forbidden fruit

Yes, Volkswagen really does build a pickup—unbeknownst to those here in the largest pickup market in the world. And when you put a fuel-efficient but burly turbo-diesel V-8 into it, the result is something that we can't help but think would be a hit in the land of stars and stripes. The...

The Volkswagen Group’s Spanish unit SEAT can now lay claim to the Nürburgring lap record for front-wheel-drive production cars, with its 2014 Leon Cupra hot hatch recently setting a 7:58.4 lap with racing driver Jordi Gené behind the wheel. The Leon is a small hatch based on the...

Audi’s A1 subcompact sold overseas has just received a mid-cycle update, and as part of that update the range has been expanded with a sporty new S1 variant. Audi hasn’t revealed the full details on its updates to the regular A1 but the automaker has revealed the S1, which will be...

In 2002 Opel revealed a wild concept based on its Astra that essentially packed all the best bits from various racing versions of the popular compact into a single package that would be drivable on the street. Now, at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, Opel has revealed a successor based on its latest...

Most cars have a lifecycle of six to eight years, with a facelift half way through the model cycle helping keep them fresh in the face of new competition. Some, however, soldier on for decades with minimal changes. One of those is Land Rover's iconic Defender SUV, deemed so fit for purpose by its...

Volkswagen fans, grab the nearest handkerchief to soak up your tears: the best-looking version of the Golf platform is updated ahead of its public debut in Geneva, and it's still not coming to the U.S. The sleek coupe-hatch lines of the Scirocco have been updated, but like the Golf, Volkswagen...

It was 20 years ago that Audi’s first RS model hit the scene, the legendary RS 2 Avant. The car was a high-performance version of Audi’s 80 Avant wagon, the predecessor to the A4 Avant, and it would set the tone for a string of new RS models to be launched over the next two...

Volkswagen’s new Golf R looks set to receive a little brother based on the Polo subcompact sold overseas. Likely to be called the Polo R, the latest VW hot hatch is said to be adopting an all-wheel-drive system and a 250-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The information...

Some cars just draw looks, and the Volkswagen Scirocco R is one of them. From two utility workers stuck in traffic in their work van to a guy in an old compact crossover on the highway, we got stares, smiles, thumbs-ups, and questions. Everyone wanted to know what the sleek, stylish coupe was. It's...

In a drive to boost profits, Peugeot is planning to expand its offerings with high-performance versions of its regular cars. We saw this first with the RCZ R based on the stylish RCZ coupe, and soon we’ll see sporty 308 GTI and 308 R models based on the French automaker’s 308 Golf...

Volvo has started production of a new long-wheelbase S60, aptly named the S60L, but unfortunately the car will be limited to the Chinese market, as is the case for many of the smaller long-wheelbase sedans. Production is taking place at Volvo’s new plant in Chengdu, China. The S60L...

Audi is celebrating the granting of the 2013 DTM championship title to its star driver Mike Rockenfeller, by launching a special edition A5. Rockenfeller earned the title, his first in DTM, behind the wheel of a 2013 Audi A5 DTM race car fielded by factory team Audi Sport Team Phoenix. The special...

It's turbocharged Mercedes hatchback versus gravity in this race down South Africa's Franschhoek Pass.

BMW has no triple-turbo love for the U.S. it seems, as the automaker has just revealed its second-generation X5 M50d performance diesel SUV based on the latest 2014 X5 range, and it’s not coming to local showrooms. If you’re unfamiliar with the X5 M50d, it’s a sporty SUV from...

Following the reveal of the Subaru’s BRZ tS concept car a fortnight ago, the Japanese automaker has now launched the production version, though sadly the car is only offered in the automaker’s home market. But what exactly is the BRZ tS? It’s simply a version of the Subaru sports...

Are you looking forward to the arrival of the Audi SQ5?

We've driven the CLA45 AMG, the only version of the A-Class platform we're scheduled to get in America. But in Europe, the hot compact car market is a bit more diverse. In fact, Mercedes and BMW both offer luxury hatches: the A-Class and 1 Series. The epitome of the A-Class is the A45 AMG, which...

In 2009, Ford unleashed on the market a version of its humble Focus hatchback powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter straight-five good for 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. Oh, and all of that was channeled through the front wheels only. Sadly, this beast, known as the Focus RS, was based...

French automaker Peugeot has taken the wraps off its most powerful road car to date, the 2013 RCZ R sports coupe, which makes its official debut this week at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. The stylish and somewhat quirky RCZ has been around since 2009 but the latest variant adopts...

Joining the updated Opel Insignia range at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show in September will be the all-new Insignia Country Tourer, revealed today as the Opel brand’s new flagship. The vehicle is based on the Insignia Sports Tourer station wagon but gets some off-roading attributes such as...