Volkswagen may have just released the 'new' Golf, but look! This version is set to be the replacement for the current version by 2012, two years sooner than anticipated. And not surprisingly, the styling for the new Golf is evolutionary.

There are hints of the Polo's rear lights, just extended and the front looks sharper and a tinge more aggressive. But under that skin is where the new Golf is set to make milestones, a leap that reports have suggested, will equal that of Ford; from the Escort to the Focus in 1998.

No more bigger is better. The new Golf will be based on a smaller platform to reduce its kerb weight, and many components have been borrowed from the Polo. Lightweight body panels will be used and small capacity forced induction engines to further reduce fuel consumption. The Golf will combine a already fuel efficient 1.5-litre diesel unit with three compact electric motors, and the plug-in drivetrain can operate on battery power alone below 50km/h for around 48 km. Above that speed, it works in tandem with the oil-burner, and takes over entirely at motorway speeds. The result is a startling 48km/litre