What would cause my VW golf to cut out whist driving
The most common cause for a car to lose power and then cut out is a bad fuel pump. The fuel pump will steadily get worse and eventually the car will not start.
Several things can cause your car to cut off while driving. Run a computer check for possible bad codes to see what may show up as a cause.
Running out of gas.
Yes. After that you will need a new engine.
There are many things that can cause a car to cut off. Lack of electricity throughout the car, lack of fuel through the fuel system, and parts not being connected or firing correctly.
You caught your finger in the car door and the tip was cut off.
NO
NO!
No, but it could effect how the transmission shifts.
Most likely cause is that the rev limiter has cut in.
It sounds like the fan-belt is slipping.