MK7 Launch Edition

[SRGTD]

This seems to be the mystery of the ages.

I have a 2015 "launch" and it seems to be identified as such in the vehicle database - e.g. my insurance documents say "GTi launch".  Mine has ACC.

I have spent a while trying to work out what "launch" meant but have been unable to find a definitive answer.  I did see a lot of them while looking for the GTi I wanted - something as "back to basics" as possible for a mk7 - which is perhaps a clue to my theory:

These were the first mk7's off the production line and had a little to no options - i.e. they weren't customer orders.  It seems early one's had no ACC (changed sometime in 2013) and they are mainly 3-doors.  Due to this "basic" spec and most customers wanting to add options, they hung around for a while and some were not registered until later in the mk7 cycle.

Would be nice if it could be confirmed 100%.

The markings on automotive glass include information on the date of manufacture, so assuming the glass in your car was manufactured just a few weeks / months before the car was built, the age of the glass help prove or disprove your theory re. early manufacturing date of the car but much later registration.

A bit of Googling, and it should be possible to find information on how to work out the date of manufacture of your car’s windows.

[Cozmo]

So had a look at this - glass manufacture date seems to be Feb / March 2015 and car was registered end of June 15 - so that is my theory up in smoke!

Whether it is simply that they manufactured base model vehicles between 2013 and 2016 continued to call them "launch" - who knows!?!

[GKR47]

Thanks for your replies. It makes sense that it refers to an early model but I have seen some 2016 models advertised as Launch editions. Maybe just sales talk!!

I seem to remember the first UK mk7 Golf’s arrived around the beginning of 2013 so for a 2016 car to be described as a Launch Edition around three years after launch seems really strange. Could the cars you’ve seen advertised as Launch Editions be 66 plate (as opposed to 2016 registered) early mk7.5 facelift cars? From memory mk7.5 facelift appeared on the scene in the UK in early 2017 so would’ve been on a 66 plate - some dealers in the motor trade might refer to those early mk7.5’s as Launch Edition cars. They didn’t get any special / extra equipment though to warrant a ‘Launch Edition’ title.

Ive seen 66 registered cars referred to as Launch! Here is an example

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307229943646?sort=relevance&advertising-location=at_cars&aggregatedTrim=GTI%20Launch&make=Volkswagen&model=Golf&postcode=gl33pu&price-to=20000&fromsra

[Exonian]

I’ll bet most of the cars listed as launch editions were mistakenly or plain wrongly clicked from a drop down menu by whoever was inputting the data.
Literally the only launch cars should be early 2013 dealer registered cars lacking the radar. They weren’t all basic spec either as bigger dealers got a selection of vehicles with different specs and gearboxes. They’ll have a higher insurance rating than later customer order cars.
There were no launch edition 7.5 cars, VW cleared the last of the mk7 production run cars with a Xmas promotion in 2016 and the last cars were delivered in March 2017 on a 17 plate, any non allocated cars were dealer registered in March/April before the first 7.5’s rolled off the ferries shortly afterwards.

[skippy]

This was the launch edition MK7 at my local dealer back in 2013 (date 25/5/13), and yes - I don't see a radar underneath the number plate area. I later test drove this actual car!

[Mikeyd1]

I had a 66 plate launch edition. It didn’t seem to be any different to any other 16 reg Gti . It was run out model so had everything .

[Exonian]

I had a 66 plate launch edition. It didn’t seem to be any different to any other 16 reg Gti . It was run out model so had everything .

… and therefore like any other non 13 plate actual launch batch wasn’t a Launch Edition. The clue is in the name.

Human error at work.

[Mikeyd1]

Yep agreed

[Exonian]

Out of interest for those with later “launch edition” cars, does it say anything on your V5 or anywhere else official?
I’m wondering if these cars were mis-registered by VW UK, a disinterested dealer franchise employee, an insurance call centre employee or even the ABI

[Mikeyd1]

I’m sure mine said launch edition on v5 but can’t be 100% as I sold that car around 2 year ago .