Volkswagen BORA 1.6 16v RANGE
The Claims Of Volkswagens Bora To Be A Sports Saloon Have Been Enhanced By The Installation Of A 16-Valve Engine In Entry-Level Models. Jonathan Crouch Finds Out Why...
Volkswagens Bora has done rather well for its makers in the UK. Buyers here tend to see it as a kind of
BMW 3 Series for those on a budget. Its certainly built just as well and, in its pricier forms, handling and performance are almost on par. The only question mark hangs over the entry-level 1.
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6-litre models.
After all, there wasnt anything very sporty about the original eight valve 100bhp 1.6-litre unit that was fitted to the car when it first arrived on these shores. Thanks to the Boras prodigious weight, this unit struggled to crack eleven seconds for the 0-60mph sprint before moving on rather ponderously to an eventual top speed of 117mph. Against this car, BMWs 316i felt like an M3.
So
Volkswagen resolved to do something about it, a process which led to the introduction of the entry-level Bora variants featured here. Out went that eight valve 100bhp unit. In came a 1.6 with 105bhp and sixteen valves.
All for prices that start at £13,750 for the base Bora 1.6S. Eight extra valves and another five brake horsepower dont sound very much but they do make a lot of difference out on the road. The 1598cc unit is half a second quicker to sixty (10.
5s) and 2mph faster flat out (119mph). More important is the new torque figure (109 Ibs ft) which basically means that the car feels a lot more flexible, particularly around town in higher gears at lower speeds the kind of driving situation that was irritating to 1.6-litre owners before.
"Changes to the latest engine make a lot of difference out on the road. "
Even more notable were the improvements in fuel consumption and emissions. The combined mpg figure is up 4mpg to 39.8mpg. This is a useful saving that means a driver covering 10,000 miles a year will save around 30 gallons, or, a todays prices, nearly £120 worth of fuel.
As for the ecological side, carbon dioxide emissions are down 10% from 190 g/km to 170 g/km. The engine comes in three Bora saloon models the S, SE and Highline and theres also the option (in the SE and Highline models only) of ordering it with an automatic gearbox (though here, the power output falls to 102bhp). These figures are a little above those being charged by obvious rivals, though to be fair, when specification is taken into account (side airbags and the ESP electronic stability programme, for instance, are standard), the Bora makes up much of this lost ground. But what of the car itself? Well yes, its the four-door version of the mkIV Golf hatchback but you wont catch anyone at Volkswagen calling it that.
Wolfsburg is keen that you and I should perceive the Bora to be a model in its own right, something its predecessor, the practical and sturdy but unloved Vento saloon, never was. So it is that this time round, Volkswagens compact family four-door shares almost nothing with the family hatchback that sired it. The boldly styled front end, flared wheel arches and a lopped-off, chunky rear all make an aggressive fashion statement that has much more street cred than any Golf. Certainly, most will agree that the resulting profile is sharp enough in up-market forms at least to make the car a real quality alternative to lower order
BMW 3 series saloons,
Audi A4s and Alfa156s.
Nor is the Bora much smaller than these rivals. As weve suggested, it sits on the same platform as the mkIV Golf, but there are some big differences between the pair. A nine-inch advantage in length over the hatchback gives it one obvious advantage - load space. Luggage capacity is an impressive 16cu ft - almost 50 percent more than a mkIV Golf.
With the back seats folded, this rises to a cavernous 28cu ft - enough for three or four sets of golf clubs or anything else you may need to carry around. All Boras get Volkswagen's 12-year anti-corrosion warranty and comprehensive 12-month overall cover and standard features on both trim levels include air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, power assisted steering, twin airbags plus front
seat side airbags, electric windows and door mirrors and central locking. The £15,435 SE model adds remote central locking, an automatic dimming rear view mirror, a windscreen wiper rain sensor, a trip computer, an alarm and slightly larger 16-inch wheels. The Highline wears exclusive 16-inch Montreal II alloy wheels and the interior features full leather upholstery, heated front sports seats and theres the added benefit of parking sensors. Tot the value of these extras up on Volkswagens options list and youll find they come to more than £2,000 but the premium for a Highline over an SE variant is a trifling £150.
Its hard to imagine anyone finding much to criticise about the interior. A wide screen area and low side windows make it bright and airy and the dash layout and controls from the Golf are functional and easy to use. The adjustable front seats and steering wheel mean drivers of all shapes and sizes can find a comfortable position. Only rear seat passengers may have cause to grumble.
They tend to lose out on head and legroom due to the huge boot. There's no denying that the Bora is a well thought out and beautifully built car. Just the satisfying clunk of the door as it closes tells you that this is a piece of quality engineering. And, as with the Golf, you can rest assured that it has been built to meet all existing and future crash tests and incorporates all the latest safety features. In summary, the 16-valve 1.
6-litre engine has done much to improve the appeal of entry-level Bora models. These particular variants still arent sports saloons but they now should feel willing enough to make you want to undertake the kind of long journeys promised by those TV ads. Which is a big step forward.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volkswagen Bora 1.6 16v range
PRICES: £13,750-£15,585 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 5-6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 170g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.5s / Max speed 119mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 39.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, front seat side airbags, ABS, ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height ) 4376/1446/2018
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