Volkswagen sales are up, according to Motortrader. Its report said that last month, Europe’s best selling car was the Volkswagen Golf, even as “sales in the continental market dipped 1.1 per cent to 1.25 million.”

“The association of European carmakers, Acea, said consumer uncertainty in November had led to waning private demand in Western Europe while sales in emerging markets surged ahead,” the report said.

New EU members are responsible for raising 12.4 percent of the sales, while sales in Western Europe dropped to 2.1 percent.

“In the major markets last month Spain and Germany suffered downturns but Italy, the UK and France were ahead year-on-year.”

News from: http://www.motortrader.com/26324/Volkswagen-Golf-is-Europes-bes.ehtml

A complete view of the new Volkswagen Passat Coupe was seen by Auto Express. According to the report, the new vehicle was seen conquering winter testing.

In the photo, it was evident that the Volkswagen has some resemblance to a Mercedes CLS. Reportedly, “At the front, the classy Passat carries a bold chrome grille and neat Eos-style front headlamps.”

The interior had visible improvements, especially when it comes to quality. One of the most distinguishing features is the touchscreen technology. Meanwhile, a center console is capable of storing music and also has a Bluetooth connection.
Powering up this new Passat is a 3.6 liter V6 petrol engine backed by the 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system via the quick-shifting DSG gearbox.

The base model will include turbo and supercharged 1.4-liter TSI unit, while those who want to save on gas can get either a TDI or a new 2.0-liter. Also, “a Bluemotion model has aerodynamic and engine management tweaks for lowered emissions.”

Auto Express said that prices for the Passat Coupe will start at around £20,000. It will also debut at the Geneva show in March, and will be available for the market at end of 2008.

Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/spyshots/214017/volkswagen_passat_coup.html

Volkswagen will be welcoming the new year with new innovative components, just like its DSG twin-clutch gearbox that will feature “seven gears, greater efficiency and a more compact design”. According to the report of The Auto Channel, this new gearbox will make its debut in the new year.

Offered as an add on, this seven-speed DSG gearbox is far better than the already impressive six-speed DSG gearbox, since it wick use a pair of dry clutches rather than a pair of wet clutches in oil. The report said that this will make the gearbox more compact, along with saving weight and boosting the efficiency of the system.

The new seven-speed DSG system will be available in connection with the new 1.4-litre TSI 122 PS engine, once it is launched. It is designed “to operate under moderate power and torque loadings.”

Volkswagen also claims that the gearbox can lessen 10 g/km of CO2 in a Golf hatchback, as it brings it down from 149 g/km in the manual to 139. It will also get better fuel economy of over 3 mpg. “It is also possible to combine this gearbox with the 1.9-litre TDI diesel unit with Diesel Particulate Filter.”

Along with economical benefits, performance will also improve with the new seven-speed DSG system. “The lower gears are more closely spaced, meaning in-gear acceleration is improved to aid overtaking maneuvers, while the higher gears are lengthened to reduce loading on the engine and maximize economy.” It will also have a hill-hold function that will help the vehicles when it is starting on an incline.

UK will be first to see and experience the new seven-speed gearbox once it debut in February. Orders are now being taken in various Volkswagen Retailer and prices will start at £15,982 when applied to the Golf S 1.4-litre TSI 122 PS.

News from: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/12/23/073976.html

Easier Motoring recently puts its focus to the Volkswagen Polo Match. The Match will replace the Polo S. As reported, “The new Match offers even greater value and increased equipment while retaining the virtues of quality, efficiency and practical ability for which the Polo is famed.”

Distinguishable looks of the Match is visible in the exterior from its 15-inch ‘Charade’ alloy wheels, bumper strips, door strips, door handles and wing mirrors. A pair of fog lights is placed into the twin airdams in front.

Changes are continued inside, starting with the leather-trimmed steering wheel, gearknob and handbrake grip. Impressive features such as the six-disc CD autochanger or an iPod connection get the motorist ready for the digital age. Other features include electric front windows, a split folding rear seat, height adjustment for the driver’s seat and a useful drawer under the passenger seat.

Performance will not be set aside, with the Polo Match’s choices of engines, from the compact petrol 1.2-litre unit up to the flexible 1.4-litre TDI engine.

According to the report, the price of the new Polo Match starts “at £9,315 for the 1.2-litre three-door model before rising to £11,380 for the 1.4-litre TDI five-door variant.”

News from: http://www.easier.com/view/News/Motoring/Volkswagen/article-153463.html

If you’re a Volkswagen Transporter fan and you missed the big fiesta of its 60th Anniversary, you now have the chance to relive the action with the release of a new book, specially dedicated to the legendary vehicle.

It was in October when 71,000 visitors and more than 5,100 Mini-Buses and Transporters gathered on the Hanover Exhibition Centre for the International VW Mini-Bus Meeting.

Dubbed as the Camper in the UK and Bulli in its German homeland, the spectacular vehicle can now be seen in the “330 pages of studio shots, plus pictures of virtually all the vehicles that registered to take part in the event,” only in And Lutz Schilling and Cliff Serna’s ‘60 Years VW Bulli. Along with the amazing photos is the story of the Transporter and photos of the exhibits at the Wolfsburg Automobile Museum.

Auto Express reported that the book contains “the most spectacular portraits are a black-and-red stretched Mini-Bus, a mint-coloured T1 pick-up with camper trailer and a yellow T3 ambulance conversion.”

The book is available from www.vw-bulli.de for 14.90 Euros or £10.60 plus delivery costs.

“The International VW Mini-Bus Meeting was a remarkable experience,” said Harald Schomburg of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. “This book will be a perfect memento of an unforgettable event.”

News from: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/214080/volkswagen_transporter_book.html

“The New Beetle is a comfortable car to drive and ride in. Power is decent, handling is very good, economy is right on, and it’s surprisingly practical.” This is what Auto Channel can say about the New Beetle in its recent review.

A local critic from Auto Channel got a chance to drive the base model of the New Beetle and really see what it can offer.

The critic was able to go for more than 2,000 miles in over a two weeks time. Reminiscent of its predecessor, the New Beetle retained its iconic shape with an updated look. It features a 5-cylinder water-cooled engine.

Compared to the Old Beetle, the New Volkswagen Beetle is relatively quieter, more economical and more spacious.

Even if it can produce 150 horsepower, it still has that Old Beetle charm, noticeable in the speedometer in the instrument panel. The new one also has a small tachometer, digital odometer and trip meter.

The critic found the front seat very comfortable, along with the convenience of the easily adjustable steering wheel. The legroom and headroom in the front seats were satisfactory. But when it comes to the rear, the critic was not quite pleased. The rear-seat legroom and entry are cramped. The headroom is also not as good as in the front, since the “roof slopes back sharply.”

Cargo space is also ample with a maximum of 14.5 cubic feet achieved when the rear seats are folded flat.

Comfort is ensured throughout the entire drive and the dash board was also larger than the Old Beetle’s

To see the original review, click here.

Volkswagen is not yet satisfied with creating reliable engines, now it is coming out with more powerful ones starting with the -liter V6 turbo-diesel engine found in the Touareg sports utility vehicle.

According to the reports by The New Zealand Herald, the more powerful and economical engine can increase power to 176kW (up 11kW) and torque to 550Nm (up 50Nm). The report also mentioned that Volkswagen estimates the average fuel consumption will reduce from a current urban 10.7 liters/100km to 9.9 liters.

The German carmaker claims that vehicles with the new engine can easily go from zero to 100km/h in just over eight seconds.

The report says, “Volkswagen is among the founding members of an alliance of German industries that will invest around $820 million to develop high-performance lithium-ion batteries.”
This project aims to “increase the energy and performance density of the batteries and to accelerate its use in production.”
Other companies involved are BASF, Bosch, along with the German Ministry for Education and Research.

“In the future, there will be parallel use of various automotive drive systems, all the way to purely electric drive, and a high-performance lithium-ion battery as the energy carrier will be a key technology,” said Vplkswagen head of group research, Juergen Leohold.

“For Volkswagen, this initiative is an important step on the way to zero-emission operation of vehicles.”

News from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/9/story.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10482904

Volkswagen has a change of heart when it comes to its small car plan for India. According to a recent report, sources say that the German automaker is “taking a careful look at the project”, due to a feasibility study that shows “little promise on the cost front.”

It is also said that another reason may have been the frequent changes at the top management level.

“VW’s focus on India could have been impacted, thanks to the recent spate of changes at the top management level. This, in turn, is likely to affect the overall direction of the project to a large extent,” sources told DNA Money.

It was also reported that the Volkswagen board will possibly debate on the matter in January 2008.

“The German automaker announced its intention to launch a derivative of the Polo from a new plant in Chakan, near Pune, in 2009 last year. The initial capacity planned then was a little over 1 lakh vehicles.”

One of the challenges Volkswagen faced then was to benchmark the cost of the Polo with the Suzuki Swift.

It is clear that the issue has not yet been resolved and the board will surely need to decide if it should bring in another model or work harder at costs. A delay will follow if the second option is opted.

The third option will is for Volkswagen to set the price with C-segment offerings.

“Suzuki has been around for over two decades and has been working relentlessly on productivity and costs, while still remaining profitable. It is not going to be easy for a new entrant to use the Swift as the basis for costs,” the report said.

Volkswagen will then have to decide whether it will introduce a bigger car top India or simply improve the Polo and lower its cost.

Source: http://sify.com/finance/equity/fullstory.php?id=14576536

DueMotori recently reported that Volkswagen Golf Variant RaVe 270 will debut at the Essen Motor Show. Although, it remains to be a concept car, the RaVe 270 features a four-cylinder TSI with direct gasoline injection and turbocharging.
The engine is not just what this Volkswagen can boast, it also has customized interior with leather bucket seats, along with a 1,400 Watt sound system.

Powered by a 400 MHz Power-PC processor, the Volkswagen RaVe 270 is also equipped with a RNS 510 radio-navigation system, with touchscreen feature and multifunction keys. All music files can be stored on the 30-Gigabyte hard disk drive.

13 speakers supports the massive sound system, while an SD card slot under the touchscreen can give access to more files, including MP3s. For better sound, an 880 Watt subwoofer and two other 250 Watt subwoofers in chrome are included. Along with the amazing sound it can produce the RaVe 270 also comes with two 12-inch monitors for the pleasure of the passengers in the rear.

According to the report, the Volkswagen manufactured the RaVe 270 in “Biscay Blue” color. “The underlying idea: to transfer GTI and R32 feeling to a station wagon for the first time. And indeed to the most powerful Golf Variant of all times. With a further power-enhanced Golf GTI engine and the 4Motion all-wheel drive of the Golf R32.”

The report says that the Volkswagen RaVe 270 is the first new generation Golf Variant to come with a 4Motion all-wheel drive. Its DSG can give race car performance at the same time give better fuel economy. “The DSG teams up with the charged TSI to form a particularly efficient alliance: despite its incredible performance values, the average fuel consumption of the Golf Variant RaVe 270 is just 9.1 liters of Super gasoline (95 ROZ) per 100 kilometers,” as says in the report.

The RaVe 270 can impressively reach 100 km/h in just 5.8 seconds and can go to 200km/h in just 20.8 seconds.

Its physical design is likewise impressive with add-on body components. “This means: bumpers, radiator grille, side skirts, taillights, headlamps, even the mirrors – everything modified.”

For better visibility, xenon headlamps are integrated together with daylight running lamps in LED technology.

The front is not the only with a distinctive feature, the rear also has great features, including two twin-fluted tailpipes on the left and right. A diffuser is squeezed in between them as the spoiler and modified taillights make it look sportier.

Other features are chrome roof rail, mirror caps and window trim also in chrome, and 19 inch “Zaragoza” type alloy wheels.

News from: http://www.duemotori.com/news/auto_news/21224_Volkswagen_Golf_Variant_RaVe_270.php

The Auto Channel recently reported that Volkswagen will be producing its DSG, direct-shift gearbox, in China’s northeastern city of Dalian next year.

Western China City Daily, a local newspaper, reported that the said gearbox will feature “the future version of Volkswagen’s Magotan 2.0 TSI and Tiguan vehicles.”

The DSG gearbox is installed on many Volkswagen models, such as the Golf GTI, Audi TT and Audi A3.
According to Volkswagen, the DSG has the convenience of an automatic car as well as the “the efficiency and flexibility of a manual.”

Volkswagen’s DSG has two clutches in one gear instead of the traditional gearbox with only one clutch. Another significant difference is that the DSG has the next gear pre-selected. According to the report, “When the gears need to shift, the second clutch takes the load, while the first pre-selects the next gear. The whole process takes no more than three to four hundredths of a second.”

“DSG transmissions also have a ‘tiptronic’ function, allowing gears to be manually selected. There are several benefits of the system. These include improved acceleration and refined uninterrupted driving.”

News from: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/12/13/073426.html