VW may build Tiguan in North America

VW needs to expand North American production in order to reach its sales targets there profitably


It's no secret that VW wants to expand its production in North America beyond the current Passat, Jetta and Beetle models.

The German automaker has just christened a new plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee to build the North American-spec Passat (aka NMS) model, which is larger and cheaper than the Euro-spec Passat, and has a very ambitious plan to reach 1 million unit sales of its Audi and VW brand cars in North America by 2018. In order to do that, and do it profitably, it is going to need more local production. VW Group has been hit hard in North America due to declining sales of the VW brand and a strong euro which has hurt the profitability of its premium brand Audi which produces its vehicles in Europe.

According to German business magazine Wirtschafts Woche, VW is considering the Tiguan model for production at either the Chattanooga plant or the Pueblo plant in Mexico, where the Jetta and Beetle are assembled, to increase volume and sales of the model while reducing its costs of production. If VW pulls the trigger on North American production for the Tiguan, it would likely start in 2013.

Since its launch in 2007, the compact SUV Tiguan has sold more than 700,000 total unit’s world wide. The Tiguan received a facelift just this past February and the next-generation is due around 2013.

Source [worldcarfans]


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Volkswagen creates edible ad for the Golf R

Mmm... advertising

Volkswagen has been known to use some pretty memorable ads, but their latest effort certainly takes the cake.

Designed to promote the Golf R in South Africa, the edible "Eat the Road" ad was prominently featured in several local automotive magazines. While there's no word on how it tastes, the ad was made with glutinous rice flour, water, salt, propylene glycol FD&C color and glycerin.

Source [worldcarfans]


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Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet unveiled - Geneva Show

New Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet sports several different design features from the standard Golf model.

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off the new Golf Cabriolet model for its premiere at the Geneva auto show today.

The Golf Cabriolet has a long tradition for a convertible in this class and VW has a difficult challenge in maintaining the cachet of the model.

This next-generation Golf Cabriolet sports several design features that make it differ from the standard Golf model. That includes a more sloped windscreen, lower profile roof line and a new rear-end design.

A new soft-top was developed for this Golf Cabrio which can open or close at speeds up to 30 km/h (18.7 mph). Safety features include the automatically deploying roll-over bar, side airbags for the head/thorax and a knee airbag for the driver.

A slew of engines will be on offer with the Cabrio ranging in output from 105 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS) to 207 bhp (155 kW / 210 PS) for the 2.0 liter TFSI variant. Transmissions offered will be the six-speed manual or the DSG double-clutch gearbox. The 77 kW 1.6 liter TDI with BlueMotion technology has a fuel-economy rating of 4.4 liters/100 km (64 mpg imperial) and CO2 emissions of 117 g/km for clean driving.

The VW Golf Cabriolet goes on sale in Europe this spring with prices in Germany starting at €23,625.

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Source: [Worldcarfan]

VW Passat BlueMotion, even more efficient

Averages 4.1 L/100km

Following its unveiling at the Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen has announced final specifications for the Passat BlueMotion.

Available as a sedan or estate, the eco-minded family car is powered by a 1.6-liter TDI engine that produces 105 PS (77 kW / 103 hp) and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque. This enables the sedan to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 12.2 seconds and hit a top speed of 198 km/h (0-100 km/h in 12.2 seconds and a top speed of 196 km/h in the estate). More importantly, thanks to a start/stop system, improved aerodynamics and a lowered ride height, owners can expect to average 4.1 L/100km with CO2 emissions of 109 g/km (4.3 L/100km and 113 g/km in the estate). That's an improvement of 0.1 L/100km for both sedan and wagon.

Currently available at dealerships, the Passat BlueMotion is priced from €26,450 in Germany.

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Source [worldcarfans]



Volkswagen confirms plug-in hybrids for 2013

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The best of both worlds

Volkswagen has announced plans to introduce a series of plug-in hybrids starting in 2013.

While the company declined to identify which models would gain the technology, Volkswagen has previously shown off a Golf TwinDrive plug-in hybrid and an Audi A5 e-tron plug-in hybrid prototype.

According to Volkswagen chairman Dr. Martin Winterkorn, "Over the mid-term, the plug-in hybrid offers great potential because it combines the best of two worlds in one vehicle." 

Source: [Worldcarfans]

All-New Jetta GLI

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All-New Jetta GLI ReviewThe Jetta lineup as a whole is a bit lighter than before by about 100 pounds for comparable models, a slimming which could help the GLI’s performance numbers. Our best 0-to-60-mph time with the previous car was 6.4 seconds with a manual transmission. The GLI will again be offered with either a six-speed stick or six-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddles. VW estimates fuel-economy ratings of 31 mpg highway with the manual and 32 highways with the DSG.

Forever Plaid?
Beyond the extra power and more sophisticated chassis, the GLI’s look also sets it apart from its more pedestrian brethren. Chrome-framed honeycomb grilles sit above and below the bumper, dominating the front view. The front fascia is unique, which allows for the larger lower aperture and it houses fog lights behind vertical lenses that have been yanked from the GTI. In contrast to the previous GLI’s blacked-out look, extra chrome has been added to this model, and the red lettering and grille details have been dispatched. Red stitching and shiny accents spruce up the interior, but, sadly, the iconic plaid seats are gone. The visual changes don’t add up to much excitement, failing nearly completely in dressing up the new Jetta’s staid design.

VW will offer three trim levels for the car when it goes on sale in May. The base GLI comes in at $24,265 and includes cloth seats and 17-inch alloys. The GLI Autobahn, at $26,315, upgrades to 18-inch wheels and leatherette, and adds dual-zone climate control and VW’s Fender-branded audio system. The GLI Autobahn with Navigation trim adds—guess what?—nav to the standard touch-screen infotainment system, plus keyless entry and ignition, and rings in at $27,215. The DSG transmission adds $1100 to the bottom line of any model. The GLI thus sits at the top of the Jetta range, with its base price running $500 more than the entry-level, manual-equipped TDI diesel.

We haven’t particularly warmed up to the newest Jetta, but perhaps this new model and its sweet 2.0-liter turbo four will change that; we certainly look forward to getting behind the wheel. So the good news is that you’ll soon be able to buy a sportier, essentially Euro-spec Jetta in America.

Source [caranddriver.com]

2014 VW Passat could spawn coupe & convertible variants - report

With Volkswagen aiming to become the world's largest automaker by 2018, its clear the company will have to expand their product lineup.

We've already reported about several models under consideration, but a new report is indicating the next-generation Passat (Euro-spec) could spawn coupe and convertible variants. Details are vague, but the models - if approved - would slot below the Audi A5 and compete with the upcoming Opel Calibra.

We're taking everything with a grain of salt, but the redesigned Passat is due in 2014 and should be larger and more luxurious than the current model.

Source [worldcarfans]

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan facelift revealed in Geneva

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The face lifted 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan has been revealed at the 2011 Geneva International Motor Show.

Building upon the 572,000 units delivered worldwide, the little brother of the Touareg features redesigned front and rear ends plus two top trim level models, "Track & Style" and "Sport & Style".

The "Sport & Style" which is mainly intended for urban use can handle inclines of 18 degrees while the "Track & Style" which is spec'd for off-road/light trail driving can handle a larger 28 degree angle of approach.

Other features include new assistance systems such as fatigue detection, camera-controlled high beam Light Assist as well as Lane Assist. Also new in the Tiguan is the XDS electronic differential lock.

In Europe there are four direct-injection TSI engines available, three of which are new to the Tiguan, producing between 120 bhp (90 kW / 122 PS) and 208 bhp (155 kW / 210 PS) while three diesel TDI engines range from 108 bhp (81 kW / 110 PS) to 167 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS).

The 7-speed DSG gearbox is available as an option. Available with BlueMotion equipped Tiguans is a new Start/Stop system which reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.7 l/100 and is available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive 4MOTION.

The 2012 Tiguan launches in Europe this August at a starting price of 24,175 euros in Germany.

Source: [Worldcarfans.com]

VW wants to take Bulli Microbus to production

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Microbus will be sold around the world in different variants

VW wants to take the Bulli Microbus Concept it premiered at the Geneva show last week to production.

According to Autocar, VW's research and development chief Ulrich Hackenberg says that the Microbus is based on the MDS [Modular Design System] platform and will likely be made at VW's Pueblo plant in Mexico.

The MDS system that Hackenberg is referring to may be part of (or the same thing as) the new MQB modular transverse architecture ("Modular Querbaukasten" in German) that VW has developed which will underpin many future models including the next-generation A3 and Golf models. The architecture is flexible enough to allow for models of varying track and wheelbase dimensions to be built on a shared platform. The Bulli Microbus can also be made on that platform.

Hackenberg told Autocar that the Microbus will have different market variants so that it can be sold around the world. In the United States, it will provide some competition to the Scion XB.

The VW Bulli Microbus is a 3+3 (two rows of three-seat benches) minivan measuring 3.99 m in length, 1.75 m in width and 1.70 m in height. Wheelbase is 2.62 m and the Microbus has a wide track for those 3-seater benches at 1.50 m.

The concept VW debuted in Geneva was an electric vehicle but the automaker said that it can easily be adapted to be powered by the VW Group's various small diesel and petrol power plants, putting it closer to a production-fit model.

Source [worldcarfan.com]

An armored VW Bora (Jetta) - but only for Mexico

The Bora Protect costs about $70,000 (€48,000), is bullet-proof and features run-flat tires

Security is a huge factor in Mexico these days. So, VW devised this armored Bora model (based on the previous-generation Jetta), which it has been offering in Mexico for a while now, as a less expensive option vis-a-vis those large armor-plated SUVs that are the norm for those needing protection.

The Bora Protect costs about $70,000 (€48,000) and comes with the 2.0 liter TFSI engine with 200 bhp (149 kW / 203 PS), coupled to VW's six-speed DSG gearbox. It is bullet-proof and features run-flat tires so that a round through the tire rubber won't prevent you from speeding away.

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Source [worldcarfans.com]

VW partnering with Silicon Valley players such as Google and Oracle Corp. to develop technologies such as a self-parking car

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VW has opened a new Electronics Research Laboratory in Belmont, California, tasked with creating the technologies that will go into the cars of the future.

The lab has an annual budget of $20 million, and a staff of 100 designers and engineers. There are even psychologists on the payroll, mainly to make sure that the "cool" functions technicians invent have a real value to the driver.

VW previously had other research labs in Silicon Valley which have now moved into this new facility. To assist in the development of new cabin technologies, VW is partnering with the best of Silicon Valley - companies such as Google, Nvidia and Oracle Corp.

So just what functions are they working on? How about this - you drive into a parking lot, even a multi-level one, you get out and head for the entrance to the building while your vacant car drives around on its own, searching for its own spot, and then parks itself. Then, when you leave, you just call your car and it comes back to greet you. All that's missing is the wagging tail.

Also being researched is a driving awareness system that can detect traffic lights and speed limits, and adjusts the movement and capabilities of the car accordingly.

All great stuff, yes, but while they're at it, why don't they simply make a car that drives itself completely so that we can sit in the back and take a nap on the way to work?

Source [worldcarfans.com]

2012 Volkswagen Golf R First Drive

The Volkswagen Golf R

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We're getting a 2012 Volkswagen Golf R with a pumped-up version of the VW GTI's turbocharged inline-4 engine with 266 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. But we have to wait. While the rest of the planet gets its Golf R starting now, North America has to wait, because our Golf R won't arrive until the second quarter of 2011 as a 2012 model.
Payoff being at least that the Golf MkVI VW360, known as the Golf R with the new fourth-generation version of Haldex 4Motion all-wheel drive, is a better all-round hottie than any like competitor on the planet and is therefore worth the wait.

The VW Golf R smothers the overrated old 247-hp VW R32 V6 in all ways but exhaust sound satisfaction, and we think it feels more a premium effort than the 263-hp Mazdaspeed 3.

R32 VR6-Withdrawal Group Hug
On American soil, the VW R32 with its VR6 engine and previous-generation Haldex all-wheel-drive setup became a bit of a legend, complete with breathless Internet bulletin boards all a-gush with how it kicked so much damned ass.
The 4Motion was the big draw for most R32 buyers — VW's survey says so, so we aren’t just guessing here — and then there was that we-don't-need-no-stinkin'-turbo 3.2-liter VR6. Apparently it just didn't matter how underpowered and fuel-sucking that heavy, narrow-angle V6 has been, because it did the Pavlov thing for Americans, who could say, "at least it's a V6, dude." The engine was never really any good in the Audi TT either, and for the same reasons. But, boy, did VW Group make a lot of money on each one sold. Admittedly, too, the thing could sing real pretty through those pipes.
VW's R32 survey says you're almost all guys, as in males. Like roughly 100 percent. The whole VR6 engine program has been scrapped already. It is time for the exceptionally better EA113 inline-4, in this case the turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0-liter TSI that we've recently driven with much delight in the VW Scirocco R.
One thing that should help us break this tortured sort of man-hug and move on to the better 2.0-liter turbo is the matter of 266 hp at 6,000 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 2,000-5,000 rpm. And you can't deny that 12.6 pounds of Golf R that each 2.0 TSI horse has to carry is much better than the 14.2 pounds that every VR6 pony had to pack. In fact, the brand-new MkVI GTI with the latest EA888 turbo-4 burdens each horse with 15.8 pounds.

A Man's Car
This VW Golf R with the 2.0 TSI is exactly what we need to stop the criticism leveled at small cars with turbocharged four-cylinder engines. There's so much premium-ness built into this car that it is not to be believed, and we mean that in the amazingly good way. A long list of upgrades in both manufacturing and anti-NVH development has made every member of the Golf MkVI family feel as substantial as an Audi A6.
And then there is the long list of features. Like the latest quick-acting all-wheel drive making snowy roads feel like dry roads, plus making serious acceleration numbers on dry roads and communicating in the corners through the flat-bottom R-type steering wheel. Like the sheer quality of the interior design that no longer seems as if it's compensating for shortcomings in another department.

And Then on Ice and Snow
You can probably see that the weather in the Austrian Alps for our drive of a 2012 Volkswagen Golf R ablaze in Tornado Red proved perfect for testing the majority of the reasons for buying one. Though there are engineering and dynamic reasons why we would prefer a mechanical Torsen center differential, no car built on the VW Group's PQ35 chassis has ever had anything but a Haldex. Some say it's due to cost issues in having to beef up the chassis to properly mesh with a Torsen's reactive properties, especially when the engine is transversely mounted.
No matter, this fourth-gen pro-active Haldex system is just right on this lighter Golf. Its most important innovation is the way that the hydraulically activated system (435 psi) is always prepared to manage the driving forces and weight transfer in far less time than the Haldex AWD system it replaces. The previous differential could also send 100 percent of traction to the front or rear axle, but this one reacts now like the proverbial lightning. While hammering around the local mountain roads and circling a local ice-racing circuit with studded tires, we learned that the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R is always under control, even while drifting the racing circuit's curves at 6,500 rpm.
On the slick stuff, at least, the stability control still has a safety net engaged even when you switch off the system, so it would still intervene while we were trying to be teenagers for life, kicking sideways and using the hand brake and so on. But this is not exactly a dumb move for a series-built car that is expected to spend some portion of its life in controlled sledding under similar conditions. It corrects things just enough to keep the less capable out of the snowbanks.

Das Fahren auf der Autobahn
There's a good chance that the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R for North America will be limited to 130 mph like the GTI and others, which might make police-chase television shows seem a little like restrictor-plate NASCAR weekends if the getaway car is a VW. We weren't in North America, though, were we? No.
At 155 mph on glorious portions of no-limit autobahn on the way back to Munich airport, there is that low hum from the turbo engine's twin-pipe exhaust that's very close to the note of the R32, only the greatly improved acoustic insulation of the cabin admits less of it than the R32 did. Meanwhile, the stability afforded by the suspension is very much as you'd expect in a premium car, a benefit from a sport setup for the suspension's Mubea springs (20 percent firmer than the GTI springs), which lower the car an inch. In Europe you have the option of Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), electronic control of the Sachs dampers for Comfort, Normal or Sport modes. Our sources in North America say, "Chances are that our cars will come loaded, so DCC would be standard in the price." (It's Christmas every day of the year, isn't it?)

Our lipstick-red test car had the standard 18-inch wheels instead of the optional 19-inchers, but it did have the optional, broad-shouldered VW Motorsports seats that, simply put, must be available for this car in the United States or we shall storm the gates of VW HQ in Herndon, Virginia. As with the Scirocco R, these Talladega wheels slay us bad, almost as cool as the optional 18-inch Khartoum black units for the GTI.
The six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment for this car, but if we were expecting to drive the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R daily, we'd get the optional dual-clutch automated DSG manual. Then again, if we were slamming around a bit regularly and given to saying things to passengers like "Watch this!" then we'd go with the manual. Projections have two-thirds of Golf R buyers taking the DSG. Also, about 70 percent will choose the four-door version of this car over the two-door.
Accelerating to 60 mph with the DSG gearbox and launch control and 225/40R18 82V Continental ContiWinterContact tires under the fenders took about a second less than an R32.

Is It Coming? Really? Really?
No one in Wolfsburg or Herndon will go on the record as confirming or denying, but the definite majority told us that we would not be far off if we say that yes, the Volkswagen Golf R is coming to the U.S. Volkswagen of America is just a little nervous about bringing it in too hot on the heels of the new 200-hp 2010 Volkswagen GTI that just arrived.
But it will come, however reluctantly VW's business people on both sides of the ocean might be about it. The 2012 Volkswagen Golf R will be a limited edition of between 1,500 and 3,000 cars, with prices starting at $32,500 or so for a manual-equipped two-door. We might even get four-doors for a slight premium. As one executive told us after a couple schnapps toss-backs, "I mean, hell, we build a lot of these. If the U.S. would want more Rs, then we would just make some more."
Love that attitude.

Source [Edmunds inside line]

Volkswagen Canada-record sales in April

Volkswagen Canada recently reported its seventh consecutive month of record sales in April, posting a total of 5,526.


The figure set a new “high water” mark for the company in a single sales month, representing a 26% improvement over last year’s performance, according to a news release.
Year-to-date, total sales of 16,160 have produced a 17% increase over the same period last year.


The all-new 2011 Jetta matched the company’s best all-time result with sales of 3,058, a significant improvement on last April’s total of 1,065. Year to date, the Jetta is up by 180%. Meanwhile, sales of 633 Tiguan compact sport utilities added depth to the results.

The Golf family, including the hatchback, wagon and sporty GTI, also chipped in with 1,337 finding their way into customers’ driveways during the month.

According to the vehicle maker, the Volksfest sales program brought significant traffic to the showroom floor and will continue through the month of June.

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Source[Carpages.ca]

Volkswagen Blue-e-motion: On the electric bandwagon!

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The Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion has hopped onto the bandwagon, joining the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, Ford Focus EV, smart ED and many others.

The electric Golf is not very different from the regular gasoline powered Golf. Although people with a sharp eye might noticed that it doesn’t have a muffler. The Golf Blue-e-motion is powered by an 85 kW electric engine (114 horsepower) that delivers a maximum of 199 lbs-ft of torque. Its lithium-ion battery can store up to 26.5 kWh. Its range is 150 km and brake energy is recovered to improve this range. Max speed is 137 km/hr and, according to Volkswagen, the vehicle can go from 0-100 km/hr in 11.8 seconds. 
Let’s get to the battery. It is made up of 180 cells clustered into 30 modules. These are stored under the trunk floor (the spare tire is under the rear seat and between the two front seats). This also frees up a space for the exhaust system (it’s basically a tunnel that runs down the centre of the vehicle). A separate ventilation system ensures that the battery temperature remains constant and perfect. Adding approximately 200 kg to the Golf, these batteries lower the vehicle’s centre of gravity and therefore make for better road handling. The charging plug is under the VW insignia in the centre of the grille.

More changes were made to the inside than the outside. The gauge that normally indicates rpm has been replaced by a unit that tells you how many kW the accelerator is drawing. A smaller gauge inside the bigger one lets you know what the remaining driving range is. On the right is a speedometer and below is an indicator showing the battery charge level.  Between these two circles is a small rectangular screen that, according to Volkswagen’s press document, allows the driver to pre-set the battery charge function. There are four modes: D, D1, D2 and D3. For example, in D mode, the car can slow down on its own when you ease off the accelerator, without help from the engine brake. At the other end of the spectrum, in D3 mode, as much energy as possible is recovered and transferred to the battery, and braking is a lot more noticeable. However, our vehicle did not have this system. But it was possible to put the gear shift into "B" (Brake). In the city, it’s an excellent way to recharge the battery while reducing wear on the brake calipers.

Meanwhile, a button on the console lets you choose between Comfort, Autonomy and Dynamic Modes, which influence the power of the electric engine, climate control, maximum speed and energy recovery. Aside from that, it’s pretty much the same as the gasoline and TDI Golf.

The acceleration was the same as the 2.5 version. Like all VWs, the steering precision and feedback is terrific. Taking a corner at a higher speed resulted in some more pronounced weight transfer, which makes sense given the car’s added weight.

The electric Golf will be available in 2013, just after the launch of the Up!, an all-electric urban car.

Source[Alain Morin:CarGuideWeb]