New: Volkswagen Beetle Turbo 2012
December 8, 2011
The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is certainly a step in the right direction, but the MSRP, low power figures and lackluster fuel economy might have us sniffing elsewhere if we were in the market for an adorable retro hatchback. Volkswagen has already teased us with the Beetle R concept, which may hint to the fact that a quicker version of the Bug will show up in the near future. Until then, we’ll leave this one to nostalgic baby boomers.
From behind the wheel, it’s clear that the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo desperately wants to seem sporty. Tricks like a flat-bottomed steering wheel, high-bolstered seats and a massive, easy-to-read speedometer are all quick to whisper apex temptations in your ear. But this is still an adorable commuter first and foremost, and real performance enthusiasts will itch for the execution in the Jetta GLI or Golf GTI. While those seats boast high bolsters, the foam is situated more for big-boned American book club members than your average autocrosser, and that big speedometer leaves the more important tachometer buried in the corner of the instrument cluster. Our DSG-equipped tester packed clicky-buttons on the back of the steering wheel, presumably for hot-shoe gear changes. Edge is clearly not a part of the Beetle Turbo recipe.
And the drivetrain bears that out. The base 2012 Beetle is saddled with the same loathsome 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine found elsewhere in the brand. We have to imagine the 170-horsepower engine has more than a little trouble hustling the 3,042-pound hatch with anything approaching a quickness. Our tester bore the slightly more lively turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine with 200 horsepower at 5,100 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque from just 1,700 rpm. The powerplant can be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed DSG. In the U.S., the dual-clutch has been specifically programmed to maximize fuel economy, which translates into plenty of short-shifts in daily driving.
2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn
December 5, 2011
The Volkswagen Jetta is the least expensive German sedan/wagon in the North American market, now in its sixth generation. The Jetta SportWagen helps to bridge the gap between the Golf and the Tiguan in VW’s lineup.
The Jetta sedan and SportWagen offer four different engines, a 115-hp 2.0-liter gas four-cylinder (sedan only), a 2.5-liter gas five-cylinder generating 170 horsepower, a 140-hp 2.0L TDI clean-diesel four-cylinder for those looking for maximum fuel economy, and a 200-hp 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder in the GLI. Buyers that go with either gas engine can choose between a five-speed manual transmission or six-speed Tiptronic automatic; while TDI and GLI buyers select from either a six-speed manual transmission, or a six-speed DSG auto with Tiptronic. All Jetta’s are standard with safety features such as six air bags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, electronic stability program, tire pressure monitoring, brake assist, seatbelt pretensioners, traction control and head restraints at all seating positions.To set the GLI apart, it includes sport bumpers and side skirts, tinted taillights, red brake calipers and 17-inch alloy wheels. The GLI Autobahn trim adds features such as 18-inch wheels, a power sunroof, heated seats and an all new Fender premium sound system.
For 2012, the Jetta GLI returns to the line-up for the first time since 2009.
2012 Volkswagen Passat Alltrack – Tokyo 2011
December 1, 2011
We have a soft spot for rugged wagons like the Volvo XC70 and the Audi Allroad, and while these useful soft-roaders are slowly going the way of the dinosaur here in the United States, they’re still quite popular in Europe. Volkswagen is now getting in on the action with this, the 2012 Passat Alltrack – a more capable version of the Passat Estate that isn’t offered Stateside.
The Alltrack rides a full 30 millimeters higher than a standard Passat wagon, comes standard with 4Motion all-wheel drive and has an off-road mode. When engaged, the off-road setting activates hill descent assist, alters the ABS mapping to allow for higher thresholds on loose terrain and quickens the reaction time of the electronic differential locks in an effort to prevent wheelspin on gravel. In the UK, Volkswagen will offer the Passat Alltrack with two versions of its popular 2.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-four, rated at 138 and 168 horsepower.
Volkswagen Cross Coupe Concept
November 30, 2011
Let’s get one thing straight: This is not a coupe. Not even close. But ever since BMW kicked off the bastardization of the word ‘coupe’ with its X6 crossover, automakers seem to think that any vehicle with a sloped roofline can be classified by this word that has always been – and should always be – reserved exclusively for two-door cars. That’s a whole different rant, though. In the meantime, we’d like to introduce you to the Volkswagen Cross Coupe concept.
Debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Cross Coupe is the first vehicle to ride on Volkswagen’s new modular transverse matrix architecture, and it previews the future of the automaker’s crossover range. It may look large, but the Cross Coupe is actually smaller than the current Tiguan, closer in size to that of a Nissan Juke. It certainly isn’t bad to look at, even with that big, grinning face. The compact shape is well-proportioned, though it appears that the chrome wheels were ripped right off a loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The Cross Coupe is powered by a unique all-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain, with two electric motors (one for each axle) paired with a turbocharged gasoline engine. Volkswagen estimates that this powerplant will produce around 262 horsepower, but will be able to drive on pure electricity for about 25 miles. Running to 60 miles per hour will take around seven seconds.
Volkswagen pokes fun at motorcyclists in new spot for South Africa
November 29, 2011
Riding a motorcycle isn’t for everyone. Aside from the requisite blatant disregard for personal safety, there are a host of inconveniences to deal with. Bugs, heat, dirt, dust, grime and the stench of road kill can all put a kink in an otherwise enjoyable afternoon of riding. We understand that, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to be trading the bike for what could very well be the most bland compact available on the market right now. Volkswagen South Africa has released a new ad for the company’s Jetta featuring a duo of would-be motorcycle heroes as they endure the slings of motorcycling on a pair of beautiful Kawasaki steeds.
After a variety of calamities ensue, the two decide to swap their bikes for the ultimate symbol of domestication: the Jetta. Approving nods from seasoned bikers ensue and the screen rolls to black. As you can likely tell, we have a bit of an issue with the ad, entertaining as it may be. Perhaps the spot would have gone down a little easier if our two failed bikers had swapped their machines for a GTI.
Germany in court again over “VW law”
November 28, 2011
We haven’t heard about the Volkswagen Law in a while, but that doesn’t mean the EU Commission has forgotten about it. The law gives the state of Lower Saxony, with a 20.1-percent stake in VW, veto rights on a takeover deal, which means no one’s ever going to take over VW because its home state won’t allow it. The law came in handy when Porsche was working to gobble up Volkswagen. The law was struck down by the EU Court of Justice in 2007. Germany then scrapped the old VW Law but rewrote another one that gave Lower Saxony the same rights with different legalese circumventing the spirit of the court’s decision.
The EU competition oversight body is taking Germany back to court over the law, but wants to put some pain into the judgment: it wants Germany fined €31,000 ($41,000 USD) per day for every day since the original 2007 judgment. It also wants the court to issue a second ruling, and if Germany doesn’t bring the law into line with the ruling, the EU Commission wants Germany fined €282,725 per day (nearly $375,000) until the Germans comply.
No federal German authorities have responded to the latest EU thrust, but the premier of Lower Saxony offered this: “Doesn’t Europe have better things to do?”
2012 Volkswagen Passat Alltrack
November 23, 2011
We’re pretty fond of the 2012 Volkswagen Passat, and we aren’t alone. But for all of the vehicle’s merits, there are a few of our favorite options missing from the American order sheet. For starters, buyers in the land of the free can’t bring home a long-roof version of the mid-sizer, and all-wheel drive is nowhere to found either. These absences are made all the more painful by the fact that European buyers can snag this, the new 2012 Passat Alltrack. The vehicle is set to debut at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show and boasts the Volkswagen 4Motion all-wheel drive system as well as a taller ride height for overcoming rough terrain and deep snow.
That smell? It’s just the noxious fumes of envy wafting through the internet.
Volkswagen has thrown in a set of flared fender arches as well as revised front and rear bumpers. Under normal operation, the Passat Alltrack kicks 90 percent of the engine’s power to the front axles, though 100 percent of the grunt can be shifted to the rear tires if need be. In the UK, buyers may chose between two variants of the German automaker’s 2.0-liter TDI four-cylinder engine.
Volkswagen Golf R
November 22, 2011
The Volkswagen R performance sub-brand isn’t just a niche cog in the massive machine known as the Volkswagen Auto Group. If R GmbH’s heads are to be believed, it’s an instrumental component of the German automaker’s push to offer something for everyone. And after speaking with the two men shepherding R into the future, it appears that good things are on the way.
With the Golf R set to go on sale in the U.S. early next year and R-branded performance parts already proliferating throughout VW’s core products, Ulrich Riestenpatt gt. Richter, R’s Executive Director, and Dr. Hendrik Muth, R’s marketing head, are looking to the future. Fortunately, they were thoughtful enough to provide Autoblog with a small glimpse into what’s on the way.
“The future is diesel and all-wheel-drive,” Richter told us on the floor of last week’s LA Auto Show. That could mean that the next great performance offering from VW R could come in the form of an AWD diesel hatch – essentially an oil-burning Golf R. Further, Richter contends that he can make an R version of any vehicle in the VW stable, so don’t be surprised to see a Passat R in the coming years and the Beetle R getting the green light.
Just as telling, Richter says that while hybrids have their place (VW will be introducing a Jetta hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show), the fuel savings of hybrid-electric systems pale in comparison to weight reduction. “You can get the same efficiency [as a hybrid] by dropping 100 kilos,” Richter admits, but the high cost of advanced composites – namely carbon fiber – is still too high. So that means more aluminum is on the way, and partnered with a high-performance diesel powerplant, enthusiasts should be able to have their tire-shredding cake and eat less at the pump in the process.
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