New Golf 7.5 FL engine options

[Sootchucker]

Just noticed from reading the new price list on the Golf 7.5 FL, that if you want a spec over an above an SE trim (so GT or R-Line), you can only have a Diesel engine (either 115 or 150ps). There are no petrol options at all.

In these days of diesel's being vilified by the government and potentially being banned in the future from certain city centers, and especially with VW still suffering from the massive "Dieselgate" affair in the US and Europe, why then are they persisting with Diesel on engines for their upper spec models ?

My wife has a Polo Blue GT with the incredible 1.4 TSI ACT (active cylinder technology) engine, that outputs 150ps and yet still can easily return well over 50mpg on a run (and 40mpg around the houses), and this used to be available on the MK7 GT and R-Line models.

Are there actually a limited number of petrol engines available for the range, or is this a (foolish) mistake by VW UK in not offering the petrol engines in the UK. Not everyone can afford a GTI or R, but an R Line or GT model are still quite sporty and well equipped, but no petrol engine options at all ? I thought that small capacity turbo petrol's or Petrol hybrids were the way forward - not diesel ?

Now I love my GTD, and as had been said before by me and several others, it's a great all rounder - fast enough for the current roads and economical enough to do miles in, if a little soulless. However if I could go back in time to last year, and my choice again it would have 100% been a GTI not a GTD and I'd have put up with the worse fuel economy. One thing is for certain for me, as good as the GTD is (and this is my 4th VW Diesel in a row), it will definitely be my last diesel car from any make.

[Daz Auto]

My guess is they are getting ready to launch the new 1.5 TFSI petrol engine.

[Sootchucker]

But that's been available to order for a while now in Germany (in fact both the 1.4 and 1.5 ACT engines are available) ?

Also noticed whist over at the VW Germany website you can order a Golf Highline model (think that might be our GT or R-Line), with Lapis Blue paint as part of an option pack 

[fredgroves]

Maybe the 1.5 engine has ended up in the same place as the foglights

[hog_hedge]

The 1.5 petrol engine is in the same place as the GTI Performance, to be announced over the coming weeks.

[Talk-torque]

Is it possible that the rather underwhelming and disorganised launch of the Mk 7.5 in the UK is due to a large number of unsold Mk 7s, causing a lack of focus? It's a few weeks since the 7.5's launch, but the 7 is still on the configurators.

[Sootchucker]

Interesting thought.

[Exonian]

The trouble with all of these modern turbo engines is they're all leaned off in the mid range to meet emissions targets over a certain rev span and whether they're Diesel or petrol they're all quite flat to drive (mirroring their torque curves, or lack of) unless they have a little assisted boosting via either an OBD map or a tuning box.
It doesn't matter much these days whether you drive a petrol or Diesel as they're mapped from the factory pretty much the same and the throttle response is pretty dire.

Try a tuning box on the GTD before you write it off as dull and then order a 7.5 GTI PP which will perform much the same but won't make a horrible noise when you start it up. The GTI PP will feel pretty much as characterless as the GTD without a bit of electronic assistance but at least the speedo might go round a little bit quicker.
None of these engines have much character as standard.
The R wakes up around 4000 rpm if you want to drive around in DSG Sport mode all the time but the fuel economy will fall way, way short of a GTI if you use the revs.

When will the release a new (less challenged) 1 series BMW?