According to some educated guessing at WorldCarFans, Volkswagen's Up! concept that is coming our way in the next few years will be renamed the Lupo, reviving a name that went out of production in 2005. WCF says they have official confirmation from sources that their guess is true, and that "Up!" will indeed form the middle of the Lupo name (see also: IROC and Scirocco). There's still time before we find out for sure, as the production Up!/Lupo isn't expected to be unveiled until the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2011.
Volkswagen's TSI engines were awarded the "TechnoBest" award from the 15-nation AutoBest jury in Istanbul today. One reason for the award was that these engines crank out a lot of power for the amount of fuel they consume, something the jury called a "genuine advancement." Read more of the jury's thoughts in VW's announcement after the jump. For the last few years, Europeans have been able to drive using the TSIs, but Americans will get a first taste later this summer with the release of the new Passat CC. In Europe, the TSI engines are available in Golfs and the Jetta, Touran and Tiguan series vehicles. Currently, 127,000 TSI engines are in use around the world.
Volkswagen will be touring America in an effort to educate Americans on how VW clean their modern engines are.
The company has prepared a traveling road show called the Dieselution Tour. Into a couple of tractor-trailers, VW has packed interactive exhibits extolling the virtues of diesels. One such exhibit is a calculator that figures how much fuel you would save and how much carbon dioxide you would not emit if you drove a VW diesel on a given road trip compared to a gasoline-powered car. For example, on the 1,802-mile trip from San Francisco to Vail, Colorado, one would save about $80.14 in fuel and about 348 pounds of carbon dioxide.
Also on display are a Touareg TDI, a 1977 Rabbit diesel (the oldest VW diesel in the U.S., apparently) and the 2009 Jetta TDI. The tour will make stops at various universities, environmental events, and also the Super Bowl.
UBURN HILLS, Mich. – Volkswagen of America, Inc. has set a new record with its Touareg V10 TDI driven by Ryan Arciero at the 2007 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) race.
Arciero’s time of 13:17:70 was officially declared the new record holder for the alternative fuel diesel truck high performance showroom stock division. The previous record for this division was set in 2000 with a time of 13:34:63.
“It’s a great honor to be recognized as the record holder at a historic race like Pikes Peak,” said Arciero. “The Touareg V10 TDI is the perfect vehicle for this race, giving the driver an abundance of torque, traction and stability. That’s a highly effective combination for the short straights, 156 corners and switchbacks of this race.”
Volkswagen raced three diesel powered Touareg’s in the High Performance Showroom Stock division at the 2007 PPIHC. Second place driver Mark Miller’s official time of 13:25:24 was also good enough to break the seven year-old division record for diesel vehicles by over nine seconds.
Video footage of the race from the Touaregs can be seen at www.vwvodcasts.com, providing a first-hand perspective of the 12.4 mile race to the summit of Pikes Peak, an elevation of over 14,100 feet.
Volkswagen created a microsite for the New Bourne Supremacy movie. You can drive your favorite Veedubs like Jason Bourne. Check it out at www.bournestuntsimulator.com.
I dug out some more information on the 2008 Wagon courtesy of TDIClub.com.
Both sedan and Sportswagen TDIs will start being built in Mexico plant the second week in January, 2008. That should put them into dealerships about mid-March, 2008.
VW will be releasing the 2008 Golf Estate (Jetta Wagon) on June 1, 2007. Here are some details from the press release.
Volkswagen's new Golf Estate, made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. It's bold new look takes the Golf into another dimension; combining sharp dynamics with space and versatility.
With the largest loadspace of any Golf to date the new estate extends the versatility of the Golf range. As well as a bold new look to the rear of the car, the Golf Estate benefits from fresh styling at the front together with several desirable practical and dynamic touches. While practicality and load lugging are high on the Golf Estate's agenda the sharp driving dynamics of the hatchback are retained.
To aid practicality the rear seats fold flat into the floor to reveal a versatile 1,550-litres of boot space complete with multiple load hooks. And for inspiration, just look up and enjoy the unrestricted view through the enormous panoramic sliding roof (optional at extra cost). The Golf Estate, space for ideas.
A choice of 3 engines including a 1.6 105 PS petrol engine, or 2 diesel engines; 1.9 TDI 105PS or 2.0 TDI 140PS will be available on the new Golf Estate. Diesel engines will be available with a choice of six-speed manual or DSG gearboxes.
Golf Estate Specification*
Rear lights incorporating LED technology
Roof rails
16" steel wheels with 205/55 R16 tyres
Radio/CD player with 4 speakers and roof aerial
Remote central locking with 2 remote folding keys
Power-assisted steering, speed-sensitive
Air conditioning, ‘Climatic’ semi-automatic control
Curtain airbag system, for front and rear passengers
Chrome trimmed radiator grille surround
Glovebox, cooled
Electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors
Electric windows, front and rear
Curtain airbag system, for front and rear passengers
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist)
Split folding rear seats, 60:40, folds flat into boot floor
Three-spoke steering wheel
Halogen clear headlights, range adjustable
Model
Output (PS)
Maximum VED band*
RRP (£) Including fitting
S
1.6 ltr
5 speed manual
102
E
£14,347.00
S TDI†
1.9 ltr
5 speed manual
105
C
£15,572.00
SE
1.6 ltr
5 speed manual
102
E
£15,362.00
SE TDI†
1.9 ltr
5 speed manual
105
C
£16,592.00
SE TDI DPF
1.9 ltr
6 speed auto DSG
105
D
£18,502.00
SE TDI†
2.0 ltr
6 speed manual
140
C
£17,862.00
SE TDI DPF
2.0 ltr
6 speed auto DSG
140
D
£19,642.00
Sportwagon
1.6 ltr
5 speed manual
102
E
TBA
Sportwagon TDI†
2.0 ltr
6 speed manual
140
C
£18,637.00
Sportwagon TDI DPF
2.0 ltr
6 speed auto DSG
140
D
£20,417.00
*For full details of VED (Road Fund Licence) bands and other costs included in the 'On the road' recommended retail price, contact your local retailer
† These engines are also available with optional DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) at £425 RRP. For full information on DPF contact your Volkswagen retailer.
Some illustrations do not necessarily reflect UK specifications and may not be available. Consequently controls and some items of equipment are positioned differently for the UK.
The Jetta SportWagen will go on sale in Europe this summer as the Golf Variant, and come to the U.S. this fall. Here in the New World, our SportWagens will be powered by the 2.5-liter inline-five familiar from the Rabbit, now up from 150 horsepower to 170. A few months later, the 200-hp 2.0-liter turbo four from the GTI will be available. In January of 2008, the SportWagen will also be available with the 140-hp 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder we told you about back in February. Pricing should start around $18,000 and reach into the mid- to high-20s as option boxes are checked.
As part of their Rabbit marketing campaign, VW has released a Mac OS X Widget.
The city’s expensive enough. The VW Rabbit Widget displays free events in the major U.S. city of your choice. Download and stay up to date on what’s cool and affordable in your city.
From museum tours & gallery exhibitions, to concerts, recitals & readings, the Rabbit Widget will help you stretch your budget across a wide range of interesting activites.
Event times, categories and descriptions are all displayed in this zippy app.
With reference to the new Passat BlueMotion this means: an average of 5.1 liters of diesel over 100 kilometers. The Passat Estate BlueMotion needs 5.2 liters (137 g/km) – also a top value, even in comparison to vehicles worldwide. Both body versions have a driving range of up to 1,350 kilometers with a full tank!
The R36 has 20 more HP than the Passat. It also has 18" wheels, a body kit, stiffer suspension, sport seats and R36 custom dash trim pieces. Check it out over on the vwvortex.
Volkswagen unveiled the Neeza concept at the 2006 China Auto Show. Autoblog china has all the pictures.
I'm wondering if this isn't the fruits of the partnership between Volkswagen and Daimler/Chrysler. It pretty much looks like a Chrysler Pacifica and Mercedes R500.
LAS VEGAS — Volkswagen's California Design Center has created its vision of the "hot hatch" of the future in the R GTI.
An evolution of the R concepts from last year's SEMA show, the R GTI features carbon-fiber body panels from OSIR Design with a black paint scheme, blacked-out headlamp housings, R32 taillamps with smoked lenses, and central twin exhaust pipes.
Tuner APR started with VW's 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, replacing the turbocharger with a larger Garrett unit. Output jumps to 375 horsepower on 93-octane fuel (400 hp on 100-octane race fuel). VW claims 0-60-mph acceleration takes a mere 4.8 seconds.
H&R Tuning supplied the suspension mods, including coil-over shocks, springs and stabilizer bars, and lowered ride height as much as 2.5 inches. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup performance tires are mounted on 19-inch custom wheels, and Brembo disc brakes are fitted.
The cabin is trimmed in black leather with red stitching, with Recaro buckets and OSIR black carbon-fiber trim.
VW says the R GTI is a one-off with no immediate production plans.
What this means to you: Begin hounding your local VW dealership immediately, and hope they get the word back to the factory.
All right, big news: I personally was in the presence of a 2008-model Jetta TDI this afternoon! It was at the Boston "Altwheels" festival as a clean-diesel demonstrator car, and will be there tomorrow and Saturday as well for any who want to see it in person. The car was beautiful, and seemed to be set up in an unusual way. It had a 6-speed manual, a nav system, leatherette seats, GTI-style projector headlamps, really nice uplevel wheels, and of course the new-generation 2.0L Common Rail TDI, which they said is clean enough for 50-state certification.
I spoke extensively with the VW guys who brought the car there--one was an emissions chief in Michigan named Norbert, with a German accent, and the other was a government-relations honcho based in DC--and they were a little vague on the details, but at least they let me take some pictures. They said the engine has about 140hp and 240lb-ft, and would start out in Jettas but probably end up in at least the Rabbit as well, and maybe more models beyond that. From what I could tell looking at the engine (they wouldn't let me pull the plastic cover off), it has a timing belt arrangement like the old VE-pump cars, with what might be a high-pressure fuel supply/lift pump mounted where the rotary injection pump went on the older motors. Everything else looked like it does on a current-model Jetta PD. The redline looked to be at about 4500 rpm, so basically where it is now. I have to say, this engine was so quiet I literally had trouble believing it was a diesel. It was far quieter than the new Toyota Camry gasser idling next to it, for instance. They said there is extensive exhaust aftertreatment, including catalyst, particle filter, etc, but no urea injection (a good thing, I'd say).
Anyway, these guys seemed really supportive of increased diesel presence in the US, saying that the TDIs had been selling like hotcakes with demand well exceeding supply and prices/profits very high (like that's news to any of us).
Here's what it looked like:
There was also this kind of counterproductive garbage there, of course:
I'll be there tomorrow and Saturday, so if anyone shows up keep an eye out for me. There was also a guy with a '98 Beetle TDI that he'd put an Elsbett conversion into.
Volkswagen Ranks Highest In J.D. Powers Environmental Index
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. September 11, 2006; Volkswagen of America, Inc. is the industry’s most environmentally friendly automaker according to J.D. Power and Associates’ just-released, 2006 “Alternative Powertrain Study, ” which includes the Automotive Environmental Index. Volkswagen places three products on the automotive researcher’s list of low emission vehicles—including the Golf, Jetta and New Beetle. The study includes gasoline, diesel and hybrid powered vehicles.
The new study combines U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data with voice-of-the-customer information to scrutinize 37 automotive brands relative to a range of environmental factors, including fuel economy, emissions and air quality. The vehicles are then ranked to determine an Automotive Environmental Index (AEI), with Volkswagen topping the list as the product leader in environmental performance.
Said Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, chairman of the Volkswagen brand: “The “Alternative Powertrain Study” is testament to our intensive and global commitment in the area of economic engines. And this innovative strength continues to have an impact, via our range of TDI vehicles. No other manufacturer has sold more diesel cars in the United States and that upward trend continues.”
The J.D. Power and Associates study also recognizes Volkswagen and its products as strong performers in the diesel arena. Volkswagen is the leading manufacturer of diesel cars in the United States, including the new Touareg V10 TDI— the first turbodiesel SUV in America with a particle filter, and the Jetta TDI, the industry’s top selling diesel vehicle.
What's better than an R32 you ask? How about a HPA Motorsports R32 with 525HP!
2008 HPA FT575 Volkswagen R32
A more detailed look at HPA Motorsport's new twin-turbocharged FT575 package for the all-new VW Golf V R32
By John Kiewicz
Photography by the author
Motor Trend, August 2006
Get a FREE Price QuoteFind a Local Car Dealer
In the October 2006 issue of Motor Trend magazine you got a quick look at HPA Motorsport's new twin-turbocharged FT575 package for the all-new VW Golf V R32. Here, we show a few more photos of the car along with give more tech insight to this road rocket.
Rev the twin-turbo 3.2L V-6 to 5,500 rpm, dump the clutch, and the HPA R32 smokes all four tires on the launch.
Keep your foot to the floor on the launch and the HPA FT575 R32 burns all four tires for more than two car lengths on its way to a 0-60-mph run in just 3.5 seconds.
Well, maybe the burnouts are a bit longer than two car lengths....
Pop the hood on the HPA R32 and you'll instantly know that not all is stock.
HPA keeps the aftermarket upgrades looking clean and on par with what a factory setup would look like. The engine is fit with upgraded engine bearings, a special head spacer system, custom air inlet box, twin turbochargers, twin intercoolers, custom pipework, special intake manifold, custom downpipes, and so much more that team to produce a stellar 575 horsepower.
A close-up look at the twin turbocharger system. The turbo housings are specially cast for HPA to incorporate unique wastegates.
The front fascia incorporates custom-made aluminum honeycomb grilles that feed cool air to the twin front-mount aluminum intercoolers.
Out back, a custom carbon fiber lower fascia wraps around the HPA-built stainless-steel dual exhaust system.
A look under the HPA FT575 shows the custom twin-bypass exhaust system. Around town, the exhaust system is quiet and mellow. Floor the throttle and a special bypass system activates allowing much of the exhaust to bypass the muffler for increased power and a more aggressive sound. The instant you take your foot off the throttle, the bypass system closes and the car is quiet.
The HPA FT575 comes with KW Variant three fully-adjustable coil-over shocks and springs. The combo radically increases handling without delivering a harsh ride. The car can be lowered/raised within minutes. Optional to the FT575 are huge Brembo eight-piston calipers replete with four brake pads that clamp 14.4-inch diameter rotors--a package specially built by Brembo for HPA.
OZ Racing 19x8-inch alloy wheels look similar to the stock R32 wheels but offer lighter weight and increased width to work with the Dunlop Sport Maxx 235/35ZR19 tires. HPA is currently working on a special fender flare kit that would allow an even wider wheel/setup to be fit to the new Golf V R32.
Inside, HPA keeps things fairly stock with the R32. Available are a boost gauge, custom seat upholstery, and an HPA short-throw shifter for six-speed manual transmission R32s.
When the wheels are spinning you can really see the huge Brembo calipers.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. September 14, 2006; Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced that they are among the recipients of Popular Mechanics 2007 Automotive Excellence Awards. The award was giving to the 2007 Volkswagen GTI which won the “Driving Fun” category.
That the GTI is fun to drive can be attributed to its high-tech, 200 horsepower 2.0T four-cylinder engine, a new fully independent, sports-tuned suspension, a standard six-speed manual transmission, and aggressive exterior styling with a practical interior that equally mixes functionality, flair and a preoccupation with a driver-first focus and layout.
The 2007 GTI is a legendary sports sedan with a unique manual DSGTM transmission that utilizes direct shifting, which essentially automatically depresses clutch-shift points more efficiently and quicker than even a professional driver can. But the GTI today is all purity, and for those who want the unique control of a clutch, the all-new GTI comes with a standard six-speed manual transmission. Top speed is electronically governed at 130 miles per hour in the U.S.
Popular Mechanics chose the winners after test driving over 100 of the newest cars, trucks and SUVs, amassing more than 100,000 miles in the process.
With Lincoln soon stopping production on the continental, vw seems to be in a perfect position to take over the North American limosine/taxi market with the Passat TDI. I see too many hybrids taxis where i live. Clearly TDI's get better milage than Prius'. VW lost/gave up on the van market, lets see them break into another market segment.
But after spending a week in the German-built Rabbit, we're convinced that all the whimsical stuff surrounding the renamed Golf is just a smokescreen. Because the little Rabbit is one substantial and serious small car that easily keeps pace with, and in some instances even outguns, such high-profile Detroit competitors as the Dodge Caliber and Ford Focus.
That came as a bit of a surprise to us, considering the car has been on sale for three years in Europe, where it still carries the Golf name. Amazingly, the Rabbit, which went on sale here in late June, seems fresh and appealing in the U.S., even against such formidable competitors as the recently redesigned Honda Civic.
We have to confess that we are former Rabbit owners -- and that the purchase of a bare-bones 1979 model was one of the low points of our marriage. That's because one of us traded in a beloved VW Beetle for the Rabbit.
When we go small, the Rabbit is bound to be at the top of our shopping list. We won't even mind if they stick a rabbit's foot on the key chain, either.
Edmonds.com has Exclusive Spy Video: 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan.
Although the Tiguan is based on the Concept A, what little of the cabin we could see showed a fairly typical dash layout. There may be a few upgrades added to give the Tiguan a unique look and feel compared to its Rabbit and GTI cousins, but other than a few minor trim changes it will be a standard-issue Volkswagen design. A third-row seat won't be available, but it looks as though second-row passenger room will be generous by compact-SUV standards.
And just in case you're wondering, the name "Tiguan" is a made-up combination of "tiger" and "iguana." Volkswagen decided on the name after polling readers of a European automotive publication. Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Volkswagen's chairman, called it a "unique event [that is] demonstrative of how Volkswagen is opening up." We call it a unique look at how clueless Volkswagen is when it comes to selling SUVs in the U.S.
A wide range of powerful engines is being lined up, including the new 1.4-litre turbo and supercharged TSI unit from the Golf GT. The GTI's 197bhp 2.0-litre will also be available, as will a 170bhp TDI oil-burner. A range-topping model could use the Golf R32's 3.2-litre V6 or a new 260bhp version of VW's 2.0-litre turbocharged FSI engine
The VW Rabbit logo appears on the back of Playboy. Check it out on the Vwvortex.
Here is the press release:
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. The Volkswagen Rabbit logo mimics its distant cousin, the official Playboy Rabbit Head logo, in an ad on the back cover of the September issue of Playboy, due on newsstands Friday, August 4.
The back cover, which showcases a rear view of cover models Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson, stars of E! Entertainment Television’s The Girls Next Door, was produced using special simultaneously shot front and back cover images. This unique cover photo perspective, a first for Playboy, features the Volkswagen Rabbit logo making a special cameo appearance on Holly’s lower back. The surprise Rabbit sighting is the first time that Playboy has featured a rear view perspective on the back cover of the magazine.
“The return of the Rabbit to the North American market has been extremely well received. The Playboy opportunity was a great chance to unite two famous and iconic brands,” said Volkswagen's Director of Brand Innovation Kerri Martin.
The issue kicks off the second season of the reality show The Girls Next Door, which gives viewers an inside look at life at the Playboy Mansion through the eyes of Hugh Hefner’s three girlfriends Holly, Bridget and Kendra.
In early 2006, Volkswagen announced that it was going back to its roots with the original Rabbit nameplate for the U.S. and Canadian markets. The new Rabbit hopped into the market this summer, and has already jumped into the eyes of consumers and onto the cover of a leading iconic lifestyle magazine. The Rabbit is sold in both two and four-door versions, with pricing starting at $14,990 for the two-door.">AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The Volkswagen Rabbit logo mimics its distant cousin, the official Playboy Rabbit Head logo, in an ad on the back cover of the September issue of Playboy, due on newsstands Friday, August 4.
The back cover, which showcases a rear view of cover models Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson, stars of E! Entertainment Television’s The Girls Next Door, was produced using special simultaneously shot front and back cover images. This unique cover photo perspective, a first for Playboy, features the Volkswagen Rabbit logo making a special cameo appearance on Holly’s lower back. The surprise Rabbit sighting is the first time that Playboy has featured a rear view perspective on the back cover of the magazine.
“The return of the Rabbit to the North American market has been extremely well received. The Playboy opportunity was a great chance to unite two famous and iconic brands,” said Volkswagen's Director of Brand Innovation Kerri Martin.
The issue kicks off the second season of the reality show The Girls Next Door, which gives viewers an inside look at life at the Playboy Mansion through the eyes of Hugh Hefner’s three girlfriends Holly, Bridget and Kendra.
In early 2006, Volkswagen announced that it was going back to its roots with the original Rabbit nameplate for the U.S. and Canadian markets. The new Rabbit hopped into the market this summer, and has already jumped into the eyes of consumers and onto the cover of a leading iconic lifestyle magazine. The Rabbit is sold in both two and four-door versions, with pricing starting at $14,990 for the two-door.
Volkswagen has released the 4 Door GTI to my local Canadian dealer. The car in question has Leather, DSG and no NAV. I didn't think VW would be releasing this car so early. It's probably here for jornalists test drives.
All i can say is that it's HOT. Maybe, in a couple of years we will have a TDI engine in the GTI. Checkout the pictures.
Now that Volkswagen’s GTI is here and the return of the Rabbit (formerly known as Golf) is imminent, VW is confirming the next piece of the product picture: R32, the performance variant of the Golf that went on sale in Europe last fall (News, Aug. 15, 2005) will arrive in the States in June 2007 as a 2008 model.
The only question remaining is whether they’ll chance calling it a Rabbit R32, or just leave well enough alone.
Autoblog pits the A3 and the GTI against each other. Their conculusion is that the A3 wins the style point while the GTI gets the substance points.
In a world where image is everything, we're going to give a slight edge to the Audi at the end of the day. When considering in which we want to be seen by our fellow man, there is no nip/tuck of a designer's pen that can change the fact that one of these cars is an Audi and the other a Volkswagen. All things being equal, we'd ask for the Audi's keys first everytime. Still, VW gets props for the handsome digs on its new hatchback, and the soon-to-be-resurrected Rabbit badge on the base models means an equally good looking Golf isn't far away.
Volkswagen will cut the price of its Jetta compact car in the United States to help boost volume for what is already its top-selling model in the U.S. market, industry paper Automotive News reported on Monday.
It quoted Adrian Hallmark, executive vice president of Volkswagen of America Inc, as saying the company will remove some features from the Jetta as of the 2007 model year and lower the U.S. price by $1,410.
That means 2007 Jetta prices will start at $17,105 including shipping. The cheapest 2006 Jetta starts at $18,515, it said.
"If we are going to be a volume player, we have to play the volume game," it quoted Hallmark as saying at an event in Germany. "If you look at the price-volume relationship, the decision is really clear."
The move reflects VW's decision to focus on its mass volume image and abandon -- for at least a few years -- efforts to position the brand upmarket to be able to charge more in the world's biggest car market.
It has also cut U.S. prices for the Rabbit, the model sold elsewhere as the Golf. The Rabbit goes on sale shortly with a base price of $15,605 including shipping, down from $16,660.
Hallmark said VW expected to sell about 105,000 Jettas in the U.S. market this year, down from a peak of 145,000 units in 2001.
As previously reported, it has also decided to stop selling the top-end VW Phaeton luxury car in the United States.
"Instead of going for the penthouse, we need a few floors below," Hallmark said.
2006
Touareg: Facelifted, the SUV offers a 3.6-liter 280-hp V6 gas engine. U.S. sales start by fourth quarter
Cross Golf: Off-road-inspired model addition
2007
Golf Wagon: New Jetta-based load hauler
Compact SUV: Production version of Concept A show car offered in front- and four-wheel drive. Big things are expected by the home office for this in the United States
Minivan: Joint-venture seven-seater built alongside upcoming Chrysler minivans in Canada
2008
Polo: Fifth-generation subcompact hatch under development with eye toward possible sales as entry-level U.S. model. Three- and five-door hatch and sedan versions planned
Scirocco: See main story; produced in Portugal alongside Eos
Golf/Rabbit: Sixth-generation, Europe’s perennial best-seller overhauled in a bid to make it cheaper to produce and boost VW’s bottom line
Passat coupe: Mercedes-Benz CLS fighter with a sleek coupe profile and four-door layout will be built alongside the (facelifted for 2008) sedan and wagon
2009
Touran: Golf-based compact MPV renewed. Possible U.S. entry
Jetta: Sixth incarnation of VW’s compact sedan. The U.S. version may ditch costly multilink rear suspension for a return to torsion beam. Production stays in Mexico
Polo MPV: Subcompact, unlikely to head Stateside
Polo cabriolet: Affordable cloth roof convertible with two-plus-two layout. Possible starter for North America
Touareg: Second-generation SUV developed in joint venture with Porsche (Cayenne) and Audi (Q7). Adds gasoline-electric hybrid model, direct injection for V6 and V8. W12 replaced with conventional V12 by Audi
Phaeton: Second-generation upmarket sedan; will VW try to interest Americans again?
Autoweek is reporting that VW will the Scirocco will be arriving as a 2009 model. It is one heck of a sexy car. I'm still not sure what the VW market will be. I suspect that the sucess or failure of the EOS in north america will influence the New Scirocco.
After months of internal struggles and arguments over its design, Volkswagen officials have finally given the low-slung Scirocco coupe the green light. Arguments over the car were heated: On one side were the pfennig-pinchers aiming to save cash; on the other, VW boss Wolfgang Bernhard and his plan to resurrect one of the most evocative models in the company’s history. The score thus far: Car Guys, 1; Bean Counters, 0.
AutoWeek sources suggest prices for a base four-cylinder front-drive edition will start at E22,000, or nearly $28,000 and rise accordingly. The top model will have a 3.6-liter V6 and all-wheel drive.
More an image booster than a volume seller, the Scirocco’s business case calls for sales of no more than 150,000 cars over a six-year life—or just 25,000 per year. Insiders admit that figure is conservative and say it could sell in much higher numbers, particularly if it takes off in the United States.
The new Scirocco is built on the PQ35 platform that is underneath the Golf, with much of the hardware altered to appeal to the ride-and-handling expectations of coupe buyers. The Scirocco gets wider tracks and a MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension with specific settings.
The entry-level model will likely get the just-introduced supercharged and turbocharged 1.4-liter Twincharger four from the Golf GT. It pumps out 140 hp to 170 hp, depending on tuning. Above that, a turbocharged 2.0-liter like that in the GTI can be massaged to deliver in the region of 230 hp, as hinted at on Volkswagen’s Edition 30 concept. A 2.0-liter diesel four will also slide into the engine bay, but that oil burner probably won’t come to the United States.
Volkswagen also plans a Scirocco 4Motion flagship, probably later rather than at the initial launch of the model. Expect it to use the new 3.6-liter 15-degree V6 with 280 hp. Transmission choices will include a standard six-speed manual, with the popular double-clutch DSG unit an option.
Volkswagen will build the Scirocco in Portugal on the same line as the coming Eos. The two cars share a basic mechanical package, and with key suppliers having established satellite operations on site, sources claim the new coupe can be produced more cheaply and with the same quality as in Germany.
Before the car goes into production, Volkswagen intends to streamline processes to ensure profits. Call that a nod to the accountants. If reports in Germany are believed, VW now loses money on every Golf it produces at home. That’s something product boss Bernhard intends to reverse—and soon.
Volkswagen will unveil the 2007 Jetta wagon at the Paris auto show in September, according to The Car Connection. The car will have a sweeping roofline similar to that of the new Mercedes C-Class and Saab 9-3. It will have more storage space than the last Jetta Wagon, and will be offered with a 2.5-liter straight-five or a 2.0-liter turbo four-banger. A sport GLI model will also be offered. A diesel variant will be launched when VW brings its diesel passenger cars back to the U.S. in 2008.
Dealers should be receiving one EOS in July/August with September 9th, 2006 being the launch date. Each dealer will have to keep their EOS on the lot until the launch.
GermanCarBlog has some pictures they found from Auto Motor and Sport.
If one is to beleive the pictutes, the Scirocco will essentially be a golf with a new front end. I'm at a loss for words. I guess the only thing i can say is WTF is VW thinking.
**Update: I think my mind could be swayed if the only power plant would be a TDI. Hey I can dream!
VW Scirocco: Here are the pics!
Here are the first (photochopped), bigger pics of the VW Scirocco. The experience shows that "Auto Motor und Sport" is usually quite close to the final deal.
)
)
)
LAS VEGAS — Volkswagen's California Design Center has created its vision of the "hot hatch" of the future in the R GTI.
![](http://www.volkswagen-media-services.com/medias_publish/ms/content/en/pressemitteilungen/2005/09/12/auf_den_punkt__iaa.-bin.acq/qual-Article.Single.Image6Popup/PopUppopupDB2005AU01694_Touareg%20W12.jpg")
Volkswagen will unveil the 2007 Jetta wagon at the Paris auto show in September, according to The Car Connection. The car will have a sweeping roofline similar to that of the new Mercedes C-Class and Saab 9-3. It will have more storage space than the last Jetta Wagon, and will be offered with a 2.5-liter straight-five or a 2.0-liter turbo four-banger. A sport GLI model will also be offered. A diesel variant will be launched when VW brings its diesel passenger cars back to the U.S. in 2008.
