I would recommend that when someone orders a car that they print out the online brochure. Nowadays it’s so easy for a manufacturer to downgrade a car’s specification on their online site. It’s then difficult to argue the change of specification when it has been updated without warning. Back in the day when brochures were printed on paper the car’s details were in black and white (actually they were usually in colour), and it was difficult for a manufacturer to lower the spec without having to go to the expense of a brochure reprint.
VW no longer produce online brochures - at least for the UK market; the last one for the Golf was dated 24/09/2021 and that won’t reflect MY23 vehicle spec. You could take screen shots of the relevant parts of the configurator, but you’re reliant on the information being accurate, and sadly that isn’t always the case.
VW always used to include the undernoted statement in their product literature - online or printed. This is from the last (September 2021) online brochure;
‘Prices, specifications, features, technical and other information (including fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and range) are updated regularly and are subject to change without notice (this may include changes between order and delivery). There may be a delay in updates to our materials – always consult your authorised Volkswagen retailer for the latest information.’
There’s probably the same - or similar - statement somewhere on VW’s website to;
- avoid the need to specifically notify customers of spec changes.
- cover themselves in the event of a customer challenging any spec changes made, and the vehicle they’ll get not being the same spec as the one they ordered.
Car manufacturers making ongoing spec changes throughout a car’s lifecycle is nothing new and historically - with VW at least - has often resulted in additional equipment being added. I doubt a customer would have an issue if their vehicle arrived at the price agreed at time of order, but had extra value additional equipment added as part of the next year’s model year changes.