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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/European_Union_Flag.jpg LPG version is far less expensive to operate plus safer and more durable than non-OEM conversions. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=214428)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_VW_Golf_BiFuel_being_filled.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - June 12, 2009

2009 VW Golf BiFuel being filled with LPG - $31,444 USD to start plus far cleaner and less expensive to drive...

The Diesel variant is even less expensive to operate in terms of $'s per mile however...

Wolfsburg, Germany -- The Golf Plus can now run on both gasoline and LPG. The alternative fuel not only reduces CO2 emissions by more than 10%, more importantly, the fuel savings give its drivers $2.60 USD over every 62 miles driven due to a reduced German fuel tax in place until 2018.

The Golf Plus with its bi-fuel drive system can run on gasoline with the flick of a switch. The 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine with 97 HP includes a standard 14.5 gallon gasoline tank and a 43 liter LPG tank built into the spare wheel well to save space. The two in concert allow a range of over 680 miles. The Golf Plus BiFuel has a range of about 270 miles from its onboard LPG tank and in Europe, LPG filling are practically everywhere with Germany alone having more than 4,700 stations.

The factory-installed solution for the new Golf Plus BiFuel is considerably more advantageous than an LPG conversion including the fact that the vehicle has been subjected to extensive endurance testing and undergone crash testing with the LPG tank. Customers also receive a full warranty for the entire vehicle including the factory installed LPG components. The new Golf Plus BiFuel is now available for order in the Trendline and Comfortline versions at an entry-level price of $31,444 USD.

To place LPG’s cost into perspective, the average price per liter in Germany is $0.86 vs. gasoline at $1.47.

European car......utility......fuel efficient...not expensive...not available in USA...etc., etc.

$31k for a Golf is not expensive? I'll take the regular $15k Golf.

Price is always more in Germany. The baseline Golf starts at ~ EUR16,000, which translates to around $22,000 in USD, and that's for the 1.4L gas engine. The 2.0 TDI Golf with DSG starts around EUR22,000, which is about $30,000 USD. I'm guessing (based on comparable pricing for other models,) that it would be sold at a lower price in the USA, if it could comply with US regulatory requirements.


See VW Deutscheland website: http://www.volkswagen.de/vwcms/master_public/virtualmaster/de3.html

Of course, that's all several assumptions, take them for what they're worth. It's also in line with the price of a Camry Hybrid or tricked-out Prius.

EDIT: and, on further reflection, perhaps I just don't think $30,000 is an outrageous price for a brand-new car? :confused: Especially one that can run on LPG and gasoline?

Well, for a Golf I think it's too much. Back in 2008 when I was looking for a car, I was considering a Rabbit, and that was only ~$15k. Maybe LGP usage can command a higher price, but an extra $15k?

I guess what I don't understand is that the Golfs bound for the USA are made in Germany, and yet the USA version is cheaper to buy than the German version. How does that work? I could have sworn that labor is a lot more expensive in Germany than in the USA or Mexico.

Well, for a Golf I think it's too much. Back in 2008 when I was looking for a car, I was considering a Rabbit, and that was only ~$15k. Maybe LGP usage can command a higher price, but an extra $15k?

I guess what I don't understand is that the Golfs bound for the USA are made in Germany, and yet the USA version is cheaper to buy than the German version. How does that work? I could have sworn that labor is a lot more expensive in Germany than in the USA or Mexico.

From conversations with a friend in Germany, I think it's mostly because sales taxes generally--and taxes specifically on automobiles--are significantly higher in Europe than in the USA. A car selling for $30,000 here will effectively cost $50,000 (after currency conversion) over there. My friend ended up buying a Toyota Corolla diesel wagon with 5-speed manual. He actually wanted an automatic, or at least a six speed manual - but the discounts they were offering were so significant, he couldn't pass it up. I got the sense that if he had been living in the USA making the same money, he wouldn't have had to make that choice. (He is a German citizen, but spent several years living in New York, and actually works for an American company.)

The Golf Plus is a bigger and more expensive car than the Golf. They share part of a name, but the cars themselves are very different. I think the Golf Plus is about EUR 1500-2000 more than the Golf.

I just spent three weeks riding around Peru in an old Dodge Ram van that was converted to 4 wheel drive and LPG. I saw signs for shops that did LPG conversions for under 400 Peruvian Soles (about $133 USD). The technology to make LPG autos isn't exactly rocket science.

I just spent three weeks riding around Peru in an old Dodge Ram van that was converted to 4 wheel drive and LPG. I saw signs for shops that did LPG conversions for under 400 Peruvian Soles (about $133 USD). The technology to make LPG autos isn't exactly rocket science.

LOL! as I am reading this - I'm imaging the technology being done wrong making it truly "rocket science" - vehicle explodes! (sigh!) Only a few more hours 'till breakfast coffee...:eyebrow: