No hope now of stick shift ever returning to Oz in Golf GTI or R as Euro emissions force VW’s hand
Australian VW fans holding out for a manual transmission to be reintroduced on the Volkswagen Golf GTI or Golf R might now have to look elsewhere, with a new report suggesting the DIY gear-shifting method will be dropped on the incoming facelifted version of the current series.
According to a high-ranking VW executive talking to British outlet Autocar, the option of a manual six-speed gearbox will be killed off as soon as next year with the introduction of the 2024 Volkswagen Golf Mk8.5.
Impending Euro 7 emissions regulations are cited as the reason behind the decision, given powertrains with a manual gearbox are less efficient than those with a DSG dual-clutch automatic.
Still available in the European and US markets, the manual six-speed might hang on for the pioneering Golf GTI hot hatchback’s 50th anniversary.
The manual hasn’t been seen on Golf performance cars in Australia since 2018, with Volkswagen claiming there was not enough demand for it in our market.
In the UK, the manual gearbox costs as much as £1000 ($A1800) more than the quicker-shifting DSG.
Confirming the move, technical development boss Kai Grünitz told Autocar: “With the next generation of the Golf, there will not be one with a manual gearshift.”
Grünitz went on to say that Euro 7 emissions regs were behind the action, but suggested that VW manuals could live on if legislative amendments were made before EU7 takes effect in 2026.
According to Volkswagen, the current manual Golf GTI emits 162g/km of CO2, which is only slightly higher than the seven-speed DSG automatic (159g/km).
However, Golf GTIs fitted with a manual transmission are also believed to cause emission ‘spikes’ during gear changes, which will count against it under Euro 7.
Back in 2021, Mercedes took a similar decision to drop manual transmissions across its passenger car line-up.
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Keyword: Volkswagen Golf GTI manual gearbox killed off