to my MKIV jetta.

Also agree with KahviVW, some of the comments are :screwy: round this thread. I do recall seeing some concept drawings of the mkVII last year... link to article ... which should give the people angry about duct tape coming stock on the MKVII something to cheer about.


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## AudiVwMeister (Oct 22, 2002)

forget the mk7, lets see 1552 do a wide body kit for the mk6! i like those rear flairs!


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

!monkey said:


> i miss the old days when a new generation actually looked new


Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but judging by some of the comment in here I should clarify that the exterior of the car you see in these photos is NOT the Golf 7. VW goes to great lengths to wrap Golf 6 sheetmetal around a Golf 7 chassis.

- j


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

DaWolfsburg said:


> Surprised no one mentioned the return of the 1.8T for the U.S.


An engine of a displacement of 1.8, not the return of the original 1.8T.


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## euro_verrückt (Jun 4, 2010)

DaWolfsburg said:


> Surprised no one mentioned the return of the 1.8T for the U.S.


Yeah i want to know more about this


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## euro_verrückt (Jun 4, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but judging by some of the comment in here I should clarify that the exterior of the car you see in these photos is NOT the Golf 7. VW goes to great lengths to wrap Golf 6 sheetmetal around a Golf 7 chassis.
> 
> - j


Jamie I think it's useless. These people are clearly not reading the article


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## xXANCHORMONXx (Aug 29, 2010)

hubris007 said:


> Awesome! They almost have it looking less like a Chevy Aveo!
> 
> 
> Maybe someday they will go more retro and realize the IV was better.
> ...


lol the golf iv is garbage

Probably the worst one ever made
Overweight, slow, useless

Only thing it had going for it were the R, and special editions


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## xXANCHORMONXx (Aug 29, 2010)

euro_verrückt said:


> Jamie I think it's useless. These people are clearly not reading the article


x2


some people just dont get it

Thank the failing school system


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## RatCityBowlers (Mar 17, 2009)

Jesus christ. Are we really getting geeked up about this car. Ok interior and exterior with the exception of the exhaust, side skirts, minor changes to the front bumper, and rear bumper and the awful mock up of a wide body, this car is exactly the same as mk6. Trust me i work on them every day, drive one every day and i see nothing new. Looks like Russian rebuild to me. There probably at the very most testing out updates to their electronics systems. That's probably just a mk6 with a new wire harness and prototype modules in them. VW has everybody all excited about nothing. Besides if anything there looking at changes to the r hence the exhaust and body kit. Its a small redesign much like the early to late mk2 at best.


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## Blue Golfer (Feb 4, 2003)

I've seen a spy photo of the Golf 7 body somwhere, VW must have slipped up. It should be more aggressive looking than this.


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## Dageorge (Nov 23, 2006)

Underneath the Mk6 exterior I remain excited about the anticipated out-of-the-box 230-240 horsepower from the 2.0T. It's about time. I wonder if this will be the product of more aggressive software or something else. 

Looking forward to seeing the Mk7 exterior when it comes to light. Also excited to test drive one of these as it is (supposedly) on a new platform, whereas the Mk6 shared its platform with the Mk5.


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## VR6 NRG (Apr 23, 1999)

here is the video i took


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## GreySheep (Dec 13, 2010)

!monkey said:


> i miss the old days when a new generation actually looked new


This:thumbup: we also need more classic stylingeace:


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## MK4GTI2005 (Jul 3, 2011)

*Rear window brim*

Loose the gay rear window brim and 1954 Chevy rear wheel wells and I like it.


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## Dageorge (Nov 23, 2006)

GreySheep said:


> This:thumbup: we also need more classic stylingeace:


It's a test mule. Check out the link to the full story.


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## Polo_driver (Sep 25, 2008)

RatCityBowlers said:


> Jesus christ. Are we really getting geeked up about this car. Ok interior and exterior with the exception of the exhaust, side skirts, minor changes to the front bumper, and rear bumper and the awful mock up of a wide body, *this car is exactly the same as mk6*. Trust me i work on them every day, drive one every day and i see nothing new. Looks like Russian rebuild to me. There probably at the very most testing out updates to their electronics systems. That's probably just a mk6 with a new wire harness and prototype modules in them. VW has everybody all excited about nothing. Besides if anything there looking at changes to the r hence the exhaust and body kit. Its a small redesign much like the early to late mk2 at best.


DEAR LORD, THIS IS NOT HOW MK7 WILL LOOK LIKE! :facepalm:
They are using the old body so they can test new platform on public roads!


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## t3chth1rt33n (Jul 6, 2011)

My 2 cents: 

1.So. Its pretty obvious that those things attached to the wheels are some sort of wheel speed sensor. This could mean one of many things 1) VW is testing new wheels sensors and wants the signal from that sensor to verify the signal from the new sensors 2) VW is testing a new TC/ABS/ESC system. My guess would be the later. 
Why you ask? Simply because there are two vehicles; one with sensors on the front tires and one with sensors on all 4 tires. My inference is so that they can measure the speed of the drive wheels; meaning the one with 4 sensors is AWD. Plus, VW just came out with a whole new wheel sensor setup for the 2011s. Why would they want to redo it again?
Golf R, you say?

2. ALSO, just by looking at the interior, we can see that it is a very American interior. RHD and an american RNS315 (Which, is weirdly butchered in there) = American.

3. There is a DSG transmission in there. The only Golf VI with a DSG is the GTI. So basically we have a GTI with AWD...hmmm.

4. Quad exhaust? The last car that I can think of that had exhaust noise as one of its distinguishing features was the R32. Every review of the R32 had some note about how good it sounds. And VW knows this. If they were to release another R32, they know that exhaust is very important.

Based on that, I think that that second car is a test mule of a MKVII R32. But, thats just my opinion. I guess we will see in a couple of months, right?


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## GTI_LUV (Sep 3, 2003)

If the rumor holds true that the new GTI Mk 7 gets a boost in power, that would make it closer in power to the current Golf R. One would then _assume_ that the next gen. Golf R would be even more powerful.. *RS3* *motor perhaps?*
I mean,* they already slapped it in 3 cars at Nurburgring.*

IF this ends up being the case, I will be extremely interested.



That is what I deduce. :wave:


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## davidch (Jan 23, 2004)

when you look at the clay model video that leaked a year or so back here
http://www.motorauthority.com/pictures/1036025_2012-volkswagen-golf-mkvii-leak_gallery-1#100230025

and the wider chassis in the mule, this rendering in the latest moto trend in likely not too far off


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

GTI_LUV said:


> If the rumor holds true that the new GTI Mk 7 gets a boost in power, that would make it closer in power to the current Golf R. One would then _assume_ that the next gen. Golf R would be even more powerful.. *RS3* *motor perhaps?*
> I mean,* they already slapped it in 3 cars at Nurburgring.*
> 
> IF this ends up being the case, I will be extremely interested.
> ...


Rumor says that there is a new version of the Golf R/Scirocco R/TT-S 2.0T engine coming next year. The GTI35 has a detuned version of the Golf R engine and it is a blast to drive. So if the Golf 7 GTI moves to 230+hp it will be a lot of fun, plus the ability to mod it even further with simple chip tuning should be nicer than the existing 2.0T FSI in the Golf 6 GTI. 

- jamie


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## chisai88 (Jan 10, 2003)

wish they weren't going back to the 1.8 
I know it makes more sense for Europe as I think there is an additional tax or something for engines over 1.8L there, but that is the wrong direction for me. 
As long as the next R has a 2.5T I will be happy.


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## desmo9 (Mar 19, 2009)

Right, make it even bigger and no doubt it'll get even more love, right? Seems to be the recipe of almost every automaker. Hopefully they start brining the Polo to the states then. Golf is big enough as-is.


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## Eurofan4eva (Aug 21, 2002)

It looks like they are going back to the old style of HVAC controls, like them better then the MK6.


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## davidch (Jan 23, 2004)

Eurofan4eva said:


> It looks like they are going back to the old style of HVAC controls, like them better then the MK6.


from what I can tell this is true only the lower end americanized vehicles like the new jetta and new us passat but not on the upper scale euro vehicles like golf, tiguran, cc, new euro passat, new touareg and any other euro only vehicles.


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## R5T (Apr 7, 2010)




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