2009 Volkswagen CC gets IIHS’s Top Safety Pick award

Volkswagen of America announced today that the 2009 Volkswagen CC received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick award for 2009. To qualify for Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute’s front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with electronic stability control, which is standard on the CC.

“The TOP SAFETY PICK award from the IIHS is a tremendous honor for our CC,” said Mark Barnes, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We are thrilled when organizations like the IIHS recognize the hard work of our engineers who are dedicated to the safety of our customers. This award further validates Volkswagen’s Prevent and Preserve Safety System approach to vehicle safety.”

The CC, like all 2009 Volkswagen models, features four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), anti-slip regulation (ASR), brake assist and electronic differential locking (EDL).

The 2009 Volkswagen CC carries a base price-tag of $27,100 and offers an EPA certified fuel economy of 21/31 mpg (city/highway).

Volkswagen to implement significant weight-saving technologies by 2012

According to a report by AutoCar, Volkswagen, Opel, Daimler, Volvo and Renault are working on reducing weight of their vehicles. In a joint project called SuperlightCar project, Volkswagen has reportedly built a Golf with a bodyshell that is 30 percent lighter than the standard five-door model.

The body is made mostly of steel but also uses magnesium, aluminum and plastics. A total of three concepts were developed - one was made purely of steel, one with mixed materials and one with more expensive mixed materials. Weight of the Mk5 Golf was reduced by a total of 41 percent.

The final shell is said to be a combination of all three. Volkswagen will be implementing the weight-saving technologies to its production cars by 2012.

Source: AutoCar

Volkswagen Routan customers can now get in-vehicle Wi-Fi

Volkswagen of America announced today that it is teaming up with Autonet Mobile to offer an option that will equip the Routan minivan with uconnect web, offering in-vehicle Wi-Fi. Chrysler had announced plans to offer a similar option during the same time last year.

Volkswagen said that up to 600 dealerships will offer the uconnect web option to Routan buyers with a monthly subscription plan that starts at $29.

“Passengers can bring all of their own Wi-Fi enabled devices such as laptops, gaming systems, digital music players, and other devices on the road. Routan passengers will be able to Instant Message (IM), visit popular social media sites, check traffic or make dinner reservations all from the comfort of their Routan.”

As if YouTwitFace wasn’t already taking up enough of our time.

Click through for the press release.

Press Release:

Routan Customers Now Able to Take Internet Access on the Road With Wi-Fi from Autonet Mobile

Uconnect web to provide in-vehicle internet entertainment to Volkswagen’s minivan

HERNDON, Va., June 9 /PRNewswire/ — Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced a collaboration with Autonet Mobile, that will make it possible to equip their European-tuned minivan, Routan, with uconnect web, an in-vehicle internet service. Beginning this month, approximately 600 Volkswagen dealerships in the United States will offer Routan owners the opportunity to add uconnect web, powered by Autonet Mobile, to their vehicle. This partnership will deliver the first internet entertainment system for Volkswagen vehicles.

Routan customers will now be able to take the internet with them on the road. With Autonet Mobile, the seven passenger Routan becomes a Wi-Fi hotspot, delivering reliable and easy-to-use internet access. Passengers can bring all of their own Wi-Fi enabled devices such as laptops, gaming systems, digital music players, and other devices on the road. Routan passengers will be able to Instant Message (IM), visit popular social media sites, check traffic or make dinner reservations all from the comfort of their Routan.

“Volkswagen is committed to delivering vehicles that epitomize and enhance our digital customers’ lifestyle, and the Routan is a modern family vehicle,” said Mark Barnes, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “Internet access is a clear benefit to our customers. We’re excited to work with Autonet Mobile to bring uconnect web to our Routan customers.”

The addition of uconnect web brings advanced communications features to Volkswagen’s newest family vehicle. Now Routan customers will have instant internet access anytime and anywhere. Monthly subscription plans start at $29 and uconnect web is installed by the dealer.

“The Routan customer is looking for entertainment options beyond the traditional DVD player,” said Sterling Pratz, CEO of Autonet Mobile. “Consumers want to extend their living room lifestyle to the vehicle and want the ability to use internet-driven applications - gaming, email, IM, internet radio, and other entertainment and information services - while on the road. We’re thrilled to be a part of the revolution that is making the minivan the cool vehicle to own.”

About Autonet Mobile

Autonet Mobile is the world’s first in-car internet service provider. Founded by a corporate executive and former race car driver and a leading network architect and designer, the company is dedicated to enhancing the in-car experience by bringing the power of the internet to the 200+ million cars on the road in the U.S. For more information about Autonet Mobile, visit www.autonetmobile.com

Volkswagen To Offer Pickup In 2010

Possible Volkswagen Pickup Styling

Further solidifying their hold as Europe’s largest automaker, Volkswagen is expanding their lineup to include a mid-size pickup in 2010.  If pre-production photos are any indication the new vehicle will adopt a  Ridgeline-like profile.  The pickup will be named the “Amarok,” and therefore also continue VW’s recent use of hard-to-pronounce, nonsensical model names.

The name is a derivative of the word “wolf” in the Inuit language, but may as well mean, “unsuccessful, Frankenstein truck” to those in the United States.  Nevertheless, the truck will be built in VW’s manufacturing plant in Pacheco Argentina and will initially go on sale in South America and Europe, followed by Australia and Africa, before a possible importation to North America.  Subsequent lackluster sales and discontinuation here in the states are sure to follow.

VW Robust Concept

Despite skepticism as to it’s success in America, it will be another major step in VW’s market share consolidation in contrast to GM’s decline on the world stage.  Both the single and double cab versions will utilize a variant of VW’s highly acclaimed common rail turbo diesel injection (TDI) and purportedly produce the best fuel economy and emissions in its class.

Volkswagen Concept BlueSport

While the 2009 Detroit auto show was arguably the most miserable in living memory, it did have a few bright moments. Among the most notable was a delightful little mid-engined barchetta concept from Volkswagen – the Concept BlueSport Roadster. The only thing more delightful than recently driving it up and down a mountain pass on the German-Austrian border would be a decision by VW to put the diesel two-seater into production.

Such a green light might not be far away. Volkswagen bosses always intended the concept to be feasible pending a positive public reaction, which it received at Detroit and elsewhere. Volkswagen  Group policy is currently to invest strongly in new product. Rivals who are suffering more than the German automaker in the recession are cutting back on their new-car pipelines.

VW’s Eco-Friendly BlueSport Roadster Not Dead After All?

The Wolfsburg juggernaut Volkswagen has decided to produce of one of their most well-received concepts in many years, the BlueSport roadster, which our colleagues in the automotive press corps like to consider the spiritual successor to the VW-Porsche 914. They’ve given the little bugger an internal development code, which is big news because it was originally intended to be a one-off concept, not a pre-production concept. Plus, with its small turbo-diesel engine, it’s theoretically good for 42 MPG and complies with California’s strict emissions standards. Cool! Read on for more details …

Here’s the goods: the expected price on the BlueSport will be around $30,000, which isn’t too bad. For that you’ll get a 180 HP, 260 ft-lbs of torque, 2L inline diesel four. Plus around 2600 lbs of curb weight. Not bad - that’s a MX-5 beating specification for just a bit more than a normal MX-5. Plus it will blow it out of the water in fuel economy. Quite an interesting little car. We hope VW produces it, as just the idea of a mid-engined diesel sportscar makes our naughty bits tingle with excitement.

[Source: Autofiends]

Volkswagen BlueSport ready for production, estimated cost: $30k. Will it happen?

Volkswagen Bluesport Concept -

After getting an exclusive first drive of the Volkswagen BlueSport roadster, the lucky scribes from AutoWeek write of the machine as if it's headed for production. This is contrary to earlier reports coming from an unnamed VW insider which indicated that the program had been placed on hold due to the dire state of the global economy.
We hope AW's right about the BlueSport's production possibilities, especially after reading about how close to production-ready the roadster appears to be. If the German automaker does find a way to build the BlueSport, it will reportedly show up in in the States in 2013 starting for somewhere around $30,000, depending on the powerplant that VW decides to place behind the two occupants.
The turbocharged, direct-injected diesel mill currently in the concept, which VW says delivers nearly 42 miles per gallon in everyday driving, could very well be joined by at least one of VW's gasoline-burning units - possibly the 265-horsepower 2.0-liter installed in the Audi S3 and Volkswagen's own Scirocco R and Golf R. As always, we'll keep our eyes and ears open for more details as they become available.

New Jetta SportWagen includes impressive cabin tech

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

Volkswagen's new Jetta wagon delivers sporty performance in a practical package. But we're used to those characteristics from Volkswagen. Its secret sauce is the new cabin electronics package, which includes hard-drive-based navigation with advanced features such as traffic, along with iPod integration for the ...

VW takes issue with Magna/Opel tie-up

You knew that something like this was coming sooner or later: at least one of Magna's clients have found the supplier's majority stake in Opel to be a conflict of interest. As it turns out, Volkswagen was the first automaker to cry foul.
Magna is a major supplier for VW and its brands, while Opel is a big-time competitor. Spokesman Michael Brendel says the company going to "monitor this development very closely." We're guessing that translates roughly to "'if Opel receives any preferential treatment over VW whatsoever, heads will roll."
Should all go according to plan, Magna and its partner Sberbank will have a combined 55% stake in the new Opel. GM will retain a 35% stake, while Opel's 25,000 employees will receive the remaining 10% in the company. The German government provided 1.5 billion euro to keep Opel from entering GM bankruptcy proceedings, making the deal with Magna possible.
Magna expects Opel to once again become profitable within four years, and the Canada-based supplier intends to bring Opels to Canada by the end of the year. Opel vehicles will not be making their way to the U.S. under the terms of the agreement, however.
Magna co-CEO Siegfried Wolf expects the Opel deal to be signed off on in the next five weeks.
[Source: Automotive News subs req'd]

VW BlueSport Roadster ready for production, pricing to start around $30k

Last we heard anything about the Volkswagen BlueSport Roadster’s production plans, it was reported that the big bosses at V-dub are reconsidering the model due to the global economic crisis as they calculate “the viability of the niche car.”

When it was unveiled at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show in January, insiders at Volkswagen told reporters that the model would come to the market in 2012.

Now, according to AutoWeek, Volkswagen’s BlueSport Roadster is ready to make the leap from concept to production. Due to the mid-engine platform, Volkswagen says that the production BlueSport could carry a starting price-tag of about $30,000 when it hits showrooms.

By now you’re probably very excited to see this concept become a reality - but there is some more good news to keep you entertained.

Right now there is only one BlueSport Roadster in existence and it carries a 180-hp 2.0 TDI 4-cylinder common-rail diesel. Mated to a 6-speed DSG, the BlueSport Roadster averages a whopping 55 mpg.

According to Mario Fabiano, the BlueSport’s project leader, also under consideration is the 265-hp 2.0L turbocharged gasoline direct-injection that powers the Scirocco R.

2010 Volkswagen Amarok: V-dub pickup coming in 2010

Volkswagen announced today that the production version of its pickup concept unveiled last year will be launched under the ‘Amarok’ name when it arrives in Europe in 2010.

Amarok means wolf in Inuit language. Eskimo people, who live in northern Canada and Greenland, regard the wolf as king of the wilderness and a figure of robustness, endurance and superiority. It also means ‘he loves stones’ in some languages spoken in South America.

“This name fits the characteristics of our pickup perfectly, which will set new standards in its class,” says Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. “We took great care selecting this name, which can be used globally and is meant to invoke positive associations in all relevant international markets. The Amarok is a powerful and robust vehicle with great stamina - just like the wolf.”

Volkswagen said that the Amarok will be launched as a double-cab pickup with four-wheel-drive. A single-cab version will introduced later. Power will come from a line Volkswagen’s next-generation common rail turbo diesel engines

The 2010 Volkswagen Amarok will be introduced first in South America in early 2010, followed by Central America in Spring 2010, then Russia and Europe in the summer, as well as Africa and Australia.

2009 Volkswagen Polo - First Drive Review

If you still identify Volkswagen with the uncomplicated—and mechanically simple—original Beetle, it’s time to update your thinking. Times have changed, and the focus at VW is now on technology and modern design. The recently launched Golf VI provided a strong hint of where VW is headed with its high-volume cars, but it’s this new Polo that really lights the way. See, the Golf VI is burdened with many carryover parts from the Golf V, a.k.a. Rabbit, whereas the Polo is the first all-new car from the latest leadership group helming the S.S. Vee Dub. "What you see here is VW design for the coming ten years," the company told us at the car’s launch Sardinia. "This car we designed from scratch. A simple, crisp design leading to the future—which will be a lot different from the present."

Compared to the dull-looking outgoing model, the new Polo is a breath of fresh air. The lower and wider body defines simplicity. Details such as the small horizontal grille strip, the silver wing in the headlights, and the L-shaped rear lighting will resurface on other new VW models. The new look, we say, can't migrate too soon to the Jetta and Passat. While the three- and five-door hatchback versions of the Polo won't come to the U.S., we hear that a four-door sedan, which would be produced in Mexico, is considered a strong candidate for American sales.

As Usual, Europeans Have Many Engine Choices

On the Continent, the Polo is offered with three naturally aspirated gasoline engines: two 1.2-liter three-cylinder units producing 60 hp and 70 hp, and a 1.4-liter four producing 85 hp. Three variations of 1.6-liter turbo-diesel producing 75, 90, or 105 hp also are available. A 105-hp, 1.2-liter, turbocharged TSI four will hit the market soon, and a Polo GTI with 170–180 hp from a 1.4-liter TSI—similar in style to the Wörthersee concept car—is a done deal, too.

Keep Reading: 2009 Volkswagen Polo - First Drive Review