Volkswagen rolls out Touareg Lux Limited and V6 TDI SUVs at Detroit Auto Show

Diesels are quickly joining hybrids and plug-in electrics as the new show-car theme. The reasons are simple: efficiency, both in terms of fuel and finance, is driving carmakers and consumers to give diesel-fueled vehicles another chance. In keeping with this, Volkswagen is once again showcasing its Touareg SUV equipped with a 3.0L V6 TDI clean diesel engine, this time at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. For the U.S. version of the vehicle, V6 TDI delivers 225hp (165kW) and 406lb-ft (550Nm) of torque and is rated at 18mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway for fuel economy. Volkswagen Touareg Lux Limited SUV

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Volkswagen Bluesport roadster concept debuts in Detroit

Volkswagen has made no secret of its desire to revive the compact roadster market with numerous concept cars over the last decade, however the latest design, called the Bluesport, takes it to a new level with almost production-ready specs and a real possibility of getting the green light for global sales. VW's goal was to build a convertible sports car that was affordable, economical and quick, and the numbers for the Bluesport seem to indicate they've achieved their goal. Powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder turbodiesel, the Bluesport develops 180hp and 260lb-ft of torque. Volkswagen Concept R 2003

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Volkswagen to replace Golf R32 with new Scirocco R20T

Volkswagen first hinted at a new high-performance version of the Scirocco coupe when it revealed the GT24 race concept back at the Austrian Wörthersee Tour tuning show in May, but in what form the car will finally come to production is still up in the air. The most likely scenario will see it come to market with a beefed up version of the current 2.0L TFSI engine. This engine is also used in the recently introduced Audi S3, where it develops a peak output of 265hp (195kW) and 258lb-ft (350Nm) of torque. 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco R

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ABT-modified VW Golf mark VI

The Essen Motor Show, Germany's equivalent to the SEMA show, is getting underway, and ABT's contribution to the pack of tuned Volkswagens sure to make the event starts with the all-new Golf VI. A mild package by ABT's standards, the Golf VI nevertheless gains about 30% in power and also gets an upgraded appearance. Boosting output of the 1.4L TSI petrol engine from 122hp (91kW) to 160hp (119kW) in base form and from 160hp to 200hp (149kW) in up-spec guise, the ABT kit adds considerably to the Golf's sportiness without pushing it into the realm of the inefficient or undriveable. ABT Golf Mark VI

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Volkswagen Group boss hints at diesel Bentley

Purists may scoff at the idea of a diesel powered Bentley but officials say the idea has merit. Bentley's parent company Volkswagen, after all, has some of the most refined diesel powerplants on the planet, and it also has a number of high-performance oil-burners including V10 and V12 units. There's no reason why diesel can't be an option for future models, but Bentley says there's still not enough demand to warrant engineering them for its cars. Speaking with Auto Motor und Sport this week, Volkswagen Group boss, Martin Winterkorn, said: "With Bentley we will react to the changing market conditions. 2010 Bentley Arnage spy shots

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Tuner VW Sciroccos revealed ahead of Essen Motor Show

A pair of modified Volkswagen Scirocco coupes scheduled to appear at the upcoming Essen Motor Show in Germany have been revealed, one of them inspired by the Need for Speed Undercover series of racing sims. The other is the German 'Polizei' Tune It! Safe!, which was created by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and VDAT eV (Association of Automobile Tuners in Germany) to promote awareness of safe automobile tuning. The Need for Speed car is based on the 2.0L TSI model, complete with a DSG and 200hp (149kW) output. Essen Motor Show Volkswagen Scirocco

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VW powertrain boss expects 90% take up rate for dual-clutch transmissions

Carmakers in the luxury and sports segments are finding it extremely difficult to increase fuel savings without compromising the quality and performance of their product, but one company, the Volkswagen Group, is banking on dual-clutch gearbox technology to help achieve the all-important fleet-wide fuel economy gains. Speaking with MotorTrend, Volkswagen Group's chief of powertrain development, Wolfgang Hatz, explained that the technology was no longer in the realm of large-engined, expensive cars, but was now going to trickle down to even entry-level models in order to reduce average mileage and emissions figures. Hatz estimates that 90% of all future production models will be carrying a dual-clutch transmission, and that the majority of these could be the same durable unit as that found in the current Audi S4 and Q5, which is capable of handling almost 443lb-ft (600Nm) of torque. Meanwhile, Audi is continuing its diesel offensive in the U.S.

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VW Jetta TDI wins 2009 Green Car of the Year

The Los Angeles Auto Show is winding down its press events today, but this morning's first feature was the revelation of the winner of the 2009 Green Car of the Year award. Volkswagen's 2009 Jetta TDI took the honor, beating out a field of five finalists. The Jetta TDI is the first 'clean diesel' to win the award, handed out by the Green Car Journal since 2005. "The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI epitomizes what the Green Car of the Year honor is all about," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal. 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

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September 2009 U.S. launch for VW Rabbit and GTI

Volkswagen will reportedly bring its sixth-generation Golf (Rabbit) and the more performance oriented GTI to the United States by September of next year, with production scheduled to begin for the American-spec cars during the tail end of June. The new Golf is expected to be slightly more expensive than the outgoing model, with a $250 price hike set to apply to the base level Golf and GTI models. The improvements include a new engine lineup and increased availability of DSG dual-clutch transmission technologies, which can lower fuel consumption by up to 28% in some models. Despite the current economic crisis and concerns over fuel prices, VW is eager to bring the GTI hot-hatch Stateside and is estimating that it will account for more than a third of Golf sales. VW Golf Mark VI official photos

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Shanghai-Volkswagen to showcase hydrogen fuel-cell Passat Lingyu at L.A. Auto Show

Volkswagen's partnership with Shangai Auto to build cars and develop new technology together will be showing off the fruits of its labor at this week's Los Angeles Auto Show, with the unveiling of a hydrogen fuel cell powered Passat Lingyu sedan. The Passat Lingyu has been built by the joint-venture in China since last year and the new fuel cell model will be used to promote alternative energy mobility, with a view to mass production sometime in 2010. The fuel cell found in the Passat Lingyu has been developed jointly by Shanghai-VW, Tongji University, and Chinese technology firm Shanghai Shen-Li High Tech, reports Shanghai Securities News.

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Review: Used Car Classic: VW Beetle

Unlike the New Beetle, an impractical fashion statement of a car, the (Real) Beetle eschewed style for utility. The ads of my youth played that up relentlessly, amusingly, logically. The Beetle was cheap. It was a cinch to fix. Fender-bender? Just undo several bolts, pop the old one off, put a new one on. The car was so tightly constructed that you had to open a window to close the door. Heck, the Beetle was so tight it could float. "If Senator Kennedy had been driving a VW, he'd be President today," the National Lampoon opined.

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Review: Volkswagen Passat CC

The CC stood out like a swan amidst a gaggle of homely Jetta ducklings on the VW dealer's lot, its aesthetic appeal undeniable. In contrast with the company's marketing approach with the Phaeton, the CC is virtually badge-less and, at first blush, hard to identify as part of the VW family. I suppose it still looks vaguely Germanic since it shamelessly cribs from the Mercedes CLS it aspires to be. Comfort Coupe or Caustic Copy?

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2009 Volkswagen Routan Review

A large percentage of TTAC readers arrive here via a Google search of a specific vehicle. They know nothing of-- nor care much about-- our "take no prisoners" editorials or Inside Baseball auto industry analysis. So, in their honor, let's start with THE key fact: the VW Routan is a rebadged Chrysler minivan. Rebadged as in mildly reworked. So why buy a VW Routan instead of a Chrysler product? For the same reason you'd buy a Chrysler minivan over a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna: no reason at all, really. But there's more to it than that. At least in theory...

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2009 VW Jetta SportWagen SE Review

The previous gen Jetta was one of the few small station wagons available in the U.S. It garnered a dedicated following amongst those who needed extra space but didn't have to prove anything to anyone by driving an SUV. When the bulbous fifth generation Jetta debuted, the wagon was missing-- but promised. Three years later, it's finally here. Was it worth the wait?

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2009 VW Tiguan SE 4Motion Review

First impressions last. And many are formed by the appellation given a child at birth by well-meaning parents. Guys named Percival, Chauncey and Marion know the answer to "what is in a name?" And now, Tiguan. Pronunciation? Is it TEE-gwan? TIG-yoo-wahn? Tig-WAHN? Any way you say it, Tiguan sounds more like some species of sub-Saharan reptile than a girlie soft-roader. Like that boy named Sue, Smuckers or Huckabee, any vehicle with a bizarre name better be able to stand up for itself. So is VW's new mini-ute good enough to compensate for its cumbrous cognomen (stupid name)?

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2009 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDI Review

In the past five years, Volkswagen has had its pants around its ankles. Gas tripled in price, Al Gore invented the environment and the brand once known for frugality didn't have U.S. products that could compete on fuel economy. Volkswagen's diesel-powered Jetta and Passat weren't even legal in VW-friendly California, NY and Massachusetts. After miles of regulatory legwork, VW brought one of its new generation European diesels up to fifty-state compliance. The Jetta 2.0 TDI hits dealers this fall. So is it The One?

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2008 Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI Review

The VW Phaeton was the answer to a question no one asked: who wants to buy a $70k Volkswagen? Marketing mishegos aside, "Piech's folly" is a superb car: relatively quick, preposterously quiet and completely comfortable. Lest we forget, VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech is something of a master engineer. He was directly responsible for Porsche's 917; a race car so dominant they canceled the entire race series. Piech also willed the Bugatti Veyron into existence. The Touareg V10 TDI was born from the same world-crushing crucible as the Phaeton and the Veyron. So, how does the uber-oil burner measure up?

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Volkswagen Jetta Review

My name is Tony and I'm an ex-VW owner. Like most exes, it's taken me a couple of decades to overcome my bitterness to the point where I can render objective judgment on the German automaker's products. As a test drive reveals nothing about long-term reliability, I will mention it no more and judge the facts at hand. One of which is Volkswagen automobiles are still beset with mechanical and electrical gremlins. Damn! So, the Jetta. Nice looking car, eh?

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Volkswagen R32 Review

When the Volkswagen R32 first arrived stateside, enthusiasts gave the hot hatch a hero's welcome. The all wheel-drive, VR6-powered Alpha rabbit made its pre-GTI siblings look like a bunch of ectomorphic accountants at a supermodel slumber party. The R32 was rare, fast, agile, sharp-looking and tighter than the Osmond family at Thanksgiving dinner. The latest version is all that, again, with the notable addition of the world's best gearbox. And yet the R32's suddenly become a deeply unloved (if not unlovable) automobile. So who shot JR?

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Volkswagen Polo Review

At the tail end of the last century, the European built, Eurozone-only Volkswagen Polo was the "Mercedes of small cars." While the Golf/Rabbits MKIII and MKIV suffered from iffy quality, the smaller, staid Polo was known for being reliably unbreakable. Then, something happened. Just as Mercedes' quality nosedived, the VW Polo lost its rep for bullet-proof build. Since 2005 quality has (reportedly) markedly improved, which has put the car back on the list of frugal consumers looking to buy something "classically VW." But is it ready for a U.S. debut?

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