Posts Tagged ‘Volkswagen’

Report: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen won’t be based on new Jetta

July 23rd, 2010

2010 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen – Click above for high-res image gallery

Those of you unenamoured of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta have an alternative if you’re still interested in procuring one of V-Dub’s entry-level runabouts.

The current SportWagen variant of the Jetta will carry on unchanged for the 2011 model year, complete with better materials, a more sophisticated rear suspension and that useful hatch.

According to TheCarConnection, the decision not to migrate the wagon over to the all-new platform of the 2011 Jetta sedan was a cost-saving measure, so it will continue to be built in Germany using the Mark V’s underpinnings.

But it’s not all wine and roses. While the gas-fed 170-hp five-cylinder and 140-hp TDI diesel four will carry over (the Reagan-era Two-Point-Slow won’t be an option), you’ll still have to deal with the somewhat cramped rear legroom of the current model, as VW has no immediate plans to utilize the new Jetta’s architecture anytime soon. However, expect a few cosmetic upgrades to happen at some point next year to bring the styling more in line with the rest of the VW lineup.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Report: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen won’t be based on new Jetta originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:58:00 EST.

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First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta gets with the (American) program

July 21st, 2010

2011 Volkswagen Jetta – Click above for high-res image gallery

For Volkswagen of America, it doesn’t get more brot-und-butter than the Jetta. Forced into the shadow of the best-selling Golf, the refrain from Germany was always “Sell more Golfs!” To which VoA would steadfastly reply, “Americans don’t want hatchbacks!”

This went on for over two decades until the corporate mothership finally recognized that its compact sedan was what the people wanted Stateside. So for 2011, the Jetta has been restyled, reformed and reinvigorated with a new purpose: to take on the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, not to mention the Mazda3.

How? This story begins and ends with price. A 2011 Jetta in “S” trim will set you back just $15,995. Compare that to the 2010 model, which starts at $17,735, and the Civic and Corolla which clock in at $15,655 and $15,450, respectively. The “German premium” has finally been addressed. But at what cost? We trekked to San Francisco to find out.

Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta gets with the (American) program

First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta gets with the (American) program originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:57:00 EST.

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Volkswagen reconfirms EVs for 2013, next-generation vehicles to reduce weight

July 20th, 2010

Speaking outside its Electronics Research Lab in Palo Alto, California, Volkswagen chairman Dr. Martin Winterkorn reconfirmed the automaker’s commitment to bring electric vehicles to market in 2013, beginning with the eGolf compact and eUp! city car.

Drawing a faint parallel to the original Beetle, Winterkorn told the assembled media that “Volkswagen is working on the electric car for everyone.” And one of the first electrified V-Dubs will be its bread-and-butter Golf hatchback.

“The automotive industry is reinventing itself,” Winterkorn continued, “and Volkswagen will be the first automaker to mass produce the electric car for everyone.” VW believes that electric vehicles are the next great revolution in the automobile, and in order to achieve its goal of becoming the world’s top automaker by 2018, it believes it has to dominate the EV segment.

In addition to bringing two EVs to market in the next three years, the Touareg Hybrid (shown above) is being produced, with the hybrid Golf and Jetta due later that year and the hybrid Passat following in 2012. All of which VW considers to be interim products.

Although current battery technology has limited the eGolf to a 100-mile range when fitted with a 26.5 kWh battery pack, Winterkorn asserts that “Our customers are not willing to compromise. They expect the same thing from a standard [internal-combustion engine] Golf as they would from an electric Golf.” But until its partnerships with Samsung, Toshiba and other battery manufacturers pan out and develop lighter, smaller, less expensive and higher capacity batteries, they’ll have their work cut out for them.

When asked what VW plans to do about vehicle weight, Winterkorn rattled off a litany of advanced materials – from carbon fiber to magnesium – and told Autoblog that the next generation of Volkswagen products will undergo a weight loss program.

[Image: Sean Gallup/Getty]

Volkswagen reconfirms EVs for 2013, next-generation vehicles to reduce weight originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:31:00 EST.

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2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition: Getting intimate and egged

July 16th, 2010

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There’s no better way to get to know a vehicle than washing it yourself. So rather than sending it through the local hand-wash last weekend, I pulled out a bucket and got sudsy for the first time… in a while.

After a run through the Altamont Hills the previous day, our long-term Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition was coated from windshield to air dam with crickets – something that happens in the hills the same time each year. While I expected the massive grille to be covered in the little bastards, what I didn’t expect to find (after I toweled everything down, natch) was hundreds of the buggers wedged in between the lower bumper and the underbody tray. A small gap in between the two panels allowed the loud-legged Gryllidaes to go antenna-first into the slot, requiring a strong hose and a flathead screwdriver to get them out. Messy – but the again, genocide normally is.

Make the jump for the rest.

Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition: Getting intimate and egged

2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition: Getting intimate and egged originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:59:00 EST.

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2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition: Supreme steering but awkward shifting

July 2nd, 2010

2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

Since we took delivery of our 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition – henceforth know as the Jetta TDI Cup, for the sake of brevity – we’ve managed to rack up a little over 1,100 miles on our long-term Salsa Red tester.

We’ve bounced around the Bay Area, made it out to the coast, logged several trips into San Francisco and made the trek to Infineon raceway. In the process, we’ve experienced the normal post-delivery phases: honeymoon, discovery and finally, annoyance. On the whole, however, the Jetta TDI Cup has proven to be a perfectly balanced package, with a smattering of tech-rich amenities and a surprisingly sporty demeanor – diesel or not.

We mentioned in our review that the Jetta’s offers one of the best tillers in the compact sports sedan segment. The electric power assist steering feels like it’s been slightly tweaked compared to past Jetta models we’ve driven, although the 18-inch wheel package is surely helping the matter. While it’s not as communicative as the GTI’s, you get a good sense of what the tires are doing both on-center and while loaded up, and the rate of return when powering around corners is perfectly matched to the 236 pound-feet of torque being channeled to the front wheels. Our only gripe remains the number of buttons on the wheel and the placement of the paddle-shifters. Read on to see what we mean.

Continue reading 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition: Supreme steering but awkward shifting

2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition: Supreme steering but awkward shifting originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:01:00 EST.

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Autoblog Long-Term Garage Introduction: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition

June 29th, 2010

2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

We hinted at it in our review, but it’s time to make it official. Welcome the newest entrant to the Autoblog Long-Term Garage: the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition.

So why, with the all-new Jetta right around the corner, would we bring the TDI Cup into the hallowed halls of Autoblog Towers? Simple. We want to get intimate with diesel. Not only do we want to reap the high-mileage benefits of ultra-low sulfur dino-juice, we want to see if something with a TDI badge can, in fact, be an entertaining drive over the long haul.

We explored the Cup’s backroad prowess in our review, but how will it fare at the track? Will a new set of tires and wheels make a world of difference? How about some upgraded brake pads? In stock form, does it have what it takes to compete with the latest and greatest in the new fuel-conscious sporty car segment? How will it hold up after thousands of miles, a few road trips and stints across the country with our editors? All these questions and more will be answered over the course of a year.

We’ll be keeping you updated on the TDI’s progress with weekly and monthly posts, highlighting the finer points and questioning the logic of others. More importantly, we’re interested in what you want to know about the Jetta TDI Cup Edition. Tell us in Comments and we’ll get cracking.

Additionally, we’ve set up a specific page to follow the TDI’s progress, complete with updates, specs and other useful info. Check it out and follow us on Twitter at TheRealAutoblog for 140-character morsels of insight tagged #ablongterm.

The fun is about to begin, and the only question now is: What’s first?

Autoblog Long-Term Garage Introduction: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST.

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Report: Volkswagen’s Stefan Jacoby moving to Volvo in August

June 24th, 2010

According to a report out of Germany, President and CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America Stefan Jacoby is set to leave the automaker this August to take the top spot at Volvo.

Jacoby, who has led VW’s U.S. arm since 2007 and enjoyed a brief stint at Mitsubishi Motors Europe, is set to replace Volvo’s current CEO Briton Stephen Odell. Odell will reportedly become the new head of Ford’s European operations when Jacoby takes over the Geely-owned Swedish marque in August.

[Source: Reuters | Image: Ramin Talaie/Getty]

Report: Volkswagen’s Stefan Jacoby moving to Volvo in August originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:15:00 EST.

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2011 Volkswagen Jetta live from its Times Square debut

June 15th, 2010

2011 Volkswagen Jetta live – Click above for high-res image gallery

Volkswagen of America descended upon New York City this morning and, much to the chagrin of native New Yorkers, plugged up Times Square with the world premiere of its 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. For being inconvenienced, Manahattanites were treated to a free Katy Perry concert on VW’s Urban Oasis stage after the sheets were finally yanked from three sixth generation Jettas. We had a man on the scene who battled the crowd for live shots, which you can view in the high-res image gallery below, as well as video of the car’s reveal after the jump.

Photos by Alex Nunez / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading 2011 Volkswagen Jetta live from its Times Square debut

2011 Volkswagen Jetta live from its Times Square debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:29:00 EST.

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Review: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition juggles fun and frugality

June 15th, 2010

2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

Station attendant: “You sure you wanna put diesel in that?”

Me: “Yeah.”

Attendant: “It doesn’t look like a diesel.”

Me: “That’s kinda the point.”

And so it goes. That wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last that we got quizzical looks when grabbing a plastic glove and topping up the 14.5-gallon tank on our Salsa Red 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition tester. After all, when you think diesel, a body-kitted sports sedan doesn’t spring to mind. Particularly in the U.S., where (Cliche Alert!) old-school oilburners conjure the soot-covered nostalgia of smoke-belching Benzes, dirty shoes, smelly hands and searching for the appropriate pump at truck stops.

But in the 21st century – and throughout Europe for the last several decades – the modern diesel is a mainstay. Nearly half of all new cars sold across the pond swill ultra-low sulfur diesel, and after years of being hamstrung by California bureaucrats and the Feds, the high-mileage misers have finally returned to our shores.

But can a diesel really be sporty?

Volkswagen obviously thinks so, and after fielding “numerous inquiries” about offering a replica of its TDI Cup cars for the road, V-Dub has begun offering a kitted-out version of its diesel-powered Jetta to the fraction (of a fraction) of enthusiasts who want a more entertaining way to burn through a tank of ULSD.

So the Cup Edition certainly looks the part, but how’s it get on? Let’s find out.

Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition juggles fun and frugality

Review: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition juggles fun and frugality originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:02:00 EST.

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Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta caught nearly uncovered

May 24th, 2010

2011 Volkswagen Jetta – Click above for high-res image gallery

A cameraphone-wielding member of GMInsideNews has caught what looks to be a pair of Volkswagen prototypes in Michigan, and while it’s hard to tell the full extent of the changes or the size of the sedans, he appears to have snagged the next-generation Jetta undergoing testing.

Even with the Ford Fusion and Chrysler minivan providing a bit of scale, it’s hard to pin down the dimensions of the prototypes. However, we’re more inclined to assume that the VWs are the refreshed Jetta, particularly based on the roofline, greenhouse and overhangs, as well as the previously released official renderings of the forthcoming 2011 NMS, which looks markedly more assertive than what we see here.

While the odd Toyota-like badge on the boot is a nice touch, don’t expect that element to make it to production. Instead, the 2011 Jetta will finally replace the current model’s ovoid headlamps with the more angular, aggressive units found on the refreshed Golf and GTI. Out back, the trunk benefits from a subtle lift and tuck, with new rectangular taillamps and slightly blistered fenders finishing off the refresh. Assuming our product cycle prediction hats are on straight, we can expect to see the new Jetta in person later this year, with sales beginning in early 2011.

[Source: GMI]

Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta caught nearly uncovered originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 20:26:00 EST.

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