To the Point: The Best Golf of All Times

- Golf’s high customer value and comfort defy class distinctions

- New Golf design points the way to Volkswagen’s future

- TDI, TSI and DSG systems reduce fuel consumption by up to 28 percent

- First Golf with Adaptive Chassis and Automatic Distance Control

Volkswagen is sending a new Golf out into the world, the best of all times. The Golf is a phenomenon, regardless of its particular generation. Positioned in the compact class, this style icon defies all automotive and social class distinctions. No other car in this price segment has even come close to reaching as large a cross-section of people. The Golf is the only one that always fits right, and the new one is even better fitting.

It was perfected in every detail. It is also the quest for perfection that has elevated the styling of the Golf to a new level. The team headed up by the Group’s chief designer, the Italian Walter de Silva, has succeeded in giving the Golf a presence, a sharpness, a power that generates even more fun. Fun to look at and fun to drive. An intelligent car. Data such as an average fuel consumption of 4.5 liters per 100 kilometers for a 110 PS TDI put fuel prices in their place. Upon request, the Golf can park itself nearly automatically in the city thanks to “Park Assist”, it can maintain an ideal gap on the freeway by distance control (ACC), and at the push of a button it can transform itself from a cruiser to a sports car when the new “DCC Adaptive Chassis Control” system is on board.

Above all, the car exhibits a standard of quality never before attained in this price class. Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board at Volkswagen AG sums it up: “This sixth generation of Golf cars will completely redefine the quality and comfort level of its class over broad categories, offering more customer value than ever before”. In Europe the new Golf will be introduced to the market in October. Following in succession will be Africa, Asia, Australia and North America.

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Leading Japanese automaker Toyota is likely to enter the Korean market in the first half of 2009 with its Prius hybrid. The hybrid car combines a battery and a combustion engine to increase fuel efficiency.

A Toyota Korea source said Monday the company is considering releasing the third-generation Prius in Korea, Japan and the U.S. simultaneously on its scheduled release date in April 2009.

Toyota Motor Global Sales Vice President Akio Toyoda, the fourth generation heir of the Japanese motor giant, met with Toyota Korea executives in Japan to discuss a model suitable for the Korean market.

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Illustration by JIMMY Thaidriver Coustesy in Thailand only.

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Honda Motor Co. (TSE:7267) plans to market its Acura line of luxury cars in Russia as early as 2008, targeting the rising wealthy class in big cities by bolstering its sales networks, company sources said Saturday.

The Japanese carmaker aims to sell 100,000 vehicles annually in Russia by 2010, including other Honda brands, up a factor of 6 from 2006.

Russia is one of the fastest growing markets in the world after China and India, and Honda and other top automakers around the globe are vying to expand sales there.

Honda aims to set up 10 dealerships in the country, putting one or two each in major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg. Its local subsidiary will import and sell Acura models, including the RL luxury sedan – known as the Legend in Japan – the MDX sport utility vehicle and the TL midsize model.

Honda sells the Acura line in North America, China and Mexico, but not yet in Japan. It has decided to push back the planned debut here in 2008 by two years due to sluggish sales in the domestic market.

Currently, the Japanese automaker operates about 30 dealerships under the Honda name in Russia, and saw a 77 per cent jump in sales to 15,723 cars in 2006. In the January-June period of 2007, sales soared 120 per cent on the year to 13,616 vehicles.

GM Thailand would sell in 10th November nationwide.