Volkswagen News
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Swiss electric utility company Energie Ouest Suisse (EOS) and Renault-Nissan today announced they are working together to develop solutions for zero-emission mobility in Switzerland through the promotion of electric vehicles and the establishment of a battery-charging network. Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed recently, the two parties will study ways of implementing and maintaining a battery-charging network throughout the country. The deal will also see the supply of all-electric vehicles by Renault-Nissan to EOS. EOS, which produces 85% of its electricity from hydropower, is...
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VW and Porsche reach union agreementThe tension that has cast a backlight on the Porsche-VW acquisition found a particular intensity in the fight for seats on the joint works council. The board that represents the labor interests at the Porsche Automobil conglomerate will now have half its seats reserved for VW representatives, and...
Nelson Ireson -
VW adds 4MOTION AWD to Mark VI GolfThe Mark VI Volkswagen Golf is now available with the Wolfburg company's 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system, which has been added to the lineup as an option on the 2.0L TDI model. While usually the 4MOTION system is found in performance oriented models such as the Golf R32 and Golf GTI, adding the AWD...
Alex Kaufmann -
Top five VW execs earn combined $32 million, give 10% to charityFive board members of the Volkswagen Group are donating a total of €2.5 million ($3.2 million) of their personal income to a German charity, 10% of their combined total income for the year. While currently American carmakers are under fire for excessive executive remuneration, the five VW...
Alex Kaufmann -
Volkswagen Scirocco Cup race car revealed in ChinaAs U.S. and European car sales plummet, developing brand recognition and loyalty in the so-called developing markets of China, South America and Russia is becoming more and more important. To that end, Volkswagen is planning a six-event spec race series in China for 2009, and the company has now...
Alex Kaufmann -
JE Design takes on the VW Scirocco coupeThe Volkswagen Scirocco is proving to be popular with tuners, with famed German performance shop JE Design also releasing its own hotted-up version of the svelte sports coupe. JE Design’s work on German cars has been well documented, especially some of its more outrageous creations based on...
Alex Kaufmann -
Volkswagen has unveiled the first ever Golf to be factory-fitted with a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) system at this week’s Bologna Motor Show in Italy. Using a simple switchover system, the Golf ‘BiFuel’ is capable of being driven with either regular petrol or LPG depending on the user's preference, and according to its creators the combination of petrol and LPG greatly reduces the car's environmental impact, cutting CO2 emissions by more than 10%. In LPG mode, the 96hp (72 kW) 1.6L four-cylinder engine of the Golf BiFuel averages 25.5mpg (9.2L/100km ) and 149g/km of CO2...
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VW CC Individual debuts in BolognaThe Passat CC made its debut early this year, bringing the four-door coupe profile to a popularly affordable price point for the first time. Now the company has unveiled its Individual package for the CC at the Bologna Motor Show, offering a new dimension of luxury and appearance upgrades to the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Volkswagen unveils Passat TSI EcoFuel sedan conceptVolkswagen has released a sedan variant of its previous Passat TSI EcoFuel wagon concept, showcasing the vehicle at this week's Bologna Motor Show. Capable of using either petrol or natural gas for power, the EcoFuel vehicles are powered by a 1.4L TSI engine with around 150hp (112kW). The engine...
Alex Kaufmann -
Volkswagen Golf Plus Mark VI revealed at Bologna Motor ShowWhile everyone is gearing up for the sales launch of the all new sixth-generation Golf hatchback later this year, the new Golf Plus, which will share the same face as the Mark VI Golf, is also due to the hit streets next year. The car was spotted testing in Germany back in May and earlier this...
James Martinez -
VW unveils Scirocco 'Study R' at Bologna Motor ShowVolkswagen has taken the wraps off a new design study based on the Scirocco coupe at the Bologna Motor Show, which kicks off in Italy today. Aptly named the Scirocco Study R, the new show car is a preview of a high-performance version of the Scirocco coupe, which is set to arrive late next year as...
Alex Kaufmann -
Fiat may launch family of new cars under 'Topolino' nameTalk of the revival of the Topolino nameplate has been circulating for nearly a year, and in April Fiat took a positive step in the process of building a new B-segment car by buying a former Zastava plant in Serbia, and now new details reveal that the new car will be targeting newcomers like the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Volkswagen has updated the engine lineup for its Touareg SUV to reduce its fuel consumption by up to 9%, as well as offering a new special edition based on the North Sails concept. The SUV concept was a design study built in partnership with leading sail manufacturer North Sails, and featured a unique pearl white finish, 19in alloy wheels, a custom bumper with integrated fog lights, and aquamarine blue colored lights replacing the yellow indicators. Inside, the cabin was dressed up with natural teak wood flooring panels, Alcantara roof lining, seat upholstery made of plush velvet and Nappa...
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Mini unveils Mark II Cooper CabrioMini has released the first details about its second-generation Cabrio model, which is set to go on sale in the first half of next year in both Cooper and Cooper S trims following a world debut at January's Detroit Auto Show. Equipped with a new suspension set-up, more powerful and efficient...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Volkswagen reveals modified range at EssenGermany's Essen Motor Show, which runs this week through December 7, is a European tuner showcase, and Volkswagen is taking the opportunity to show off a handful of modified cars. Among them are the Golf VI, Scirocco, Passat CC, Jetta and Polo, but a pair of them are grabbing the spotlight - the...
Nelson Ireson -
Volkswagen accelerates development for new minicarA number of major design and requirement changes had pushed back development work on a production version of last year’s up! minicar concept well past the 2010 mark, but with the accelerated change in demand for smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles Volkswagen is speeding up the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Volkswagen shows off new Mark VI Golf 'TwinDrive'A few months back Volkswagen revealed its intentions to enter the race to build and market ultra-efficient plug-in hybrid vehicles with the unveiling of the original Golf TwinDrive. The concept car, based on the Mark V Golf, featured a twin powerplant design with an electric motor designed for city...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
MTM releases full specs for VW Scirocco tuner kitThe Volkswagen Scirocco is proving to be popular with tuners, with famed German performance shop MTM also releasing its own hotted-up version of the svelte sports coupe. MTM's work on German cars has been well documented, especially some of its more outrageous creations such as the 390km/h...
Alex Kaufmann -
There is no shortage of tuners taking Volkswagen's handsome new Scirocco to pieces and rebuilding it to be a track monster, and the latest to join the grow list is Germany’s ABT, which has unveiled its second take on the sporty Scirocco. Hans-Juergen Abt, the current manager of tuning firm, stated that the company was inspired to modify the Scirocco due to its agile handling and dynamic looks. To enhance these aspects, ABT bolts on a front spoiler to make the face of the coupe even more aggressive and distinctive, while new side skirts make the car appear as though it is even lower to...
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Porsche planning more production cuts, VW also mulls reductionsEarlier we reported that Porsche would be slowing down production at its Zuffenhausen plant in Germany from December 22 through January 9 due to flagging sales, and now we can report that more production cuts are expected to take place. The sports carmaker now plans to stop production for a full...
Alex Kaufmann -
Report: Volkswagen to replace Golf R32 with new Scirocco R20TVolkswagen first hinted at a new high-performance version of the Scirocco coupe when it revealed the GT24 race concept back at the Austrian Wörthersee Tour tuning show in May, but in what form the car will finally come to production is still up in the air. The most likely scenario will see it come...
Alex Kaufmann -
Volkswagen Group boss hints at diesel BentleyPurists may scoff at the idea of a diesel powered Bentley but officials say the idea has merit. Bentley’s parent company Volkswagen, after all, has some of the most refined diesel powerplants on the planet, and it also has a number of high-performance oil-burners including V10 and V12 units...
Kenneth Hall -
Tuner VW Sciroccos revealed ahead of Essen Motor ShowA pair of modified Volkswagen Scirocco coupes scheduled to appear at the upcoming Essen Motor Show in Germany have been revealed, one of them inspired by the Need for Speed Undercover series of racing sims. The other is the German ‘Polizei’ Tune It! Safe!, which was created by the...
Jeremy Weber -
VW Jetta TDI wins 2009 Green Car of the YearThe Los Angeles Auto Show is winding down its press events today, but this morning's first feature was the revelation of the winner of the 2009 Green Car of the Year award. Volkswagen's 2009 Jetta TDI took the honor, beating out a field of five finalists. The Jetta TDI is the first 'clean diesel'...
Nelson Ireson