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

Going green is the trend in the automotive scene. Volkswagen has taken a big leap to join the bandwagon as it introduces the space up! blue fuel cell concept. This Volkswagen vehicle can get to 65 miles by using the combination of an electric motor, lithium-ion batteries and a solar panel.

The third of the Volkswagen’s up! the space up! blue is a micro van that capable to carry more load. The difference is that this variant features a rear-mounted, all-electric 45 kW (61 PS) motor along with twelve lithium-ion batteries and “a large solar panel on the roof that feeds up to 150 Watts of extra energy into the battery.”

65 miles can easily be achieved when the space up! blue is fully charged, but this number can reach to 155 miles once the high-temperature fuel cell (HT-FC) is used.

In the report done by BusinessWeek, Volkswagen said that the new HT-FC system has greater advantage than other fuel systems, such as lower weight, greater everyday utility and lower cost.

The space up! blue is 144.9 inches long and “weighs 1,090 kilograms including the fuel cell and batteries.” The high temperature fuel cell can be found in front of the car, while the lithium-ion batteries are under the rear seat near the motor.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/dec2007/bw20071211_614856.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_autos

Volkswagen was recently given two of Japan’s top automobile prizes, thanks to its TSI technology. It was awarded in the category of “Technology of the Year” by CAR OF THE YEAR committee and the jury of the Automotive Researchers’ and Journalists’ Conference (RJC).

The Golf GT, Golf estate and Golf Touran, all feature the TSI engine. All of these vehicles successfully landed in the CAR OF THE YEAR category of “Most Advanced Technology Award 2008″. Auto Spectator reports that the jury of the RJC gave the first prize in the category of “Technology of the Year” to the Volkswagen TSI technology. President of the Volkswagen importer in Japan, accepted the award, Tsutomu Umeno, and said, “The vote taken by these juries is a clear indication that Volkswagen technology is setting standards in Japan and will continue to do so in future.”

After developing the TSI engine, Volkswagen vehicles got petrol-direct-injection, twin charging through compressor and turbo charger that decreases cubic capacity to 1.4 liters. This can improve fuel efficiency as well as he vehicle’s emissions.

News from: http://www.autospectator.com/cars/volkswagen/0035683-volkswagen-tsi-receives-two-awards-japan

Volkswagen will set a new trend in automotive racing in 2008 as the German automaker uses a technology that promises better fuel mileage and help the environment. This will be the first all-diesel powered racing series to join the Jetta TDI Cup.

Competing in auto racing not new for Volkswagen, it has been participating in Europe, Asia and Africa. Not to mention its performance in Dakar, said to be “the longest and most challenging cross-country rally event.”

Motorsport.com recently reported that 30 Jetta TDIs will be in the 2008 competition, with the winners given a chance to participate at the season finale for the VW Polo Cup series.

“The Jetta TDI Cup racing series will celebrate Volkswagen’s diesel technology and heritage in motorsports as good, clean fun,” said Stefan Jacoby, CEO, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “Not only will the young drivers gain real-life track experience in a factory-prepared race vehicle, it will allow them to develop their own mindset of today’s clean diesel technology, and foster increased awareness of its advantages in this new era of environmental sensitivity.”

SCCA Pro Racing’s president and CEO Robert Wildberger, said at the SEMA show, “With the Jetta TDI Cup, Volkswagen has created an amazing platform to develop young drivers and expand their knowledge about clean and quiet diesel technology.

“We look forward to the series in hopes that it will attract more attention to the drivers and advantages of diesel power.”

Although there are no final word on who will be driving these clean racing cars. Volkswagen will be accepting 40 drivers. 30 of these will be starters while 10 will be reserve. The first race will be on April 26-27, 2008.

News from: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=276707&FS

The Holidays is coming, which not only means Santa is coming but as well as the cold weather of winter. This will also make cars prone to various hazards. To resolve such problems, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles now offers two convenient and good value services. These are the Express Visual Check and the Warm-up Package.

The Express Visual Check is “quick and free 29-point check of the key working parts of the vehicle, including all essential fluid levels such as brakes and coolant, tire treads and lights,” as reported by Easier Motoring.

Meanwhile, the Warm-Up package will be offered from January up to the end of April. It will also include the following:

Express Visual Check
Top up of oil and fluids
winter care kit
battery condition check
wash and vac
one liter of Castrol oil and ‘check it kit’
10 per cent discount voucher against any service or parts purchase
10 per cent discount voucher against any accessory purchase

“The new Express Visual Check and Warm-up Package offers underline Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ commitment to providing customers with a convenient and high level of service and care for them and their vehicles,” said Stephen Bateson, Head of Aftersales and Customer Care.

News from: http://www.easier.com/view/Vans/Volkswagen_News/article-151453.html

Auto Express was surprised to see the new sixth generation Volkswagen Golf after Martin Winterkorn delayed some of the German car manufacturer’s project and “demanded a thorough review of all future model plans” when he began to lead the company.

Spy photos by Auto Express showed significant changes on the Golf, which bears similarities with the forthcoming Scirocco. The changes include in the front, where a distinctive nose, new head lights and contoured bumper.

Auto Express also reports that, “The new approach extends to the sides of the body, where the hatch gets a sharp crease to highlight its rising waistline. Further back, chunky C-pillars give a typically solid Golf appearance, and at the back, there’s a near-vertical tailgate.”

Volkswagen also added a sporty feature to the Golf through a minimal rear overhang, together with larger headroom for rear passengers.

Different body styles will be offered, such as a three-door, estate and a load-lugger, which will be released in 2010.

Other reports say that the MkVI Golf has a new rear suspension, but details regarding its engine have not yet been confirmed. Only speculations of featuring Volkswagen’s 1.4-litre TSI petrol powerplant can only be done. This engine comes with “a choice of 120bhp and 148bhp turbocharged guises, while a 168bhp version is equipped with a turbochar¬ger and a supercharger. The hot hatch GTI model will feature an even more powerful 2.0-litre TSI motor,” as reported by Auto Express.

It is said that the Golf will make its debut at next September’s Paris Motor Show and will hit showrooms by 2009.

News from: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/213369/volkswagen_golf.html

Hybrids are not the only vehicles getting the spotlight for the green movement; America also welcomes new diesel technology as the new Volkswagen Jetta TDi. According to Popular Mechanics “it will be the first automobile to meet the world’s most stringent emission control standards, California’s Tier II, Bin 5,” with its 2.0 liter engine that can generate 140 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque.

The difference of the new Jetta technology and that of the BlueTec is its way of eliminating “the biggest environmental hurdles facing diesels”, NOx emissions. In BluTec vehicles, the NOx is converted into nitrogen and water by “injecting a urea-based solution into the exhaust system upstream from the catalytic converter.” The Jetta, on the other hand, first stores the NOx in the NOx-storage catalyst, and will then be burned in one of the engine cycles.

A common-rail fuel injection system that uses piezoelectric fuel injectors will also replace Volkswagen’s traditional mechanical system. Fuel will be atomized better with this as higher injection pressures are released. This will also give a chance to control the pollution easier.

Popular Mechanics found after test driving the new Jetta that it is more powerful and is capable “to power through traffic and accelerate from stoplights with authority and a little bravado,” as said by the report. Engine operation was also quieter.

News from: http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4235586.html

It will certainly be a new year for Volkswagen of America as it set up a new customer care post on January 1. Edmunds.com reported that the new Volkswagen of America director of customer care will be the longtime VW executive, Matthias Seidl.

In the report, Volkswagen of America spokesman Keith Price said that the new post “will up the notch of consumer service and improve the experience.” Price later added that Seidl “will take the customer call center to a new level.”

According to Volkswagen, “The objective of this new post is to build and optimize individual customer relationships, strategically invest resources to support these relationships, in support of the aggressive United States growth plans for the Volkswagen Group.”

Seidl’s past experience with Volkswagen U.S. dealers as chief operating officer let him establish the fundamentals of the company.

Edmunds also reported that the new Volkswagen post is similar to Chrysler’s, wherein last October, Doug Betts became Chrysler vice president and chief customer officer.

Source: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=123828

There is nothing as sweet for a company than to be awarded by its own consumers. Such a memorable event occurred in Berlin when readers of Auto Zeitung decided on its annual winners among a number of automotive categories. As it goes, a special category has been made in honor of a consistent winner in the magazine’s 20 years of recognition ceremonies. Indeed, it is none other than the Volkswagen brand, taking home the award of “Most Successful Brand” due to its collection of 39 Auto Trophy awards over the years.

Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen CEO, personally attended the awarding ceremony to accept the reward. In his acceptance speech at the Meilenwerk Berlin forum, he provides a grateful message before 400 guests: “I am extremely proud. We feel very honoured by this award, because it is the choice of the readers, the people, our customers. I accept this prize as a good sign of things to come. The Volkswagen brand can look back on a successful past and we will do everything in our power to make sure we continue being successful in future.”

Besides acquiring the top prize, other Volkswagen wins include “Best Mini-Van” for the Volkswagen Touran, as well as “Best Off-Roader Priced at 30,000 Euro Or Less” for the new Tiguan.

Auto Zeitung, for those still unfamiliar, is quite a popular automobile magazine in Germany. Every year, the said publication will present a poll, asking its readers to select and elect their chosen best cars in various automobile classes and categoryies. Indeed, the said survey is so famous and well followed that over 103,000 readers readily participated in this year’s survey.

Volkswagen of America and First Act has teamed up for another collaboration, this time in support of Operation Happy Note, a non-profit organization that aims to send musical instruments to deployed soldiers. In fact, the two partners have just donated about 250 First Act amps and custom-made electric guitars to those musically inclined or otherwise interested soldiers stationed overseas.

Indeed, Operation Happy Note has gotten hold of hundreds of letters and emails from service men and women abroad requesting for instruments. As it turned out, many of these soldiers were compelled to leave behind their respective musical instruments when they left the country. And so, with the Volkswagen brand’s predilecion to music and First Act’s reputation as guital industry leader, it is only natural that the two firms will center on aiding such a cause.

Steve Baker, Operation Happy Note Founder, is very grateful for Volkswagen and First Act: “We are truly grateful for the generous donation from Volkswagen and First Act. Music has been an important part of our lives and for many of the soldiers overseas. It gives us great pleasure to be able to provide such unique instruments to these troops.”

Meanwhile, Steve Keyes, Volkswagen of America Director of Communications, responds in kind that the company is happy to support the soldiers who are working doubly hard for the country: “The Volkswagen brand continues to celebrate music and this was a small way to show our gratitude to our troops. We are very appreciative of our service men and women and are thankful to have the opportunity to donate these guitars to such a worthy and special organization like Operation Happy Note.”

Jeff Walker, First Act’s Vice President of Marketing, seconds this with his own statement: “We have a great partnership with Volkswagen and were happy to donate to such an exceptional and sincere organization dedicated to supporting our troops through musical instruments.”

To date, Operation Happy Note has already been able to send hundreds of instruments such as guitars, violins, harmonicas, mandolins, banjos, and other accessories. For more details and information of Operation Happy Note, please visit operationhappynote.com.