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GTI35.com celebrates Volkswagen hot hatch’s anniversary with special tuner pack

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen

Volkswagen Golf GTI35.com

Volkswagen Golf GTI35.com – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s not unusual for an automaker to roll out a special anniversary model when the brand or a specific model celebrates a milestone. This Volkswagen doesn’t come from Wolfsburg itself, though. Instead, an independent outfit bent on marking the 35th birthday of the Volkswagen Golf GTI is behind the effort.

Partnering with German tuning house Wunschel Sport, the website GTI35.com has outfitted the hopped-up Golf with a 50-horse boost to 260 hp, a body kit, lowered suspension, and 19-inch OZ Quaranta wheels on low-profile rubber. The result is a claimed half-second off the 0-100 km/h (62mph) sprint, now down to 6.4 seconds (as equipped with the DSG) and a top speed of 255 km/h (158 mph).

The titanium-colored aftermarket special also wears decals emulating a racing number, which is repeated on the keychain, parking sign and t-shirt that come along with the €32,800 package, which is also available as individual components. Follow the jump for the press release and check out the high-resolution images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Volkswagen Golf GTI35.com

[Source: GTI35.com]

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GTI35.com celebrates Volkswagen hot hatch’s anniversary with special tuner pack originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Second Spin: 2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion

Filed under: Europe, Technology, Hatchback, Volkswagen, First Drive, Electric

Wolfsburg Questions Its Own Wisdom With EV Golf

Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion

2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion – Click above for high-res image gallery

Yes, we know. “2014” sounds so impressively future-y, doesn’t it? When we’re testing a car and the R&D people involved look at us and say it won’t be on the market until 2014, our eyes dilate, too. “Wow,” we say to ourselves while keeping a straight face in front of the mega-powerful board member, “That’s like space travel and everything!”

So yeah, we get emotional.

It’s understandable, too, because we’re in the mothership for what seems like half of the world’s significant automotive brands. It’s the Volkswagen Group’s Wolfsburg HQ on the vast verdant lowlands of northern Germany in the region of Lower Saxony. There is no Upper Saxony, by the way. We looked.

We’re here to get a personalized infotainment-filled test of the already much commented-on Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion. It’s coming to the United States in… 2014.

Continue reading Second Drive: 2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion…

Gallery: 2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion: Second Spin

2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion

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Second Spin: 2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-motion originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW and Volkswagen evacuate employees from Japan

Filed under: Etc., Japan, Safety, BMW, Volkswagen

japan flag bmw and vw logo

The situation in Japan is still very tense and evolving on a moment-to-moment basis, and it will take years for the nation to fully recover from the earthquake and tsunami. In response to the still-dangerous developing situation, at least two European automakers who operate facilities there have decided to bring home some of their foreign nationals.

According to Automotive News Europe, BMW employs 750 people in Japan, and 50 or so of its German employees have returned to their home country. Volkswagen has around 600 workers located in Japan, and so far, 30 of the 40 German employees have left the disaster-stricken nation.

Will other automakers follow suit?

[Source: Automotive News Europe – sub. req.]

Report: BMW and Volkswagen evacuate employees from Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Volkswagen green lights Bulli for production

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Volkswagen, Autoline on Autoblog, Rumormill

Volkswagen bulli

Volkswagen Bulli Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

What did you think of Volkswagen’s Bulli concept, which was just shown for the first time at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show? VW is apparently hoping you liked it, because rumor (via Autocar in the UK) has it that it’s going into production.

The concept version is powered by a 113-horsepower electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack, which can reportedly be charged in less than an hour. We don’t know if the electric powertrain will make it into the production vehicle (our guess would be no, but who knows?), and there is no word on pricing. Still, how cool would it be to once again see a modern Volkswagen Microbus prowling the streets of America? The mind reels at the possibility.

Gallery: Volkswagen Bulli Concept: Geneva 2011

Volkswagen Bulli Concept: Geneva 2011

[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: Volkswagen green lights Bulli for production originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Golf R

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen, First Drive

A Hotter GTI Is Hatched

2012 Volkswagen Golf R

2012 Volkswagen Golf R – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’re slumming through traffic in downtown Geneva, Switzerland, making our way towards the French border where we’re about to spend a few hours flogging the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R along the twisty, narrow roads of the Alps. Right now, we’re focused on the Golf’s comfortable, well-appointed interior, and how its good visibility and relatively small stature make it a pleasant drive through heavy city traffic. It’s just like every other GTI – or Golf, for that matter – in this regard. But as soon as we approach the entrance to highway A40, we find out exactly what that R badge is for.

We speed towards the sharp, right-hand on-ramp with a furious growl coming from the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine, and as we throw the wheel to the right, the Golf R hunkers down, digs its claws into the pavement, clips the apex of the ramp and sends us blasting onto the A40 with tremendous force.

“A GTI would have fallen all over itself right there,” our co-driver states, matter-of-factly. He’s right, too. Even with Volkswagen’s nifty new XDS active differential, the GTI is prone to understeer when coming into a turn at high speed, and there’s a decent amount of torque steer that makes the exit a bit more skittish than you’d prefer. But in the Golf R, with its fourth-generation 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and more powerful engine, every step of the high-speed cornering dance is executed perfectly.

You can imagine, then, that the rest of our drive through the French Alps was nothing short of bliss. The Golf R is Volkswagen’s new poster child for hot hatchery, and if you’ve ever fallen in love with a GTI, be prepared to be absolutely smitten with this little number.

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Golf R…

Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen Golf R: First Drive

2012 Volkswagen Golf R

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Golf R

First Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Golf R originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan keeps calm and carries on

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Volkswagen

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan – Click above for high-res image gallery

The trusty Volkswagen Tiguan gets a modest refresh for the 2012 model year, most immediately noticed by the revised front fascia. The German automaker’s new corporate face is nicely presented on the small crossover, incorporating an attractive set of LED running lamps, similar to the larger Touareg.

The other major change for 2012 isn’t anything visual, but instead a mechanical change to the six-speed automatic transmission that yields a healthy boost in fuel economy. The turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four is now capable of achieving 29 miles per gallon on the highway – up from 25 mpg in the 2011 model. Volkswagen lowered the shift point RPM for each gear, moved the idle speed down to 600 RPM and adjusted the ratios of fifth and sixth gear to improve highway cruising economy.

Volkswagen will still be pricing the Tiguan above the majority of its competition, and while official numbers haven’t been released as of yet, expect things to continue to sit around the $23,000 mark. Click through our high-res gallery below to see the 2012 Tiguan live from the Geneva Motor Show floor.

Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan: Geneva 2011

Geneva 2011: 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan keeps calm and carries on originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Giugiaro Go! Concept is a sharply designed, futuristic MPV

Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen, Design/Style

Volkswagen Giugiaro Go Concept

Volkswagen Giugiaro Go Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Now that Italdesign Giugiaro is part of the larger Volkswagen Group, the famed design house has worked up a pair of VW-badged concepts for the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. In addition to the smaller Tex hatchback, Giugiaro has created the Go! MPV, giving us a glimpse at what a people-mover for The People could look like in the future.

Like the Tex, the Go! rides on Volkswagen’s new modular transverse architecture which could accommodate a wide range of powertrain options. Here, the Go! is powered by the automaker’s Blue-e-motion EV technology, and according to Volkswagen, the concept can travel about 150 miles on electric power alone.

The Go! is full of interesting design quirks, such as rear doors that push backwards before sliding back parallel to the vehicle, a large glass greenhouse and a high seating position. See for yourself in our gallery of high-resolution live shots below.

Gallery: Volkswagen Giugiaro Go Concept: Geneva 2011

Volkswagen Giugiaro Go Concept: Geneva 2011

Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Giugiaro Go! Concept is a sharply designed, futuristic MPV originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 04:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen Giugiaro Go! Concept previews MPV of the future in Geneva

Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Electric

Volkswagen Giugiaro Go! concept

Volkswagen Giugiaro Go! concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Says Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of Volkswagen Group, “Italdesign is a figurehead of Italian design and engineering creativity. We have been working together closely in a spirit of partnership for many decades.” In reality, that may be an understatement. After all, Giorgetto Giugiaro is credited with penning the original Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit and Scirocco – two classic shapes that went on to define the VW brand for the last few decades.

After a research study to determine what Volkswagen vehicles of the future may look like, Giugiaro (now owned by the Volkswagen Group) focused on two distinct concepts, one of which is the Go! that you see here (the other is the Tex, which we’ve already shown you). The design firm thinks of the Go! as a multi-purpose vehicle for urban areas, and as such, it measures just four-meters in length and runs solely on electricity using VW’s proprietary Blue-e-motion EV technology. According to the automaker, the Go! is capable of traveling about 150 miles on electric power alone.

Like the Tex, the Go! concept uses VW’s modular transverse architecture, which was designed to accomade a diverse range of powertrain options, including plug-ins, internal combustion engines and even hydrogen fuel cells. Despite the Go!’s relatively dimunitive exterior dimensions, its 106-inch wheelbase matches that of the larger Passat. The battery pack sits beneath the passenger compartment, covering the areas of both the front and rear-seat passengers.

VW and Giugiaro are keen to highlight the large glass area of the Go! concept. Such a configuration allows for plenty of natural light and offers maximum visibility. Interestingly, though, only the lower part of the glass is actually electrically lowered (have a look at the image gallery below to see what we mean), and the concept relies on video cameras to give the driver a view of his or her surroundings.

Other interesting design details include rear doors that push outwards and pull back parallel to the vehicle, a high seating position that caters to drivers who prefer the visibility of an SUV and the control panel that is placed at the base of the windshield, well back from its normal location behind the steering wheel. Want to know more? Feel free to click past the break to read VW’s rather exhaustive press release, and be sure to peruse our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: Volkswagen Giugiaro Go Concept

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen Giugiaro Go! Concept previews MPV of the future in Geneva

Volkswagen Giugiaro Go! Concept previews MPV of the future in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Giugiaro Tex Concept brings Italdesign to the people

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen, Design/Style

$Volkswagen Giugiaro Tex Concept$

Volkswagen Giugiaro Tex Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Earlier this year, famed design house Italdesign Giugiaro became part of the Volkswagen Group, and the longtime collaborators are are presenting their first joint concepts at the Geneva Motor Show this week.

The Italian design firm calls the Tex an “interpretation of tomorrow’s sporty Volkswagen,” incorporating coupe-like lines into a hatchback shape. In execution, it looks a bit like the current Euro-spec Honda Civic hatch to our eyes – especially up front. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if we’re honest, we expected something a little bolder from the company that has penned some of the most gorgeous designs of all time.

The Tex Concept is powered by Volkswagen’s Twin Drive plug-in hybrid system, which we’re told has a range of 35 kilometers (about 21 miles) with just the battery driving the wheels.

Inside, the Tex uses a driver-focused cockpit, and unlike the vast majority of concept cars that we’ll be seeing in Geneva, the Giugiaro interior looks nearly production-ready. We like the implementation of the flat-bottomed steering wheel, supportive seats and funky new shift knob.

While the Tex is merely a concept right now, there’s no telling if Volkswagen will use this as a basis for a future sports car, perhaps even a Golf or GTI far along down the road. Hit the jump to read the full details in Volkswagen’s press release, and see the Italdesign Giugiaro Tex Concept for yourself in both of our high-res image galleries below.

Gallery: Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Giugiaro Tex Concept

Gallery: Volkswagen Giugiaro Tex Concept

[Source: Volkswagen]

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Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Giugiaro Tex Concept brings Italdesign to the people originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Volkswagen Golf24 enduro racer hits the track

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Racing

volkswagen golf24 on the track Volkswagen Golf24 endurance racer hits the track – Click above to watch video after the jump

Volkswagen’s stunning new widebody racing Golf was recently shown off in in photographic fashion and now we finally have some noise and moving imagery of the Golf24 endurance racer thanks to a new VWvideo.

The people’s racer was filmed on a track conducting some shakedown runs before it tackles the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. This isn’t just some tarted-up Golf with a roll-cage installed: Under the hood sits a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder producing 434 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. That go-fast energy is channeled through a six-speed sequential gearbox and sent out to all four wheels. Click past the jump to see the Volkswagen Golf24 in action.

Gallery: Volkswagen Golf24

Volkswagen Golf24

[Source: Volkswagen via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Volkswagen Golf24 enduro racer hits the track

Video: Volkswagen Golf24 enduro racer hits the track originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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