Friday, May 22, 2009

Next Gen 2012 VW Passat First Mule Spy Photos

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Our spy photographers have caught Volkswagen’s next generation 2012 Passat undergoing testing on Germany’s famous Nürburgring.

While the mule wears the current Passat body, we can see slight modifications in the form of wider wheel wells and lengthened B-pillars. This clearly indicates that the next generation Passat will be longer and wider than today’s model.

In terms of exterior design, the new Passat is expected to ditch the current model’s bland styling for a more aggressive appearance which is both luxurious and dynamic.

VW Passat test mule prototype

Volkswagen Golf GTI “Wörthersee 09″ Concept car

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Volkswagen Golf GTI “Wörthersee 09″ Concept car

It is fire-red and a real eyecatcher. Inside and out, the Golf GTI "Wörthersee 09" combines charming and unique visual looks with an even higher level of performance – it embodies precisely those elements that have always excited genuine GTI fans. Consider the exterior paint, for example.

Volkswagen Golf Estate - Initial Facts

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Volkswagen Golf Estate - Initial Facts

Volkswagen will begin accepting advance orders for the new Golf Estate this Friday. In the sixth generation of the world bestseller, after the 2-door and 4-door Golfs and the latest Golf Plus, this is the fourth body version to be launched. The estate is one of the most successful models on the market, particularly in [...]

2010 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen

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Walter de'Silva, Volkswagen's chief designer, is wasting no time deploying his new styling language across the VW lineup. After the debut of the Golf VI, VW needed to pull the Golf Variant—known in the U.S. as the Jetta SportWagen—forward to match the base model's new looks. VW is now launching the new Golf Variant in Europe, and its new nose (if not its powertrain lineup) will transfer to the U.S. later this year.

The Jetta Plays Golf

The new Golf Variant, aka Jetta SportWagen, is fitted with the front end of the Golf VI. This successful operation replaces the current headlights and the vertical, glitzy chrome grill with a much cleaner headlight-grille arrangement that emphasizes horizontal lines. And the interior is 100-percent Golf VI, fitted with premium materials and comfortably ahead of its class. But neither the side view nor the rear is changed significantly. The taillights are darker, the rear bumper is now body-colored, and the exhaust pipe is made visible in TDI and TSI trim—that's it.

Keep Reading: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen - Car News

Volkswagen Touareg Lux Limited sports J. Crew colors

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The VW Touareg Lux Limited Edition is a ‘ute that’s been on a shopping spree to J. Crew and High Street, or at least a mainstream, aftermarket shop. Available on either the gasoline- or diesel-engined SUVs – and only in America – the Lux Limited gets side skirts and slightly tweaked front and rear aprons to differentiate it from the run-o-the-mill Touareg. The wheel selection is called Ayer’s Rock (not “Uluru”?) and only available in the 20-inch variety.

VW took the color wheel out one night and got it drunk. Exterior hues for the Lux Limited are Biscay Blue, Campanella White, Galapagos Gray, and Black Magic Pearl Effect. The interior cricket leather is done up in one of two duo-tone color choices with complementary accents – like Latte Macchiato and St. Tropez white with poplar grain decor. And if anyone can tell us what “Engine Spin dark” decor looks like, we are all… eyes.

Volkswagen Touareg Lux Limited

VW Scirocco R20T in Racing Guise at Nurburgring

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Spy photographers of the Motortrend just caught Volkswagen's latest hot iteration of the Scirocco roaming the streets surrounding the Nurburgring. We take the sponsor decals to mean that VW is prepping the hot hatch for its reported launch at the ADAC Zurich 24 Hour Race next week.
VW Scirocco R20T-1VW Scirocco R20T-2Note that this VW Scirocco R20T lacks a roll cage, likely relegating its track duties to the parade type. Otherwise, the R20T visual treatment features a more aggressive front end with larger intakes, a new rear spoiler, and an exhaust tip protruding from each end of the rear bumper. The Audi S3-derived, turbo 2.0L under hood should generate somewhere between 270 hp and 300 hp.
Along with this Scirocco, we also expect VW to unveil the Golf R20 at the 24 hour race. Stay tuned, the festivities begin May 21.
© Source: wot.motortrend

R Line Model Adds Value For Money And Fresh Appeal To Passat Range

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R Line Model Adds Value For Money And Fresh Appeal To Passat Range

Volkswagen is revising its Passat saloon and Estate ranges, adding a new R Line model to give customers more equipment and value for money. The familiar Passat range line-up of S, Highline, Sport and SEL is replaced with a new streamlined selection of S, R Line and Highline. BlueMotion remains the choice for efficiency while [...]

Volkswagen Scirocco R : 2010

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vw scirocco r  1 10

Approximately one year after the market launch of the third Scirocco generation, Volkswagen is presenting the most powerful series built Scirocco ever made at the Nürburgring.

Rolls-Royce to double workforce preparing for new Ghost

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At least one of the BMW owned brands are doing well and this could be only encouraging for the entire BMW Group. Rolls Royce has just announced that despite the severe economic downturn, they will double the workforce at their factory in Goodwood, UK as a preparation for the upcoming new model Rolls-Royce Ghost.

01-rolls-royce-200ex-Ghost

Rolls-Royce has already added more shifts and extended the working hours and workforce increase will help overcoming any shortage in production. By the end of this year, the total number of employees on the payroll at the Goodwin plant will increase to 900.

Majority of the new positions will be in the wood, leather and paint shops since they are shared with the Phantom models. Also, the Ghost will be built on its own dedicated line.

Sources close to BMW confirmed that the Ghost first years production units have been been sold despite the fact that production will start in the fall.

[Source: Autoblog ]

Toyota, Honda praise Obama’s new proposal on fuel-economy regulations

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Toyota and Honda are both praising President Barack Obama’s proposal for new fuel-economy regulations. Of course, we’re guessing that’s because they are at an advantage compared to their American rivals. Toyota gave Obama high praise for promoting technology to boost fuel-economy and reduced emissions.

“Toyota will speed up in pursuing various ecological technologies, including hybrid technology, to deliver better mileage in vehicles,” the maker of the 50 mpg 2010 Toyota Prius said in a statement.

Honda expressed a similar praise saying “We will embrace it.” The no.2 Japanese automaker rivals Toyota’s 2010 Prius with the new Honda Insight hybrid, which gets an EPA rated fuel-economy of 40/43 mpg (city/highway).

Obama announced a new proposal on Tuesday calling for an average fuel-economy 35.5 mpg by 2016.

2009 Volkswagen Routan SE - Short Take Road Test

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Volkswagen bills the Routan as a “stylish alternative to the minivan,” and we have it from no less an authority than actress Brooke Shields, who in Routan ads claims that its German engineering drives women to motherhood (to qualify for ownership).

The TV spots starring Ms. Shields, herself a mom, were clearly zunge in der wange (German for tongue in cheek), but we confess that this minivan alternative looks a lot like a real minivan (German for minivan) to us. If it weren’t for the VW fascia and big VW logo (six inches in diameter), you might even mistake it for, say, a Dodge Grand Caravan. Which, of course, it is. Mostly.

Chrysler builds Routans for VW at its plant in Windsor, Ontario. Canada. Not in Germany. And the hardware that makes it a Routan comes from Chrysler suppliers.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 5-door van

PRICE AS TESTED: $32,435 (base price: $30,450)

ENGINE TYPE: pushrod 12-valve V-6, iron block and aluminum heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 231 cu in, 3778cc
Power (SAE net): 197 bhp @ 5200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 230 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 121.2 in Length: 202.5 in Width: 76.9 in Height: 68.9 in
Curb weight: 4616 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 9.5 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 30.4 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 9.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 17.2 sec @ 81 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 16/23 mpg
C/D observed: 14 mpg

Keep Reading: 2009 Volkswagen Routan SE - Short Take Road Test

Volkswagen Scirocco

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vw scirocco white cat 85

The Volkswagen Scirocco is a sports coupe manufactured by German manufacturer Volkswagen through two generations from 1974 until 1992.

2010 Volkswagen Golf Estate, the fourth-variant of the Golf family

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Volkswagen announced today that it is adding a fourth body variant to the Golf’s 2-door, 4-door and Golf Plus lineup. Starting this Friday, Volkswagen will begin taking orders for the new 2010 Golf Estate with prices starting at €18,500 ($25,698 USD).

The new 2010 Volkswagen Golf Estate will be available with a selection of gasoline and diesel engines. Diesel output ranges from 105-hp to 140-hp while gasoline engines deliver outputs ranging from 122-hp to 160-hp. A total of six engine choices will be available and all six meet the new Euro-5 emissions standard.

Buyers of the 2010 Volkswagen Golf Estate will be able to pick from three trim-levels including Trendline, Comfortline and Highline.

The New Golf Estate - Initial Facts

- Advance sales of the new compact class estate car begin on Friday.
- New Golf Estate launches at prices starting at € 18,500, including climate control and daytime running lights*
- Technology and features on par with sixth Golf generation.
- Front end of Golf Estate now follows new Volkswagen “Design DNA.”

Wolfsburg, 21 May 2009 - Volkswagen will begin accepting advance orders for the new Golf Estate this Friday. In the sixth generation of the world bestseller, after the 2-door and 4-door Golfs and the latest Golf Plus, this is the fourth body version to be launched. The estate is one of the most successful models on the market, particularly in the company car market. The extensive redesign of this Estate should ensure that the all-around talent further extends its position as a business estate car and as a first car for families as well. The base price of the new Golf Estate in Germany, including ESP, six airbags, daytime running lights, roof railing, power windows all around, upshift indicator, power and heated outside mirrors, 1/3 to 2/3 split folding rear bench seat and seatback, central locking with RF remote control, climate control and 1,495 litres of cargo capacity is € 18,500.

The front end of the Golf Estate was completely redesigned. Its visual appearance follows today’s Volkswagen “Design DNA”. From now its appearance is defined by clear horizontal lines and bold headlight styling. The car’s engine lineup was adopted directly from the Golf 2-door and 4-door models. In the interior, the high-end instruments of the current Golf set the tone. In Europe, first units of the new Golf will be delivered in September.

Features and engines

At its market launch - in parallel to advance sales that are now starting - the successful Estate (more than 95,000 new vehicle registrations in 2008) will be offered in the three equipment versions Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. The latter replaces the previous Sportline version as the top equipment line. Engines available for selection when advance sales begin are a TSI (boosted gasoline direct-injection engine) with 90 kW / 122 PS and two very quiet common rail turbo-diesels (77 kW / 105 PS and 103 kW / 140 PS). Other engines will follow in stages: two Multipoint engines (59 kW / 80 PS and 75 kW / 102 PS) and another TSI gasoline engine (118 kW / 160 PS). All six engines fulfil the new Euro-5 emissions standard.

Exterior details of the new Golf Estate

In front, the new Golf Estate can be recognized by its new bumper, radiator grille and engine hood styling and its modified fenders and headlights, which were all adapted 1:1 from the estate’s 2-door and 4-door counterparts. In contrast to the previous model, the front-end design is no longer defined by a chrome radiator grille, rather by a black, horizontally layout of the grille and front bumper painted in car colour. In the lower area, the Estate has an additional large air inlet too. Starting with the mid-level equipment version (Comfortline), chrome inserts are integrated in the radiator grille and the lower air inlet. In the top Highline version, this also applies to the frames for the front fog lights with new static turning light function that are a standard feature here.

At the rear, the independent design of the previous model has been upgraded in the new generation by modified, more elegant taillights and bumpers fully painted in car colour in the lower area. From now on, TDI and TSI versions can also be recognized by their tailpipes, which are no longer covered by the bumper. In addition, Volkswagen developed a new wheel lineup for the new Golf Estate.

Interior details of the new Golf Estate

At the time of its presentation last fall, the sixth generation Golf received excellent marks, especially for its high-end quality. In the interior, it was especially in the styling of the gauges that the Golf crossed boundaries to the next higher class and still does. The same gauges and instruments, including a standard multifunctional display and upshift indicator, are now being used in the new Golf Estate too. Also adopted from the Golf was the new generation of three-spoke steering wheels, which celebrated their debut in the Passat CC in 2008.

In this context, controls for the new Golf climate control system were integrated in the Golf Estate as well. Volkswagen also adapted its line of different seat covers (Trendline: “Roxy”; Comfortline: “Scout”; Highline: Alcantara/fabric “Merlin”) to the entire model series. The same applies to features ranging from the radio and navigation systems up to the interfaces for MP3 players and Bluetooth mobile telephones. Two driver assistance systems are also available as options for the first time in the Golf Estate: “ParkAssist” (automatic parking assistant) and “Rear Assist” (rearview camera). Another feature being offered is the panorama sunroof that is popular among many Golf Estate buyers.

Euro-5 engines of the new Golf Estate in detail

Volkswagen is launching the new Golf Estate on the market with four gasoline and two diesel engine options; they all meet the limits of the new Euro-5 standard. The entry level continues to be marked by an 80-PS gasoline engine, followed by a 102-PS version. The two most powerful gasoline engines (TSI with 122 PS and 160 PS) and the two turbo-diesels (TDI with 105 PS and 140 PS) may be ordered with an optional automatic DSG dual clutch transmission.

Entirely new to the Golf Estate’s engine lineup is the 105 PS common rail TDI. Like the larger 2.0-liter TDI, the 1.6-liter four cylinder is also characterized by noticeably comfortable noise levels, low emissions (119 g/km CO2) and an extremely low average fuel consumption (4.5 litres per hundred kilometres). Compared to the previous model of the same power, fuel consumption was reduced by 0.7 litre.

The 2.0 TDI was adopted from the previous generation of the Golf Estate; it also has a highly advanced common rail direct injection system. The 140 PS strong and 210 km/h fast Golf Estate 2.0 TDI consumes 5.0 litre (132 g/km CO2), which is impressively low considering its power. The TDI engines may be ordered together with any of the three equipment versions.

As already noted, the gasoline engines of the Golf Estate have power levels of 80 PS (MPI), 102 PS (MPI), 122 PS (TSI) and 160 PS (TSI). The base engine with 80 PS is available with the Trendline equipment line; the 102-PS version may be ordered as a Golf Estate Trendline or Golf Estate Comfortline. The TSI engines can each be ordered together with the Comfortline or Highline equipment versions.

Just how efficiently the current gasoline engines from Volkswagen perform is well-illustrated by the TSI. Its 6.3 litre (122 PS) and 6.4 litre (160 PS) fuel consumption values place their average fuel consumption on par with the already economical base engine with 80 PS. When shifted by a DSG transmission, fuel consumption is even reduced to 6.0 litres per 100 kilometres (139 g/km CO2) on the 122-PS TSI and 6.1 litres (143 g/km CO2) on the 160-PS version. With this engine lineup, the new Golf Estate is one of the most economical and cleanest estate cars in Europe.

Next Gen VW Touran MPV Mule – spied pics

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The next Volkswagen Touran has been spied testing on the streets with a trailer in tow. Though the mule uses the current Touran facelift for its body, underneath there lies the next-generation model. The Touran will take on the brand's new face which can already be seen on the Scirocco, the Golf VI and the new Polo. VW's versatile vehicle has been in the market since 2003 and it received a facelift in 2007.
Next Gen VW Touran MPV Mule-1Next Gen VW Touran MPV Mule-2Speculation is that because the current car, which is based on the expensive to build Golf V platform, VW is moving the next one's release date up in order to take advantage of the cheaper Golf VI platform.
Engines expected include the 1.4-litre TSI and the 1.6-litre. Turbo diesels are also popular in this segment so the 1.9 TDI as well as the 2.0 TDI will form the lineup. Mated to these engines are two gearboxes, the familiar 6-speed manual and the new 7-speed DSG.
Gadgets on the menu would be things like the self-park function, touch screen satellite navigation and lane assist.
It would not be a surprise to see the Touran at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.
© Source: worldcarfans

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