Volkswagen unveils e-Golf at Frankfurt auto show

Casual conversation in Frankfurt among journalists has often turned to the latest iterations of the Volkswagen Golf and their essential goodness. Since the cars have yet to be seen on American shores, our rightfully skeptical colleagues who haven't been to Europe to sample the Mk. 7 versions of the car have generally said, "Well, they can't be that good. You're clearly high on VW joy juice. But whatever dude, you always seem to be on something or other, even when we're pretty sure you're not."

Then, invariably, they experience a GTI or a GTD and come home apologizing, saying, "I can't believe how good that thing is!" Now, it could be that when the Mk. 7 arrives in America it'll be an utter pile, lost in translation, but we found out yesterday that the American version of the Golf will do away with the electronic parking brake -- something that never should've been installed in the cars in the first place -- in favor of a mechanical handbrake, thus making them capable of the all-important J-turn. Could the Golf that's coming to America possibly be even better than the Euro models we've sampled?

Meanwhile, over here in Frankfurt, the Golf juggernaut continues on unabated with the unveiling of the long-awaited e-Golf and the C-Max-fighting Golf Sportsvan we showed you yesterday.

We drove an e-Golf prototype based on the Mk. 6 a year ago and were impressed with the work VW had put into the car; we especially dug the shift paddles that allowed various levels of regenerative braking to be dialed in while coasting, offering a sensation akin to engine braking. Now, with the final car on the stand here in Frankfurt, we've got final specs.

The pertinent ones are as follows: 114 hp, 199 lb-ft, 0-60 in 10.4 and a top speed of 87 mph. Not especially impressive in the era of the Porsche-baiting Model S, but in the field as far as econo-people EVs go. The 24.2 kWh battery allows for a 118-mile range, which means that Coda you bought last year is now obsolete -- at least once the e-Golf goes on sale in North America in late 2014 or early 2015. Europeans will be able to jump into an e-Golf as early as spring 2014.

About the show

The 2013 Frankfurt motor show will be held Sept. 10-22 in Germany. Premium automakers appear ready to try to outdo each other with eye-catching electric supercars. Green technology and fuel efficiency will take center stage on the stands of most automakers at the show. For news, reveals and photos straight from the floor in Frankfurt, check out our special Frankfurt motor show section here.

By Davey G. Johnson