Category: VW

The Tiguan meets a strong demand and the new engine, the 168bhp 2.0-litre TDI will likely boost its credential in terms of brand image when the Kuga only comes with a 136bhp 2.0-litre diesel unit.

The most powerful Tiguan yet raises the challenge for the Ford Kuga as it features the 168bhp 2.0-litre TDI common rail diesel engine. The new engine is capable of returning 40.4 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting 185 g/km of CO2 claims the carmaker. The Tiguan can accelerate from rest to 62 mph in 8.9 seconds before reaching a maximum speed of 125 mph.

As with the rest of the Tiguan range, the new model is equipped with six airbags, ESP, semi-automatic air conditioning and the RCD 510 touchscreen entertainment system with six-disc CD autochanger. The new engine will be available in either SE or Sport trim levels.  Prices for the new 2.0-litre TDI start at £22,670 for the SE, rising to £23,370 for the Sport model. The new Tiguan is competitively priced as the 138bhp SE version starts at £21,800. By comparison, the Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi Zetec starts at £20,495.

Along with the production site due to be built in India to produce the future Up! model, Volkswagen is seriously considering manufacturing the budget small car in a Skoda facility.

Building the Up! production version in Czech Republic would be a return to its roots as the low-cost VW initially started at the Skoda offices in February 2005. However the Pamplona production site is also in the running to build the Up! model. The car will initially be built up to 250,000 vehicles annually. The output figure will likely be increased when production starts in Russia and in India.

The future Up! will be sold under the group’s brand, VW, Seat and Skoda. Each brand will have its own range among a choice of a three and five door hatchback, a minivan, a convertible and a SUV. The future model will be powered by turbocharged two and three cylinder units while an electric version is also being considered.

Two official pictures of the Scirocco have leaked on the Internet less than one week ahead of is official launch at the Geneva Motor Show. As predicted the final model is close to the Iroc concept car unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show.

With this new model, Volkswagen will try to make a return on the coupé segment it had abandoned with the end of the Corrado coupé. While the Corrado was positioned as a unique model in the company’s lineup at that time, the new Scirocco will be positioned a Golf coupé.

If the overall shape is similar to the concept car’s, the front fascia has lost its glitzy showcar bits. Unfortunately, the changes make the Scirocco to look a bit tame. By removing the metal surround from the grill, designers removed a bit of character. The production version lost the sculpted lines that gave the Iroc a muscular stance. In a word, the Iroc concept car settled down to become the Scirocco. Nothing wrong as all carmakers do the same, but for a coupé, one would have hoped much more character.

In an interview given to Automotive News, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby talked straight about the Phaeton model: “We did a lot of things wrong with the car.” He also gave some hints bout its replacement.

As reported previously, the next-generation Phaeton will be smaller and will be based on the Audi A6 saloon in order not to compete with the Audi A8 model. This will help keep the price low as Stfan Jacoby said the current Phaeton “was too high-priced.” Instead of a entry price tag of £35,000, the car would cost about £27,000 for the entry model.

Expected to be launched in 2010, the future Phaeton might put the emphasis on diesel engines, especially on the American market in an attempt to fight on green credentials with the Lexus brand. Jacoby also confirmed that the model will keep its current name. “The Phaeton is the name of Volkswagen’s luxury. We are proud of this name, and this name fits this car,” he told the newspaper.

The future Phaeton won’t be critical to Volkswagen ambition of achieving its sales goal but it will likely be considered as the symbol of the company’s success on the American market. Volkswagen wants to send the major flop of the current Phaeton to the forgotten pages of history books.

Volkswagen has announced it will recall 510 New Beetle due to the use of an incorrect adhesive that may have been used to attach the roof spoiler to the rear glass of the car.

The concerned New Beetle are model year 2008. If the incorrect adhesive was used, the spoiler could fly off and possible strike either pedestrians or other cars.

The recall will officially began on February the 29th.

Volkswagen has released some information about the engine range of the Scirocco coupé due to be launched at Geneva.

The future Volkswagen will be available with a petrol engine and two diesel units. The petrol engine will be the 122bhp 1.4-litre unit which is also used by the Eos model. Along this unit, there will be two TDI 2.0-litre engines in either 143bhp or 170bhp. No V6 engines have been confirmed although it is certain that the Scirocco will offer a powerful engine at the top of the range. The 300bhp 3.6-litre V6 from the Passat R36 mustn’t be excluded from the list.

The company officials also confirmed the list of basic equipments: power steering, ABS, EBD, ESP and 17” wheels.

VW Spokesman Andreas Meurer recently confirmed that the Phaeton will return to the U.S. The spokeman’s statement has been confirmed by VW’s U.S. Chief Stefan Jacoby.

Speaking at an Automotive News conference last month, Stefan Jacoby had already admitted it was a mistake to end Phaeton sales in North America. In an interview with the same newspaper, the CEO told that Volkswagen must meet “needs and wants of a diverse American customer universe.” if it wants to achieve the 2018 target and it means to bring back the Phaeton.

Jacoby is certain that the Volkwagen brand is strong enough to sell anything from a small car to the luxurious Phaeton; however th efuture limousine won’t be over-engineered and will share it is reported that it will share its platform with Audi A6. The future Phaeton might also feature a diesel engine as the company wants to increase its share of oil burners in the U.S.

Volkswagen is determined to increase its sales on the American market whatever it takes to achieve such an ambitious goal. After the Passat CC, the return of the Phaeton, the German car maker is seriously considering bringing the small VW derived from the Up! concept car.

Offering a small car on the American car market would have been compared to a suicide attempt a few years ago but with rising gas prices, American start to change their negative perception towards small cars. Aware of the new order, Volkswagen is currently studying the opportunity to export the future low budget Volkswagen there.

“Small cars like the Polo could be very, very interesting,” Volkswagen Group of America Chief Stefan Jacoby told Automotive News. Other possible models “are attractive lifestyle cars that are a little bit SUV-looking and a little van,” Jacoby revealed. Between the lines, Volkswagen actually wants a share of the large pie owned by BMW with the Mini. Surely, a fun car derived from the Up! concept car would be an interesting offer.

In an interview with Automotive News, Martin Winterkorn has confirmed that the German car maker is currently working on the next-generation Beetle which will go on sale from 2010.

The next Beetle will share its inner structure with the future Golf VI and will be slightly longer and wider than the current model. The technical side will be performed in Germany while design will be realized in California in order to catch the latest trends.

The three door and the convertible variants will be re-conducted. It is also rumoured that the next -generation Beetle will be available as SUV model. Will it be the return of the Kübelwagen?

Volkswagen has unveiled its new people carrier, the Routan, intended for the American market while the Sharan is at its of life in Europe.

Sharing its underpinnings with the Chrysler Voyager, the Routan also offer a similar exterior styling despite featuring a different front fascia and rear end.

Intended to increase the sales on the American market, Volkswagen featured the Routan with engines that match the American tastes. The will be available with a choice of two V6 petrol engines, a 197bhp 3.6-litre and a 251bhp 4.0-litre.

The Routan isn’t expected to cross the Atlantic ocean.