Golf sales to be hit

SALES forecasts are gloomy for Volkswagen’s top-selling model – the Golf – at least in the short term.

VW Australia is tipping sales of the Golf Mk7 will nosedive in August and September due to severe supply issues, taking the sting out of recent massive gains for the small car.

“Things are really going to go backwards in August,” VW Australia managing director John White told Wheels.

“We’re really inventory-restrained on Golf and run-out Polo, so we’re down by a couple of thousand units.”

White said worldwide demand for the new Golf had far exceeded expectations, with sales of this new generation easily outstripping those of the Mk6.

“Could we have planned better and ordered more cars? Yes. Would we have got the cars? Probably not,” White said.

“The Golf is selling remarkably well, particularly given it’s not the cheapest car around, but there are only so many cars the factories can produce.

“So am I happy? Absolutely. Could I have sold more Golfs? Absolutely. Will I fix the problem? Absolutely.”

Year to date, sales of the Golf are up 44 percent to 11,876 units, making it the clear sales leader within the brand.

This huge increase more than offsets minor drops for Passat, Touareg and Transporter this year, and VW remains eighth in the Australian market, almost 10,000 units ahead of Subaru.