Volkswagen Golf R headed to U.S. for 2012

It’s been a couple of years since Volkswagen’s heavyweight hot hatch, the R32, graced America’s shores, but now we have official word of a successor. Tuned by the in-house R team at Volkswagen, the Golf R should be a good bit more exciting than its already entertaining forebear, and hopefully, it will shave a few pounds off, too.

Unlike the R32, which was powered by VW’s popular VR6, the new model will be powered by Volkswagen’s ubiquitous turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. And while Volkswagen isn’t quoting power output for the new U.S. model, the European version currently on sale conjures up 270 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. All of that gumption will be routed through VW’s fourth generation Haldex 4Motion all-wheel drive system, which means the VW should once again be a good foil for cars like the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.

Along with the power increase, VW is promising bigger brakes, an uprated suspension, 18-inch wheels, center-exit dual exhaust and a more liberally tuned ESP. Perhaps most interestingly, the Golf R will be available in both two and four doors and be paired exclusively with a manual transmission. That’s right, we said it.

Although the press release after the jump doesn’t mention when it will debut (our money’s on Detroit), additional R accoutrements include model-specific aero bits and badging, along with upgrated trim and a new steering wheel, shift knob, and so on.

In other words, it’s time to get excited.

Volkswagen rules out use of two-cylinder engine in Up! city car?

Fiat’s recent introduction of the two-cylinder TwinAir engine in the 500 has not swayed Volkswagen to reconsider placing a two-piston mill in its own Up city car. If anything, Fiat’s TwinAir debut has convinced VW that two-cylinder engines are simply too costly and complicated to develop.

VW actively pursues engine downsizing, witnessed by its use of three-cylinder gasoline engines and sub-2.0-liter diesel mills but, according to the company’s research and development chief, Ulrich Hackenburg, downsizing is nearing the limits and dropping the cylinder count to just two is not in the automaker’s near-term plans.

Hackenberg told Autocar that further downsizing is not practical, framing it:

Improvements can now only be made in performance and economy, not in making the engines any smaller. Instead, the Up will make use of three-cylinder engines that will really advance the technology and make strong use of it.

VW technical boss, Michael Hinz, added that even three-cylinder engines can be challenging to develop, stating:

I’ve seen two-cylinder cars running, but from a production point of view it’d be very hard. Even three-cylinder engines are very expensive as they’re not as smooth or refined as we’d like. But we’re not going to abandon them.

If Fiat can produce a two-cylinder engine, then other automakers could, too. However, VW displays no immediate interest in tackling the complicated development of a two-pot engine, instead electing to stick with motors packing three pistons or more.

Report: Volkswagen planning hotter Jetta R

According to a report from Autocar, Volkswagen will be offering a performance-oriented R version of its sixth-generation Jetta. The automaker has already launched its Golf R and Scirocco R overseas, and VW has long said that it plans to expand its performance offerings around the world.

Volkswagen reportedly showed European media a version of the Jetta equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 during the car’s official launch last week. No power numbers were divulged, but Autocar states that a six-speed dual-clutch transmission was fitted to this Jetta, as was 4Motion all-wheel drive.

Ulrich Hackenberg, VW’s head of research and development, says that the Jetta R is being heavily considered and that if customer demand is there, it will be produced (sounds familiar, doesn’t it?). If the Jetta R does see the light of day, we’re willing to bet that it will come to North American soil, especially since the United States is the new Jetta’s key market. Here’s hoping.

Volkswagen launches Exclusive upgrades for redesigned Eos

Volkswagen’s campaign to move upmarket has been unrelenting. Between the likes of the Phaeton and theCC, the German automaker is not shying away from taking on BMW and Mercedes-Benz, or even its sister-company Audi, for that matter. VW’s new Exclusive line does its part, too, upgrading existing models with some extra lux touches for those interested in a touch of added refinement.

The Touareg – another fine example of the luxurification of the People’s Car – was the most recent to get the Exclusive treatment, and now VW has turned its attention to the newly refreshed Eos. Not only has the hard-top cabrio received a facelift and an engine swap, but now the Exclusive department has upgraded it with two-tone Nappa leather offset by aluminum and piano black trim, a new steering wheel and restyled door sills. The optional sport suspension comes standard on the Exclusive model, and buyers can choose from two 18-inch wheel designs. Pricing in Europe, where the Eos has been rolled out prior to its debut in other markets, starts at €35,275 (around $50,000 based on current exchange rates, not that those figures are comparable).

Volkswagen opens floodgates on 2011 Passat

Fresh after the 2011 Volkswagen Passat unveil at this year’s Paris Motor Show, VW has unleashed a deluge of information and photos of the new sedan and its wagon counterpart. As with most manufacturers, Volkswagen seems bent on giving buyers all the tech they can stand. The 2011 Passat will ship with goodies like a fatigue detection system, the VW equivalent of the Volvo City Safety system and adaptive cruise control, among other tricks. Volkswagen says that it has also made the new Passat as quiet as can be thanks to in the dash and doors to keep exterior noise at bay.

The 2011 Passat will launch with a variety of engines depending on the market, including three diesel mills and four gasoline plants. The company also says that two DSG gearboxes will ship along with those mills in both six- and a seven-speed configurations. For those that prefer to row your own cogs, a six-speed manual will also be available.

First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

Fuel economy is a funny thing. In Europe, better efficiency has always boiled down to two simple concepts:diesel fuel and turbos. But like the 35-year-old who won’t drink tequila because of a bad experience in college, American buyers’ stomachs start turning whenever manufacturers talk about oil-burners – clean or otherwise. That’s a problem for carmakers like Volkswagen. You see, the company can build an arsenal of clean diesel vehicles that have no problem turning out excellent fuel-economy numbers without the weight, complexity or burden of lugging around a partially electric drivetrain, but that doesn’t mean Americans will buy them. Nope. On this side of the pond, fuel efficiency translates into just one word: hybrid.

And that’s exactly why Volkswagen has taken to electrifying its beefy 2011 Touareg, the very first production hybrid in the company’s history. Volkswagen has made no secret of the fact that it plans to be the world’s number one automaker, and that part of its plan for global domination involves broadening its appeal in the still-juicy American market. If you were wondering exactly what that meant for the company’s lineup on our side of the world, wonder no more. We’re living in the future, and it’s a place stocked with a blazingly-quick, fully capable and quasi-efficient SUV from Germany with love.

Volkswagen Eos updated with GTI engine, crisper looks

The trouble with hard-top convertibles – four-seat cabrios especially – is the added weight penalty. German automakers in particular have proven adept at counteracting the dynamic drawbacks that open-air flexibility brings, but sooner or later you’re just going to need more power. And that’s exactly what Volkswagen is doing with the Eos.

Often derided as a “hairdresser’s car”, the 2012 Eos has been treated to one of our favorite engines: the 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder from the Golf GTI. This 208-horspower engine – available with either a six-speed manual or dual-clutch transmission – can now take the Eos from a full stop to highway pace in 7.8 seconds. Overseas buyers can also specify the 138-hp 2.0-liter diesel (with the same transmission choices). Volkswagen has also included Hill Start Assist standard on the 2012 Eos, along with Vienna leather upholstery, heated seats, 17-inch wheels and some sheetmetal enhancements that brings its look in line with the rest of the brand’s small car lineup.

Details have only been announced for foreign markets, and we’ve included the Australian press release after the jump while we wait for confirmation from Volkswagen of America. In the meantime you can check out the high-res images in the gallery below.

Reports: Phaeton coming back to the U.S… again

This time, with feeling. According to both Bloomberg News and USA Today, Volkswagen is once again considering bringing the ill-fated Phaeton back to the U.S. market. The reasons behind the move are many, but center around VW’s intention to triple its market share here in the land of the free by 2018. In order to do that, the company is planning on rolling out its luxury bruiser one more time, bolstered in part by the successHyundai has seen with its Genesis sedan. Of course, that particular luxury cruiser doesn’t cost anything close to the Phaeton’s $85,000 MSRP – even the Korean automaker’s forthcoming Equus range-topper will likely not command that sort of money – and its success in the U.S. remains as-yet unproven.

Bloomberg spoke with Juergen Borrmann, the director of the carmaker’s Dresden facility. Borrmann said that the company is gunning for the U.S. and that by the time the model hits our parking lots, it will be completely reworked.

Consider us interested.

Supposedly, the American version will feature a slew of different engine choices compared to the cars currently on sale in Europe and China, as well as a significantly different interior materials. According to the report, our model will share very little with the next-generation car set to hit the market next month. Hey, if at first you don’t succeed…

Officially Official: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta offers Teutonic titillation for around $16k

The sixth-generation 2011 Jetta is a pretty big deal for Volkswagen. The automaker has developed a completely new platform for the new model (instead of simply relying on Golf architecture), and the end result is a car that is 3.5 inches longer than its predecessor. This should mean that much more passenger room will be on deck, enabling the Jetta to really compete within the midsize sedan segment (as well as the compact class). As for the design, it’s admittedly a bit predictable, but we’re glad to see the Jetta no longer being styled as a Golf sedan. What’s more, we can see hints of the NCC concept car from this year’s Detroit Auto Show, and while it’s not overly sexy, it still looks clean and crisp.

One place where there isn’t much news, however, is under the hood. The 2.5-liter inline-five and 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four are carried over from the current car, and we’ll see a return of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four for the Jetta GLI. Both manual and automatic transmissions will be on hand, including Volkswagen’s well-liked DSG on TDI and 2.0T models.

An all-new interior is similar to what Volkswagen has done with the Golf and CC cabins. We’re sure that cloth and leather will be available, as well as a host of interior upgrades like navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and so on.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta live from its Times Square debut

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.

Pics Aplenty: Volkswagen releases full slate of 2011 Phaeton images and info

It’s not surprising that the latest batch of photos of the reworked 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton were all taken in China. The Middle Kingdom is by far the biggest market for VW where wealthy executives prefer to be driven rather than get behind the wheel. As we already witnessed at the Beijing Motor Show, the Phaeton has now adopted the same horizontal theme for its fascia that we have seen on every other recent Volkswagen introduction, and the headlamp clusters now feature LED eyeliner running lamps.

Interestingly, the Phaeton is the first car to incorporate the ability to download Google Maps satellite imagery and points of interest data over a mobile phone. The new information can be overlaid on the built-in navigation maps to provide a vastly expanded and up-to-date database of information compared to the static data that can be stored on-board the car.

A camera behind the windshield can actually read traffic signs and display information like speed limits and no-passing zones on the navigation screen and the driver information display in the main instrument cluster. The camera can also scan the surroundings for other cars that could suffer glare from the bi-xenon headlamps and mask portions of the lights to cut that glare. We’ll be curious to see just how well the Dynamic Light Assist works at maintaining light for the driver without blinding others. While you ponder all of that technology, check out our high-res gallery below and the official press release after the jump.

2011 Volkswagen Passat leaks out

Those crazy kids over at Auto Express have managed to get their hands on a leaked photo of the next generation Volkswagen Passat. The car is set to debut at this year’s Paris Motor Show, and so far, the German manufacturer has been quiet about exactly what we can expect from the mid-sized fighter. From what we can tell from the leaked photo, it looks like the company will be giving the Passat a dose of familial styling. A sharp chrome-laced grille replaces the black plastic of the current generation, and crisp headlights similar to what’s currently found on the Golf have been swapped in place of the old units.

It looks like the car will also wear slightly more aggressive body work all over, including aggressively arched fenders. Details are still scarce as to exactly what will crop up under the hood, but we don’t expect too many big surprises. American buyers will likely still be able to get their Passat with the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 200 horsepower while our European cousins will be able to enjoy a range of dieseland small-displacement gasoline powerplants.

Officially Official: Volkswagen Polo GTI, 177 hp, 40 mpg and plaid seats!

Volkswagen has fleshed out its latest generation Polo lineup with the introduction of a new GTI variant. This latest GTI has the same output as the last hot Pol,o but now produces it on one-quarter less petrol. Each and every one of its 177 horsepower now comes from VW’s twin-charged 1.4-liter TSI inline-four with direct injection, a turbocharger and a mechanical supercharger. The combined fuel efficiency goes from 29.8 miles per gallon to 39.9 mpg on the EU test cycle.

The Polo GTI gets a similar rounded five spoke wheel design to its big brother, the Golf GTI, along with the obligatory red brake calipers and trim on the grille. Note, too, that this is the first Polo to get LED eyeliner running lamps and corner markers along with bi-xenon headlamps. In proper GTI fashion, the seats are covered in a plaid fabric just like the originals of three decades ago. In fact, with the growth of the Golf over six generations, this Polo is actually almost the same size as the original Golf.

Interestingly, the Polo GTI only comes with the quick shifting seven-speed DSG gearbox and sprints to 62 miles per hour in just 6.9 seconds, and handling will be aided by VW’s electronic differential lock, which is said to reduce oversteer.

Officially Official: 2011 Volkswagen Polo sedan unveiled in Russia

Volkswagen finally unveiled its new sub-compact Polo sedan in Moscow today, billing it as the first ever VW developed specifically for the Russian market. While Russia may be the first market for the trunked Polo, it isn’t likely to have an exclusive on it for long. The Polo sedan is expected to make its way to North America within the next 12 months as part of VW’s drive to expand its sales here to 800,000 units a year by 2018.

Like Americans, Russians consumers have generally had a preference for notchbacks over hatchbacks despite the sacrifices in utility. In an effort to keep the Polo sedan affordable in Russia, Volkswagen is equipping it with a 103-horsepower 1.6-liter gasoline inline four-cylinder engine with a choice of five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions.

Beijing 2010: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton ups the luxe

As impressive of a vehicle as the seminal Volkswagen Phaeton may have been, the uber-luxe German sedan was an unqualified flop of an experiment here in the United States. In some other parts of the world, though, VW’s BMW and Mercedes-Benz (not to mention VW-owned Audi) competitor is still going strong.

Hence, VW has seen fit to give the Phaeton a mild update for the 2011 model year, and it tellingly used theBeijing Motor Show as the platform to reveal its top-shelf sedan. In case you missed the exterior changes, take a closer look at the front and rear fascias, where you’ll find tighter lines and new LED lighting.

It’s inside the cabin where the Phaeton gets the bulk of its improvements. Included in the refresh is VW’s latest navigation technology, along with a helpful seeing-eye camera that can monitor speed limit and no passing signs and inform lazy drivers of the data. There is also a lane-departure system that keeps the car between the proper lines and Dynamic Light Assist that adjusts the headlights to keep from blinding oncoming traffic.

Powertrain options remain the same as before, with a 450-horsepower 6.0-liter W12 engine taking top billing over a 335-hp 4.2-liter V8 and a 3.6-liter V6 that puts out 280 ponies. Finally, those looking to save a few bucks at the pump can opt for a 3.0-liter diesel V6. Check it out for yourself in the high-res image galleries below.

VW Mid-Engine Roadster to Spawn SEAT and Skoda Variants

Citing inside sources, German car magazine ‘Auto Motor und Sport’ is reporting that the VW Group is planning to introduce SEAT and Skoda variants of its forthcoming mid-engine roadster that will be based on the BlueSport concept unveiled at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. Due to arrive sometime in 2012, VW’s edition of the roadster will most likely be offered with the firm’s TSI / TFSI gasoline and TDI diesel engines.

While a SEAT variant of the mid-engine roadster sounds logical given that the Spanish brand is supposed to be somewhat sporty (as long as it comes with a unique styling and a lower price tag than the VW’s proposal), a Skoda version doesn’t really make much sense in our opinion.

VW Group to Launch More than 20 Completely New Models by 2010

During his speech at the Volkswagen Group’s Annual Media Conference and Investor Conference on March 12, Prof. Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of VW AG, revealed that the automaker that is made up of nine brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Scania, SEAT, Skoda and VW CV, will rollout more than 20 completely new models worldwide by 2010.

Winterkorn said that amongst the cars that will be introduced are the sixth-generation VW Golf GTI 210HP in 2009 and the New Small Family based on the Up! Concepts in early 2010 which will be available for both urban drivers in the West and for the emerging markets.

Complete List of VW Group's 178 Models Sold Worldwide

In the rare case that you have ever wondered how many and what type of vehicles the VW Group sells worldwide, then you’ve come to the right place. As we learned from the company’s Facts and Figures booklet, the VW Group currently sells a total of 178 passenger cars, SUVs, sportscars, LCVs, busses and trucks spread across nine different brands – Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Scania, SEAT, Skoda and VW Commercial Vehicles. You can check out the complete list that includes photos of all models right after the jump.

VW Group Confirms new Minicars for VW, Seat and Skoda Brands

The Volkswagen Group has revealed that it will introduce a new family of small cars based on the Up! prototypes for the VW, Seat and Skoda brands. Europe’s largest carmaker announced that it has also taken the decision to build all variants of the minicar that are known as “New Small Family” at its Bratislava plant in Slovakia. The first examples of the city cars that will be available in 3-door and 5-door versions will roll off the production lines at the beginning of 2011.

“Our team at Volkswagen in Slovakia is ideally prepared to provide the flexibility required for the production of the New Small Family. Four brands are already produced successfully under one roof at our plant in Bratislava today,” said Professor Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft.

Skoda Plant to Produce VW Group's New 1.2 TSI Turbo Petrol Engine

In celebration of the 110th anniversary of engine building at its Mladá Boleslav plant in the Czech Republic, Skoda has announced that it will manufacture the VW Group’s latest generation 1.2-liter TSI gasoline engine. The new four-cylinder power unit features both direct fuel injection and turbocharging technology delivering an output of 105HP at 5,000 rpm and 175Nm (129 lb-ft) of peak torque available between 1,500 and 3,500 rpm.

It can be combined with either a six-speed manual transmission or the VW Group’s 7-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission.