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  • Report: Porsche To Share Panamera, 911 Platforms With Other VW Group Brands

    Report: Porsche To Share Panamera, 911 Platforms With Other VW Group Brands October 22nd, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 22nd, 2009 Nelson Ireson 9 Comments

    Report: Porsche To Share Panamera, 911 Platforms With Other VW Group Brands

    Earlier this month rumors emerged that Volkswagen plans to kill off the 2010 Porsche Panamera and Cayenne after their current model cycle. Then the pendulum swung the other way, with reports alleging the Panamera platform would be shared to other VW Group brands. Today, a new report has Porsche president Michael Macht saying the company will share both the 911 and the Panamera.

    The report of Panamera sharing was somewhat unsurprising--it makes a good deal of sense. Even with the scheduled death of the 2010 Panamera platform at the end of its current model cycle, around 2017, sharing the platform could yield a lot of benefits for VW's other...

    Earlier this month rumors emerged that Volkswagen plans to kill off the 2010 Porsche Panamera and Cayenne after their current model cycle. Then the pendulum swung the other way, with reports alleging the Panamera platform would be shared to other VW Group brands. Today, a new report has Porsche president Michael Macht saying the company will share both the 911 and the Panamera. The report of Panamera sharing was somewhat unsurprising--it makes a good deal of sense. Even with the scheduled death of the 2010 Panamera platform at the end of its current model cycle, around 2017, sharing the platform could yield a lot of benefits for VW's other brands. It's not without precedent, either, as the Cayenne is already shared to VW as the Touareg. But sharing the 911 to other brands, or its platform, seems open to many pitfalls. Even if it is shared to, say, Audi or VW, the Porsche version of the car will remain the most exclusive, highest-performance variant. But could opening the door to cut-rate, off-brand 911s tarnish the Porsche's image anyway? As for the Panamera, the brands thought to benefit from the Porsche-engineered sedan platform haven't been named, but Lamborghini has been ruled out. That leaves Audi or Bentley as the most likely recipients, with hyper-luxury Bugatti and more mainstream brands like VW somewhat farther behind. What sort of car could come of passing around the Panamera? At Bentley, the speculation runs toward a basis for a new Continental GT, while Audi could make use of the car as a sedan mate to the R8 - though that would step dangerously close to Porsche's toes. Whatever the end product of the VW-Porsche union, the path there is shaping up to be a convoluted one. [Inside Line, Autocar] Read More

  • Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Facelift

    Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Facelift October 14th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 14th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 5 Comments

    Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Facelift

    The Volkswagen Tiguan has only been in production for a little over two years but a facelift for the compact SUV is planned. The changes are designed to bring the styling of the Tiguan in line with the rest of Volkswagen family. Other models getting the same corporate styling treatment include the Phaeton flagship sedan and the next-generation Touareg SUV.

    The changes to the Tiguan will be mainly cosmetic, with a redesigned front grille and new bumpers, plus a more pedestrian-friendly reshaped bonnet. As the spy shots reveal, the rear of the Tiguan will remain unchanged.

    The powertrain lineup will also likely be revitalized, with a range of...

    The Volkswagen Tiguan has only been in production for a little over two years but a facelift for the compact SUV is planned. The changes are designed to bring the styling of the Tiguan in line with the rest of Volkswagen family. Other models getting the same corporate styling treatment include the Phaeton flagship sedan and the next-generation Touareg SUV. The changes to the Tiguan will be mainly cosmetic, with a redesigned front grille and new bumpers, plus a more pedestrian-friendly reshaped bonnet. As the spy shots reveal, the rear of the Tiguan will remain unchanged. The powertrain lineup will also likely be revitalized, with a range of more fuel-efficient engines introduced in line with more stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations. A hybrid variant may also be introduced, though its release wouldn’t be for several years still and possibly not until the launch of the second-generation of the model. Meanwhile, expect to see the facelifted Tiguan debut late next year as a 2011 model. Read More

  • Official: VW To Eye F1 Only If Costs Are Lower

    Official: VW To Eye F1 Only If Costs Are Lower October 8th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 8th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 5 Comments

    Official: VW To Eye F1 Only If Costs Are Lower

    An official from German luxury auto brand Audi has hinted that parent group Volkswagen might enter formula one if the costs continue to come down.

    Reinhold Carl, managing director of Audi Singapore, is quoted by the Straits Times newspaper as musing that while budgets are dropping, teams still need to fork out "well over a hundred million euros" for an annual F1 programme.

    "If the cost is lower, it will be more manageable," he told reporters.

    However, after car marques including Jaguar, Honda and BMW pulled out, amid rumours that Toyota and Renault might soon follow, Carl admitted that the gains from being on the grand prix grid remain...

    An official from German luxury auto brand Audi has hinted that parent group Volkswagen might enter formula one if the costs continue to come down. Reinhold Carl, managing director of Audi Singapore, is quoted by the Straits Times newspaper as musing that while budgets are dropping, teams still need to fork out "well over a hundred million euros" for an annual F1 programme. "If the cost is lower, it will be more manageable," he told reporters. However, after car marques including Jaguar, Honda and BMW pulled out, amid rumours that Toyota and Renault might soon follow, Carl admitted that the gains from being on the grand prix grid remain vague. He reckons that if VW was to decide to field a team, it would be branded either Porsche or Audi "or even Volkswagen". Read More

  • Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg

    Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg October 2nd, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 2nd, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 1 Comment

    Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg

    The Volkswagen Touareg has achieved only modest sales since its launch in 2003, mostly because of its lack of seven-seater capability and premium price tag compared with many of its Japanese rivals. The second-generation model is now in the works and will hopefully address many of the issues of the current version. Due to be launched sometime next year as a 2011 model, the new Touareg will be slightly smaller than the current one but will feature a range of more fuel efficient engines and be able to seat up to seven passengers.

    The SUV’s new platform will be shared with the next-generation Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 and will feature...

    The Volkswagen Touareg has achieved only modest sales since its launch in 2003, mostly because of its lack of seven-seater capability and premium price tag compared with many of its Japanese rivals. The second-generation model is now in the works and will hopefully address many of the issues of the current version. Due to be launched sometime next year as a 2011 model, the new Touareg will be slightly smaller than the current one but will feature a range of more fuel efficient engines and be able to seat up to seven passengers. The SUV’s new platform will be shared with the next-generation Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 and will feature increased use of aluminum to keep weight down, possibly shedding as much as 400-pounds compared with the current model. It will also be slightly sportier and adopt styling influences from the more recent Tiguan SUV. Previously, test-mules wearing the current Touareg’s sheet metal were spotted, revealing several key changes including a wider rear end and misaligned fuel filler cap. The front of the car also featured a different intake system, positioned lower than on the current model. Shots of the interior also revealed several major changes, including an all-new instrument cluster and a similar steering wheel to the unit found in the MkVI Golf. As for the powertrains, the engine lineup for the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg is expected to start with a 280-horsepower 3.2-liter V-6 gasoline engine and top out with a 345-horsepower 4.2-liter gasoline V-8. A pair of turbodiesel engines will also be on offer including 2.7-liter and 3.0-liter units. All the engines will be matched with a six-speed automatic gearbox, though Volkswagen’s new seven-speed DSG may also be made available. About a year after the initial launch, a gasoline-electric hybrid model will be added to the lineup. The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg is expected to make its world debut at January’s 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Read More

  • Report: Ferrari Nabs VW's Design Chief, Pininfarina Tie-up Ending

    Report: Ferrari Nabs VW's Design Chief, Pininfarina Tie-up Ending September 30th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, September 30th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 1 Comment

    Report: Ferrari Nabs VW's Design Chief, Pininfarina Tie-up Ending

    There's no denying that Volkswagen's cars, especially the not-for-U.S.-consumption Scirocco, have stepped up their game in the looks department lately. That change is thanks in part to Flavio Manzoni, VW Group's head of creative design. But the design language developed under Manzoni had better last VW a while, as the latest reports out of Italy indicate Ferrari has stolen Manzoni out from under them.

    The new job as the head of Ferrari's design shop doesn't start until January 1, 2010, but it's already being widely reported in the European press.

    Part of Ferrari's choice of Manzoni as the new design chief is the desire to develop its own...

    There's no denying that Volkswagen's cars, especially the not-for-U.S.-consumption Scirocco, have stepped up their game in the looks department lately. That change is thanks in part to Flavio Manzoni, VW Group's head of creative design. But the design language developed under Manzoni had better last VW a while, as the latest reports out of Italy indicate Ferrari has stolen Manzoni out from under them. The new job as the head of Ferrari's design shop doesn't start until January 1, 2010, but it's already being widely reported in the European press. Part of Ferrari's choice of Manzoni as the new design chief is the desire to develop its own in-house design team that will allow it to rely less--or possibly not at all--on Pininfarina. The close relationship between Ferrari and Pininfarina has spawned some of the most striking cars in history, however, so enthusiasts may mourn the transition presaged by Manzoni's hiring. The Pininfarina P4/5 built on a Ferrari Enzo chassis for James Glickenhaus is just one example of the duo's gifts to automotive history. Other fantastic vehicles from the past include the Ferrari 500 Mondial, the 250 GT and its many variants, the Testarossa o the 1980s, the legendary F40, the 575 M Maranello, and, though it's not always recognized as a "true Ferrari", the Dino. More recently, the 612 Scaglietti, F430 and California were also Pininfarina-penned creations. Manzoni will report directly to CEO Amedeo Felisa when he comes on board next year. [Auto Motor & Sport] Read More

  • Spy Shots: 2012 Volkswagen Golf MkVII Test-Mule

    Spy Shots: 2012 Volkswagen Golf MkVII Test-Mule September 20th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, September 20th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 1 Comment

    Spy Shots: 2012 Volkswagen Golf MkVII Test-Mule

    Volkswagen’s MkVI Golf has been on sale for less than a year (in most parts of the globe) but development on the next-generation of the popular compact is already well underway in Germany. These latest spy shots depict a test-mule of the new car, revealing it will feature a wider stance than the current model.

    The reason behind the short life-cycle planned for the MkVI is simple--the car essentially rides on a warmed over MkV platform. A three to four year cycle for a car is short by any standards, and this hastily planned shift reveals the defensive tack Volkswagen is taking with the Golf in light of the struggling car market.

    ...

    Volkswagen’s MkVI Golf has been on sale for less than a year (in most parts of the globe) but development on the next-generation of the popular compact is already well underway in Germany. These latest spy shots depict a test-mule of the new car, revealing it will feature a wider stance than the current model. The reason behind the short life-cycle planned for the MkVI is simple--the car essentially rides on a warmed over MkV platform. A three to four year cycle for a car is short by any standards, and this hastily planned shift reveals the defensive tack Volkswagen is taking with the Golf in light of the struggling car market. Earlier this year, confidential papers leaked from the automaker’s Wolfsburg headquarters revealed that the MkVI Golf has been marked for “End of Production” by December 2011. According to the same papers, Volkswagen is expecting to sell less than 1.6 million units of the MkVI. The MkV, which first went on sale in 2003, managed to rack up more than 2.3 million sales. As for the new MkVII, Volkswagen is working on a much more efficient platform and engine lineup. It is for this reason the automaker is speeding up the introduction of a new MkVII Golf. This new MkVII will feature a clear emphasis on environmental cleanliness, a theme that will carry throughout the Golf lineup. Its platform, known internally as the MQB (Modular Querbaukaste--denoting small to midsized family cars with transverse engines), has been described by the automaker’s chief of development, Ulrich Hackenberg, as a major turning point for the Golf. He previously explained that it will allow engineers to implement a much broader range of drivetrains, hinting at the possibility of alternative fuels playing a role in the next Golf. Volkswagen recently showed off a new plug-in hybrid powertrain called Twin Drive, which is expected to enter production in the middle of next year and will likely appear in the Golf. Other future powertrains already previewed by the automaker include a new hybrid as well as an ultra-efficient diesel. Importantly, this same platform will underpin the next-generation Audi A3, which you can also read up on by clicking here. Read More

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