SEMA 2008: VW Tiguan Performance Concept rocks the <strike>house</strike> CUV

[ Via: Autoblog (Aftermarket) ]
[ Tag: aftermarket, cuvs, sema, sema 2008, Sema2008, tiguan performance concept, TiguanPerformanceConcept, tuners, volkswagen, volkswagen tiguan, VolkswagenTiguan, vw, vw tiguan, vw tiguan performance concept, VwTiguan, VwTiguanPerformanceConcept ]

Audi A4, Q5 could be built Stateside

Taking a lesson from BMW, who have been successfully manufacturing cars and SUVs in Spartanburg, South Carolina for more than a decade, Audi may seek manufacturing capabilities for their A4 sedan and Q5 SUV in the States. The new Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, just announced last week, may be tasked with building upwards of 200,000 vehicles per year -- including the two Audis. Estimated to cost $973.5 million, the 1,359 acre plant is large enough to handle the domestic production for VW, Audi, and even shareholder Porsche... although the proud automaker from Stuttgart vehemently denies even considering it.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: 2009 A4, 2009 Q5, 2009A4, 2009Q5, A4, Audi, BMW, chattanooga, Manufacturing, Porsche, Q5, Volkswagen ]

Lutz: No Beat for the U.S., smaller CUVs on the way, Insignia stalled

General Motor's car czar, Bob Lutz, sat down with the little people of the blogosphere after GM's announcement that it would be reducing white collar expenditures by 20-percent, cutting truck production and eliminating retired health care for salaried workers over 65, all in an effort to boost its liquidity by $15 billion by the end of 2009.
Maximum Bob addressed questions about GM's entire brand portfolio, saying, "Pontiac will be nourished with products" and confirming that GM is in talks with financial institutions about HUMMER, and that, "If we could sell the brand, we'd be interested in doing that."

Predictably, much of the conversation centered on fuel efficiency and the General's plans to address the growing demand for miserly transport in the U.S. Lutz made it clear that "as fuel costs in the U.S. begin to resemble those in the rest of the world" it will be easier for GM to realign its products on a global scale.
[Photo: David McNew/Getty]

So what about the Chevy Beat? The subcompact hatch is slated to arrive in Europe next year as the Spark, replacing the vehicle that shares the same name. However, GM didn't intend for the Beat (or Spark) to be offered in the U.S., so it doesn't meet federal safety and crash standards. It would take too much money and about two years to bring the Beat up to snuff for sales in the U.S., so Lutz conceded that it wouldn't be coming to the U.S. until the next generation arrives... whenever that is.

In more unfortunate news, the Chevrolet Cruze, set to debut in Paris and with sales beginning next year in Europe, won't be replacing the Cobalt in the U.S. anytime soon. Lutz maintains that the current Cobalt is "no where near the end of its life-cycle" and that it's "finally coming into its own" in the U.S. market. When the Cruze does debut, expect an interior that's a cross between the Cobalt and the Malibu, and powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-pot that will get 40+ mpg.

When asked about Saturn, Lutz was insistent that GM "likes the brand," but is concerned that the franchise isn't generating enough volume. While earlier reports suggested that Saturn would short-cycle the Aura and replace it with the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, Lutz says that it won't be coming forthright.

When the 2008/2009 show season ramps up, expect GM to debut several new compact crossovers that are significantly smaller than the Lambda CUVs currently on sale. Lutz wouldn't elaborate on what brands would be getting these new cute 'utes, but expect them to span GM's portfolio.

On a completely unrelated tangent, Lutz divulged a few tidbits about his personal rides, which include a Saturn Sky Redline, an Aura and four (count 'em, four) Segways. Go figure...

[ Via: Autoblog (Vauxhall) ]
[ Tag: beat, bob lutz, BobLutz, breaking, cruza, cruze, general motors, GeneralMotors, gm, gmc, hummer, saturn ]

Forbes lists top 10 family cars

As the self-appointed family car reviewer for Autoblog, I have some opinions on the topic. If money were no object, my nomination for the ultimate family car would be split between the Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the BMW 5 Series wagon. But the R-Class entry price is $42k, and the Bimmer's is close to $50k -- not exactly family-friendly.
Forbes Magazine, however, is a bit more realistic in its quest for the perfect family car, and considers price a deciding factor, like the majority of families. I agree with its Compact Car pick. The 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit is a good deal for your $16k entry price (though Forbes says $19k). On paper, its 15 cu. ft. of cargo space doesn't sound like much, but in reality, it's bigger than it sounds. The Rabbit also averages about 25 mpg, and these days, that's a big deal.
Still, there are some Forbes picks I just don't agree with. For example, the mag selects the Saab 9-3 Sport Combi as best wagon. Really? I admit I've never driven one, but I'm just wondering where the new Jetta Sportwagen placed. (I just stepped out of reviewing one for a week.) Forbes cites the Saab's maximum 72.3 cu. ft of cargo space as a big factor. But it only bests the VeeDub's by 5.4 cu. ft. And while the VW gives up 110 horses to the Saab's 280, but the VW gets, on average, 24 mpg to the Saab's 18. Oh, and the Saab requires premium fuel. I guess the question is this: Do you want to drag race your wagon or save money? My family will take the cash, please.
Then there's the Best Crossover category, where Forbes crowns the Ford Edge. This time, oddly enough, it decides to give the Edge an edge and lowball the entry level price at $25,735. Add some fairly common options, and you get pretty close to the upper range of $32k pretty quick. That, combined with an average fuel economy rating of 20 mpg, puts it out of the running in my household.
So, what else did I agree with? The Toyota Sienna isn't the best-looking vehicle on the road, but it's Forbes pick for the Best Minivan title. Even with an average of 22.5 mpg and a base price of $25k, I'd be fine putting my clan in it. I can't really come up with a better nomination for best convertible for family than Forbes' choice of the 2008 MINI Cooper. Sure, the kids are gonna be cramped, and they'll only be able to bring on vacation one change of clothes, but Daddy will sure be happy. Plus, its EPA-rated 26 mpg combined (with the stick) is not shabby.
Check out Forbes family car picks and tell us which ones you agree/disagree with. And, yes, we, too, are disappointed they didn't put the S4 in there, but then, at $48k, it's not exactly a frugal choice.

[ Via: Autoblog (Volkswagen) ]
[ Tag: best family car, BestFamilyCar, crossover suv, CrossoverSuv, family car, FamilyCar, minivans, sports utility vehicle, SportsUtilityVehicle, station wagons, StationWagons, suv ]

Suzuki SX4 Special Edition gets TRIP navigation

As previously reported, Suzuki has decided to include navigation on its SX4 Sport and Crossover before you make the first mark on the options list. That will make the $15,999 car the lowest priced car in America to come standard with talking maps. And now they're set to arrive in the SX4 Special Editions that arrive in Suzuki showrooms this month.
To recap, the nav system is called TRIP -- Travel, Real-time traffic, Information, and Play -- and incorporates several Microsoft features. Drivers can get traffic info, weather reports, headline news, stock quotes, movie listings, the lowest priced gas in the area, and directions to 500 nationwide Suzuki dealerships. If buyers go for the expansion module, they'll also get Fodor guide reviews of eateries and nightlife spots. It sounds like an awful lot to do in such a little car, but that's the march of progress.

[ Via: Suzuki ]
[ Tag: crossover, nav, navi, navigation, satnav, suzuki, suzuki sx4, suzuki sx4 crossover, suzuki sx4 limited edition, suzuki sx4 sedan, suzuki sx4 sport, SuzukiSx4, SuzukiSx4Crossover, SuzukiSx4LimitedEdition, SuzukiSx4Sedan, SuzukiSx4Sport ]

Autoblog Podcast #87

The Chicago Auto Show wasn't that eventful, but that's what we lead off Autoblog Podcast episode #87 with. The Challenger was the biggest deal, followed by the Denali XT, and then a bunch of inconsequential things. We did find ourselves talking about the Suzuki Equator and the Ford Transit Connect, too. We give you our first up close and personal impressions of the Challenger SRT-8 in this podcast. We also saw the VW Routan, which certainly doesn't conjure warm, fuzzy memories of Type IIs gone by. Chevy's Traverse calls into question the usefulness of Saturn's Outlook in the product lineup. Speaking of GM badge-engineering, we got word this week that Pontiac will not be getting a Trans Am companion to the Camaro, dang. Another disappointment is the rumor that Cerberus is going to let the Viper run down without rewinding the clock for a third generation. We wrap up by touching on the possibility that an Indian pickup could be the first diesel hybrid in the US, even though it's not even being imported yet, and we're sure that when it gets here, it'll generate even more hate than the new Acura RL. 42 minutes, that's it. Sorry it's a little late this week, it's all Alex's fault, I swear.
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[ Via: Autoblog (Suzuki) ]
[ Tag: acura, autoblog, autoblog podcast, AutoblogPodcast, challenger, chicago, denali, denali xt, DenaliXt, dodge, equator, firebird, gm, lambda, pickup, podcast, rl, routan, suzuki, trans am, transam, transit, xt, zeta ]

Volkswagen recalls 2009 Tiguan, 2008 Passat and Wagon for "Engine Surge"

Volkswagen is recalling 4,000 2008 Passats and 2009 Tiguans for an "engine surging" issue. The problem is an engine control module that may not control engine idle when the air conditioning is turned on. In rare cases, the ECM can trigger an unexpected jump in engine RPM, which could obviously lead to an accident. NHTSA has informed VW that since the recall is a safety concern, dealers cannot sell the vehicles until the problem has been fixed. Owners of potentially affected vehicles are being told not to operate the air conditioning until a VW dealer has serviced the ECM, which is less than terrific news considering it's June and temperatures are around 90 degrees in many parts of the country. While it's disheartening that the brand new Tiguan is already getting its first recall, at least the problem was discovered early and there's a fix readily available.

[ Via: Inside Line ]
[ Tag: ECM, NHTSA, recall, tiguan recall, TiguanRecall, VW Tiguan, VwTiguan ]

VW Tiguan buyers get a Golf... temporarily

Click the image above for a gallery of live shots of the Volkswagen Tiguan
In a rather odd yet intriguing move, Volkswagen in Germany is handing out a new fifth-generation Golf to anyone who orders a Tiguan. The customer will keep the Golf until their new Tiguan utility vehicle is available, which, at current rates, will not be until next January at the earliest. In an effort to cover the cost of giving away a new car and getting it back used, VW will be providing its dealers with a one-time payment of €1,000 for each Tiguan sold. Unfortunately for the affected dealers, that won't be enough to recoup the lost value of the Golf, but it shows how eager VW is to sell its new small-ute in the face of similar new models coming from its key competition, namely the Mercedes-Benz GLK.
We've previously reported that the Tiguan will start at $22,490, which equals $23,840 after the expensive shipping cost is tacked on. After AWD is added, though, the price climbs to $29,515. Considering that seemingly lofty price point, Volkswagen isn't expecting to face such sales shortages in the U.S. where it is marketing its lil' ute as the GTI of CUV's.

[ Via: Automotive News Europe ]
[ Tag: germany, tiguan, volkswagen tiguan, volkswagen-tiguan, VolkswagenTiguan, vw golf, vw tiguan, vw-golf, vw-tiguan, VwGolf, VwTiguan ]

VW says Tiguan is the 'GTI' of CUVs

The Volkswagen Tiguan compact CUV is a hot seller elsewhere in the world, with waiting lists to purchase the Honda CRV competitor already filling up. It probably won't be that way in the U.S. since the weak U.S. dollar and high feature content of the Tiguan will jack its base price up to $23,840 for a four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive model with a manual transmission. The base price for an AWD model is higher, much higher, at $29,515, and VW expects 60 percent of U.S. sales to be AWD.
In order to justify the premium price, VW will be positioning the Tiguan as the GTI of CUVs. Much like the VW GTI is a feature laden and higher performing version of the less expensive Rabbit, the Tiguan will be the same to its less expensive competition from Honda, Toyota and Ford. It features the same 200-hp, turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder as the GTI, but the compact CUV segment is already filled with examples offering more power from an assortment of four- and six-cylinder engines. Being a VW, we suspect the Tiguan will handle well, but we're not sure there's much of a market for GTI-like CUVs in the U.S. as gas prices continue to go up and up. VW hopes to sell only 20,000 - 25,000 Tiguans in the U.S. per year, which is certainly doable, but it won't be threatening the CRV for the crown of best-selling CUV.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: tiguan,tiguan gti,TiguanGti,volkswagen,volkswagen tiguan,VolkswagenTiguan ]

Volkswagen Tiguan diesel launch delayed in the U.S.?

All-time high gas prices have made Americans intensify their searches for top-shelf fuel economy, as evidenced by 15-year-old Geo Metros selling on eBay for $7,200. Apparently even capitalistic insanity isn't enough to convince Volkswagen to bring a diesel engine Stateside in the hotly anticipated Tiguan, as the ultra-efficient 2.0L oil-burner likely won't be available for MY 2009.
Part of the problem lies in the fact that the Tiguan is selling extremely well in Europe, which negates the need to rush additional models to the US, where a weak dollar is cutting into the German automaker's profits. VW is also trying to keep the price down on the new crossover, and diesel engines add thousands to the sticker. We wouldn't be surprised if the constant delays surrounding the 2.0L TDI have anything to do with the decision, either.
If a price war can break out on eBay in an effort to buy a turquoise 49 hp deathtrap, we're more than certain that Americans are willing to shell out $30k for an efficient CUV. Without a diesel powerplant, however, the Tiguan is just one more of the many mediocre-mileage tall wagons from which to choose.

[ Via: Winding Road ]
[ Tag: CUV, diesel, TDI, Tiguan, Volkswagen Tiguan, VolkswagenTiguan, VW ]