2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen - Click above for high-res image gallery
General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda and everyone else may not think there is much of a market for mainstream diesel vehicles in the United States, but Volkswagen would beg to differ. Since it launched its new generation diesels last fall in the Jetta and earlier this year in the Touareg, they have been selling like hotcakes with June being its best month yet. Last month was the best sales month to date for the Sportwagen with 1,982 sales and a whopping 81% of those were equipped with the 2.0-liter TDI four-cylinder.
Among the 8,431 Jetta sedans sold in June, 40% were diesel powered. And while the Touareg followed most other SUVs with a 41% overall decline to only 330 units in June, 29% of those had the 3.0-liter V6 TDI engine. Rabbit sales were down 69% in June, but a redesigned Golf is arriving in September, including a TDI - and if fuel prices keep climbing through the summer, it could see a huge sales spike as well.
[ Via: Autoblog (Volkswagen) ]
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Diesel TDI model grabs 81% of VW Jetta Sportwagen sales in June
New Indy engine could be delayed, three manufacturers in the mix
Competition is a good thing, right? If so, IndyCar racing is slated to improve within the next few years as the series branches out to include multiple engine suppliers. As it currently stands, Honda, which has been the sole engine supplier for IndyCar since 2006, will continue with its current contract through the 2010 season at least. IndyCar organizers would like to have a few new contracts in place by 2011, but the slow economy and fewer dollars earmarked for motorsports may push that date off until 2012.
In addition to Honda, which would like to stay in the series, Audi, Fiat, Porsche and Volkswagen are all currently negotiating with the racing league to offer alternative powertrain options. The current engines all displace 3.5 liters and are limited to 10,300 rpm, making about 650 horsepower running on ethanol fuel. The next contract will likely call for engines displacing 2.0 liters and feature turbocharging and direct injection. Both four cylinder and six cylinder options are being considered.
[ Via: USA Today ]
[ Tag: indy racing league, indycar, indycar engine, indycar racing, indycar series, indycar turbo, IndycarEngine, IndycarRacing, IndycarSeries, IndycarTurbo, IndyRacingLeague ]
Fiat marketing chief & Alfa Romeo CEO Luca de Meo defects to Volkswagen
Luca de Meo was charting a course to rise to the top of the Fiat group, but if reports emanating from Europe are accurate, he's changed directions as the promising young auto executive has reportedly left Fiat to become the new head of marketing for the Volkswagen group.
De Meo took his biggest step up the Fiat ladder when group CEO Sergio Marchionne handed over the reins of the Fiat auto division to him. De Meo then took on the additional task of re-launching the Abarth performance sub-brand before switching from the Fiat division to assume the leadership of Alfa Romeo as well as marketing for the entire group, including its automotive, agricultural and commercial divisions. Poaching Marchionne's protege is undoubtedly a huge coup for Volkswagen, whose leaders are evidently banking on De Meo's talent for marketing small, cheap cars – having masterminded the 500's success and most recently formulated the plan for Fiat's new budget-oriented division – to imbue the up! project with success while giving the entire Volkswagen automotive empire and the 100 new projects on which it is reportedly working a youthful Latin flair.
De Meo joins a roster of Italians who've recently come to VW, Europe's largest automaker, and another list of talented young executives who've left Fiat, Europe's third largest (after PSA Peugeot-Citroen). Alfa's longtime marketing director and Fiat group veteran Sergio Cravero is tipped to take over as CEO of Alfa Romeo, Maserati CEO and group chief technical officer Harald J. Wester will assume responsibility for Abarth while the group's marketing role will be split into several different jobs. No word yet on what effect this will have on Volkswagen's current sales and marketing director Detlef Wittig, however.
[ Via: Automotive News Europe ]
[ Tag: alfa romeo, AlfaRomeo, de meo, DeMeo, fiat, fiat group, fiat marketing, FiatGroup, FiatMarketing, luca de meo, luca de meo alfa, luca de meo alfa romeo, luca de meo fiat, luca de meo volkswagen, luca de meo vw, luca meo, LucaDeMeo, LucaDeMeoAlfa, LucaDeMeoAlfaRomeo, LucaDeMeoFiat, LucaDeMeoVolkswagen, LucaDeMeoVw, LucaMeo ]
VW Golf Plus officially debuts in Bologna
The second generation of Volkswagen's Golf Plus has made its official debut (after an earlier blooper-style unveil) today at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy. Like the first edition that debuted back in 2004 and was based on the MK V Golf architecture, the new Plus is a raised-roof MPV version of the new sixth-gen Golf. We think it's quite fetching in a mini-minivanish sort of way, especially when equipped with the optional 18-inch alloys as seen above. Although the official powerplant options have yet to be revealed, the European market, which is where this new model will be sold, is sure to dictate that a range of diesel and petrol engines are on the menu.
VeeDub's cool ParkAssist system will also be optional on the new Golf Plus. The technology displays a real-time image of what's directly behind the car and can take control of the steering wheel to guide the car into a parking spot. Expect the official launch to take place next Spring in the UK.
[ Via: Autoblog (Volkswagen) ]
[ Tag: bologna motor show, BolognaMotorShow, golf plus, GolfPlus, volkswagen golf plus, VolkswagenGolfPlus, vw golf plus, VwGolfPlus ]
VW shows off Scirocco Study R in Bologna
Volkswagen's new Scirocco is rapidly becoming a popular canvas for customizing, and Wolfsburg itself is getting into the act. The Bologna Motor Show has been graced with the Scirocco Study R, which could be a preview of a production version called the Scirocco R20T. The Study R is a derivation of the ideas laid down by the GT24 race concept, with a sneery front end and a wing out back. The Study R is more understated in white with subdued striping, red mirrors and a nostriled hood. Power is provided by a 2.0 liter TFSI engine that twirls the cogs in a six-speed DSG gearbox. Suspension and braking systems have also been tweaked to deliver on the image's sporty promise, and a less restrictive exhaust offers some bark to underscore the bite. With the death of the R32, Volkswagen might bring the R20T to the North American market, and if it's anything like the Study R, we'll be saying R-thirty-who?
[ Via: Motor Authority ]
[ Tag: bologna motor show, BolognaMotorShow, scirocco r, scirocco r20t, SciroccoR, SciroccoR20t, study r, StudyR, volkswagen scirocco, volkswagen scirocco study r, VolkswagenScirocco, VolkswagenSciroccoStudyR, vw scirocco, vw scirocco study r, VwScirocco, VwSciroccoStudyR ]
MTM pumps up the VW Scirocco
It was only a matter of time before the Audi and VW specialists over at MTM got their hands on a Scirocco. The results are what we would expect from the German tuner: up to 272 horsepower, a sporty suspension, better brakes, and handsome 19- or 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin tires. The boost in power comes from a re-mapped ECU combined with a new exhaust system that runs out of a modified rear fascia. The upgraded suspension system includes lowering springs and sport-tuned shocks, and the brakes come with eight-piston calipers with up to 15-inch discs.
[ Via: www.MTM–online.de ]
[ Tag: MTM, MTM Scirocco, MTM VW Scirocco, MtmScirocco, MtmVwScirocco, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Scirocco, VolkswagenScirocco, VW ]
ABT Scirocco heads to Essen
The VW Tourareg TDI Trophy truck that was unveiled at the LA Auto Show last week made its competition debut on Saturday in the Baja 1000. The 550-hp diesel-powered off-road racer finished the 1,000 km race in 13th place in its class after a seal failed in the gearbox. The Arciero-Miller team had to swap out the whole box mid-race, dropping the truck well down in the standings. The Touareg is powered by a modified version of the same 5.5-liter V12 diesel used so successfully in the Audi R10 TDI for the last three years. It's the first clean diesel ever to run in the Baja 1000.
[ Via: Autoblog (Volkswagen) ]
[ Tag: baja 1000, Baja1000, vw touareg, vw touareg tdi trophy truck, vw touareg trophy truck, VwTouareg, VwTouaregTdiTrophyTruck, VwTouaregTrophyTruck ]
LA 2008: VW Race Touareg 2
This is Volkswagens entrant in this weekend's Baja 1000: a spaceframe-chassis Touareg TDI with 75 cm of suspension travel competing in the top-dog Trophy Truck class and utilizing an oil-burning V12 with nearly 550 hp. That's a long way from the first VW win in 1967 that came courtesy of a VW Beetle converted into one of the soon-to-be-ubiquitous dune monsters. Driver Mark Miller won the Baja 500 last year in the first Race Touareg. Aided by helicopters and eight support vehicles, we'll find out on Sunday if he and navigator Ryan Arciero can take The Big One this year.
[ Via: Autoblog (Volkswagen) ]
[ Tag: baja 1000, Baja1000, la 2008, la auto show, la auto show 2008, La2008, LaAutoShow, LaAutoShow2008, motorsports, race touareg 2, RaceTouareg2, volkswagen, volkswagen race touareg 2, VolkswagenRaceTouareg2, vw ]
MkVI VW Rabbit & GTI coming to America next September
Click above for a hi-res gallery of the 2009 Volkswagen Golf GTIVolkswagen customers in the United States have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the new sixth-generation Rabbit and its GTI performance variant. And while it's still a little ways off, at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel as the German automaker has announced that the new model will hit the U.S. market in early September 2009. European customers, meanwhile, already began taking delivery of their new Golfs last month, with the GTI due to arrive there next summer.American versions will initially be available with the current 2.5-liter inline-five, a new 2-liter turbodiesel in the TDI version and the GTI's 2-liter TSI. A new 1.8-liter TFSI is expected to replace the base 2.5-liter unit, with 4Motion all-wheel-drive, TwinDrive hybrid and LPG versions to follow, as well as a possible all-electric version and a replacement for the current top-of-the-line R32 performance model. North American models will also come equipped with adaptive cruise control, adaptive chassis control and 19-inch wheels as standard. Of the current (fifth-generation) Rabbit, the GTI version accounted for roughly one third of models sold, which Volkswagen expects to continue with this new generation. In the meantime, you can check out the high-resolution images in the two galleries below.
[ Via: Inside Line ]
[ Tag: volkswagen, volkswagen golf, volkswagen gti, volkswagen rabbit, VolkswagenGolf, VolkswagenGti, VolkswagenRabbit, vw, vw golf, vw gti, vw rabbit, VwGolf, VwGti, VwRabbit ]
LA 2008: VW Jetta TDI named Green Car of the Year
There are a few standouts in the emerging green sector of the U.S. auto market that are hitting the market in 2009. BMW's first clean diesel in the United States, the 335d, is one such vehicle that has torque-loving enthusiasts salivating, and General Motors' upcoming Saturn Vue is the first application of the 2-Mode hybrid system in a front-wheel drive vehicle. No green car discussion is complete without a mention of the smart fortwo, which sports the best mileage of any non-hybrid car available. Of course, the new Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid from Ford are shaping up to be real contenders in the green mid-size sedan sweepstakes and they may take a chunk out of Camry hybrid sales when it finally debuts. Still, there is one '09 car that seems to offer the best of all worlds, with a relatively low starting price, excellent fuel economy and refined driving dynamics: The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. For these reasons, the oil-burner from Germany has been selected by Green Car Journal as the 2009 Green Car of the Year. We're not arguing with the decision, but you are, of course, free to make your voice heard in the comments section.
[ Via: Autoblog (Volkswagen) ]
[ Tag: 2009 green car of the year, 2009GreenCarOfTheYear, green car of the year, GreenCarOfTheYear, la, la 2008, la auto show, La2008, LaAutoShow, volkswagen jetta tdi, volkswagen jetta tdi green car of the year, VolkswagenJettaTdi, VolkswagenJettaTdiGreenCarOfTheYear, vw jetta green car of the year, vw jetta tdi, VwJettaGreenCarOfTheYear, VwJettaTdi ]
NYT columnist calls on Steve Jobs to fix Detroit
In 2001, General Motors needed a revival and Bob Lutz was anointed The One. It was widely accepted that if anyone could breathe life into a struggling car company, it was him.
Fast-forward seven years, and GM is in the midst of a possible government bailout while its stock price sinks faster than a HUMMER's gas gauge on the freeway. It would seem that Maximum Bob's legendary straight-talking reputation for taking no prisoners and slicing through corporate red tape hasn't produced the results his supporters expected.
So if Bob Lutz can't save Detroit, who can? Steve Jobs, that's who. At least that's what Pulitzer Prize-winning Thomas Friedman says in his New York Times column. While some might be averse to the company, its products and/or its leader, Apple has made a ton of money while re-defining the computer, music and mobile phone industries. Isn't innovation what Detroit needs most?
What Friedman proposes is asking Steve Jobs to perform a "national service" for his country by taking reigns of one of Detroit's automakers for a year. The columnist has so much faith in the visionary talents of Jobs, he believes we'll all be lined up for a chance to buy a shiny new Chevrolet iCar. Or a JeepPro. Or a Mercury Lisa.
But we've heard in the past that Apple's CEO has been working for the other teams, so maybe Steve Wozniak could find some time in his schedule.
[ Via: MacDailyNews ]
[ Tag: apple, apple cars, apple icar, AppleCars, AppleIcar, bob lutz, BobLutz, icar, steve jobs, steve jobs car, SteveJobs, SteveJobsCar, thomas friedman, ThomasFriedman ]
LA Preview: VW to unveil diesel-powered Touareg TDI Trophy Truck
If Formula 1 is the pinnacle of on-road motorsports, competitive off-roading hits its apogee with the Baja Trophy Truck series. With vehicles sporting over 20 inches of suspension travel both front and rear, along with massive power provided by V8 engines, these trucks travel over the worst terrain imaginable at ludicrous speeds. Sounds like fun, right? Volkswagen thinks so, and while it's older Beetle-based buggies often make it through the race unscathed, albeit much slower than their big brothers, the automaker has decided to enter the top rung of the SCORE series and will debut its latest Touareg TDI to tackle the course at the upcoming LA Auto Show.
Boasting a turbocharged diesel 5.5L V12 engine that puts out 550 horsepower and a stump-pulling 625 lb-ft of torque, the 5,650-pound race-prepped Touareg should have the guts to keep up with the rest of the field. This will be the first turbo-diesel ever to compete at the Baja 1000 in the Trophy Truck class. Custom double A-arms up front and a four-link rear suspension provide 25 and 30 inches of wheel travel, respectively, and 37-inch BFG's will do their best to provide traction. VeeDub is set to officially unveil the truck on November 19th, just ahead of the 41st running of the big race.
[ Via: Autoblog (Volkswagen) ]
[ Tag: la 2008, la auto show, La2008, LaAutoShow, volkswagen touareg, volkswagen touareg tdi, volkswagen touareg tdi trophy truck, VolkswagenTouareg, VolkswagenTouaregTdi, VolkswagenTouaregTdiTrophyTruck, vw, vw touareg, vw touareg tdi, vw touareg trophy truck, VwTouareg, VwTouaregTdi, VwTouaregTrophyTruck ]
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 ]
BREAKING: First images of 2009 Volkwagen GTI MkVI surface
Since the GTI got its groove back with the MkV, fans of the original couple generations rejoiced. We're on the edge of our collective seats waiting for the official release of the MkVI version, and some images have found their way onto the internet tonight. Taking some inspiration from the awesome GTI W12 that attended Worthersee, the front airdam echoes that car's wide maw. Foglamps are pushed out to the far corners to emphasize width, and out back the tailpipes follow suit. The look is fantastic in the refrigerator white the photo car is wearing; special but understated. Inside, the de rigeur plaid upholstery is in place, and things are spiffed up by metal accents and a flat-bottomed steering wheel.
Underhood is a 207-hp TFSI engine, and the car comes with an electronic limited-slip differential called XDS and the Scirocco's adaptive chassis. Of course, DSG is available for snapping off quick gearchanges with no fuss. When you've got a good thing, why mess with success? We dig, and it'll be available in Spring, at which point we'll certainly bring you our driving impressions.
[ Via: Carscoop ]
[ Tag: breaking, gti mk6, gti mkvi, gti pictures, GtiMk6, GtiMkvi, GtiPictures, volkswagen gti, VolkswagenGti, vw gti, vw gti mkvi, vw gti pictures, VwGti, VwGtiMkvi, VwGtiPictures ]
eBay Find of the Day: the VolksAru
While sharing our nightmares around the Autoblog virtual water cooler, we've discovered that it's common for interweb auto scribes to wake with a start in the middle of the night, cold sweat trickling down our brows. The common terror? Frankenstein cars. The dreaded dreams are usually brought on by late night eBay surfing, and this vehicle may haunt our slumber tonight. If you've ever thought to yourself "Gosh, I wonder what a Type I Beetle coughing up a Subaru GL would look like," here's your ride. It's got a Subaru dash and door panels, while the seats are VW, so the seam is somewhere up there. It's being sold as a gas-saver, likely because both of the flat-four powertrains - there are two - are relative fuel sippers. We can't discern whether the engines are synchronized to run at the same time, or if it's a one at a time type thing with the other motor and transmission serving as 500 pounds of extra mass to haul around when not in use. Like our nightmares, the seller of this vehicle is definitely dreaming with a $20,000 starting bid. Check out more awkward angles of this monstrosity in our gallery below, but don't blame us when the Boogey Man begins driving it in your dreams. Thanks for the tip, Raoul!
[ Via: eBay Motors ]
[ Tag: beetle, beetle subaru, BeetleSubaru, bug subaru gl, BugSubaruGl, ebay, ebay auction, ebay find of the day, ebay motors, ebay wtf, ebayauction, EbayFindOfTheDay, ebaymotors, EbayWtf, subaru beetle, subaru gl, SubaruBeetle, SubaruGl, volksaru, vw subaru, VwSubaru ]
Build your own 1960 Beetle - with Legos
There's likely to be no shortage of VW Beetle owners who can relate to this new kit from Lego. It's a box with 1,626 parts in it that one day, after hours of work, will resemble a classic Bug. Three differences: This box of bits will only cost you $120 and a successful build is probably not above your skill level. Oh, and your spouse probably won't mind you building this one on the kitchen table.
When completed, the VW measures 16 inches long by 6.5 inches tall. Its tiny stick shift moves, the glove compartment opens and the seats fold forward. The engine is in back where Beetle engines belong and up front is the spare tire. When you're done, finish off the car with the included VW logo decal.
It's too bad the Beetle's curvaceous roofline and nose are made jagged by the blocky Logos, but on the other hand, it's kinda cool, too. Thanks for the tip, Andy!
[ Via: Auto Trader Blog ]
[ Tag: beetle, beetle toy, BeetleToy, classic beetle, ClassicBeetle, lego, legos, volkswagen beetle, VolkswagenBeetle ]
OETTINGER tuned Scirocco one mean hot hatch
Today on Cars We Can't Have, Oettinger turns its eye toward Volkswagen's
It's not just engine tweaks. The hotted-up Scirocco is low enough to scrape roadkill from the tarmac, thanks to an adjustable suspension. Holding the increased go power from the engine room in check are larger brakes, and it wouldn't be a tuner car without a body kit. Oettinger's bodywork changes are more classy than garish, and overall the look is successful at ratcheting our desire for the Scirocco up another notch.
[ Via: World Car Fans ]
[ Tag: oettinger scirocco, oettinger volkswagen, oettinger vw, OettingerScirocco, OettingerVolkswagen, OettingerVw, tuner scirocco, TunerScirocco, volkswagen scirocco, VolkswagenScirocco, vw scirocco, VwScirocco ]
2010 VW Beetle to be 'more mature'
When it was first unveiled, the Volkswagen New Beetle's only mission in life was to emulate and modernize the look of the classic air-cooled Bug that was so popular in America during the '60s and '70s. The New Beetle's first restyling was so minor that you'd be forgiven for not even knowing it had been changed. Not so for the next update, a hardtop of which is due for the 2010 model year with a convertible following one year later. Such ergonomic deficiencies as a huge expanse between the driver and the windshield were acceptable in order to get the look right the first time around, but not any longer. Therefore, expect to see some radical changes for the cute little Bugger that will make what Volkswagen's own Walter De' Silva calls "a much more mature product." The word "mature" doesn't quite jive with the current New Beetle, so we're pretty interested to see how far this redesign will go.
[ Via: Tim in Sydney ]
[ Tag: 2010 volkswagen beetle, 2010 vw beetle, 2010VolkswagenBeetle, 2010VwBeetle, beetle, volkswagen beetle, volkswagen bug, VolkswagenBeetle, VolkswagenBug, vw beetle, vw bug, VwBeetle, VwBug ]
Flying Bug: driver apprehended after 100+ mph chase in a VW
It's being reported as the second most incredible thing next to cold fusion - a VOLKSWAGEN traveling above 100 mph? What next? We suppose a bunch of kids from England will kick Elvis off the top of the charts. Welcome to the 21st century, out of touch news-ninnies. Volkswagen Beetles - proper air-cooled medieval rollerskates - indeed have a tough time cracking 100 mph in stock trim. A New Beetle, which is really just a modern Rabbit in drag, can easily crank that speedo right around to 125 with its 5-cylinder mill.
In this case, the news media is just piling its idiocy on top of a stupid driver who tried running from the police. It rarely ends well when a driver decides to run, and the case of Nathan Hurlbirt and his gray VW are no different. Hurlbirt and a female colleague were nipping along I-25 in Littleton, Colorado when a Sheriff's deputy took issue with the pair's 115 mph speed and attempted to pull them over. Hurlbirt took off, instead, and the deputy broke off pursuit shortly before the VW crashed after exiting the highway. Hurlbirt and passenger escaped injury, but not the long arm of the law. The lack of injuries is the incredible part; try crashing an old Bug and see if there's anything left to put cuffs on.
[ Via: AP ]
[ Tag: volkswgen beetle chase,VolkswgenBeetleChase,vw beetle chase,vw chase,vw chase colorado,vw high speed chase,VwBeetleChase,VwChase,VwChaseColorado,VwHighSpeedChase ]