VW Golf base price up $1k as 'launch' model ends

The least-expensive Volkswagen Golf compact now is up $1,000, to $19,815.

That's because VW has quit building the $18,815 teaser-price Launch Edition of Golf after 1,200 cars, not quite two per U.S. dealer. It makes the S model the lowest-price version in production.

The Launch Edition gave the automaker a lower price to advertise as the 2015 redesigned Golf was launched this summer — $17,995 before the fine print explained that you have to add $820 for shipping, boosting the actual total to $18,815.

All automakers exclude the shipping charge from the advertised price, and set prices just less than thresholds they think would exclude possible buyers and online shoppers. Same as retailers pricing at $9.99 instead of $10.

VW says the Launch Edition — a bare bones, two-door, manual-transmission car without many common features such as Bluetooth — has done its work and isn't needed now. A few probably still are on dealer lots, VW says.

Automakers report August sales next Wednesday and those will be revealing for VW. It'll be the first month that dealers have had adequate supplies of the new 2015 Golf, made in Mexico.