We already showed you the new Ford Ka (more here) and Porsche Cayman S Sport (more here) ahead of schedule, and now the spate of leaked pictures continues with the premature airing of Volkswagen's crucial new Mark VI Golf.

The newcomer is due to take its bows at October's Paris motor show, and will subsequently replace the existing fifth-generation Golf in the market.

The current Golf launched internationally in 2003 and has been lauded by the motoring press globally, and this -- along with the economies associated with carrying over the existing platform -- helps explain why the new-gen car retains the core of its predecessor's architecture.

However, the design language has evolved slightly, and the face of the Golf VI has more than a bit in common with the new Scirocco coupe. The tail-lights, meanwhile, don't appear that different to those of its Touareg SUV sibling.

The interior layout has been subtly remodelled, helping to retain an element of freshness against revitalised opposition such as the recently facelifted Ford Focus.

The powertrain line-up will feature some new additions, and the GTI variant is likely to feature the same punchy 155kW/350Nm 2.0-litre TFSI engine that we've already sampled in the new Audi Q5 (more here).

There will also be a fuel-sipping 'Bluemotion' diesel variant in the line-up, but this powerplant has yet to be confirmed for our market.

Even four years after its Australian launch, the Golf is still the bread and butter of VW's local volumes, accounting for 7915 sales until the end of July, out of a total 19,041 units.

So the new model clearly has some big shoes to fill. Time will tell whether coming up with what is essentially a substantial facelift (rather than an all-new car) is enough to sustain the Golf's sales momentum.

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