Volkswagen has revealed its rough-road ready Golf Alltrack ahead of its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.
Volkswagen has announced it will show a rough-road ready Volkswagen Golf Alltrack at the 2014 Paris Motor Show with European sales beginning in summer 2015. Key features include 4Motion all-wheel drive, 20mm more ground clearance than the standard Golf Wagon, ‘protective’ body mouldings, a new-look bumper, and the same 17-inch ‘Valley’ alloys that were made for the Passat Alltrack.
The Golf Alltrack also, like the Passat Alltrack, features an ‘Offroad’ profile that activates a hill descent function (automatically brakes the car), modified accelerator pedal characteristic and off-road configuration of the ABS system (modified control interval when braking forms desirable wedge of gravel in front of wheels).
Under the bonnet is a choice of a petrol engine and three diesel engines (1.8-litre TSI, 1.6-litre TDI and two 2.0-litre TDI engines) with the most powerful variant the only one to be matched with all-wheel drive and a six-speed DSG.
Unlike Subaru’s permanent all-wheel drive, the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack runs 4Motion all-wheel drive which, under low load conditions only drives the front wheels, decoupling the rear axle. If the system detects slip the Haldex-5 coupling can engage the rear axle to provide extra grip and, if necessary, push nearly 100% of torque to the rear end.
The Golf Alltrack also gets VW’s four-wheel EDS system operating as an electronic differential lock and is integrated into the stability control system. It also offers XDS on the front and rear axles which acts as a ‘sort of’ diff lock on both axles. Volkswagen says “It optimises steering response by braking the wheels on the inside of a bend during fast driving. As soon as the electronics detect excessively reduced load at one of the wheels on the inside of a bend, the hydraulic unit of the ESC system applies brake pressure to this wheel to restore optimal traction”.
There’s no word on pricing or when the Golf Alltrack will arrive in Australia, but we’ve reached out to Volkswagen Australia for comment.
