Young love can turn into a bitter divorce faster than you can say “Rocktan.” That at least appears to be the case with the relatively recent partnership between Germany’s world-domination seeking Volkswagen and the minicar experts from Japan, Suzuki. Like many a relationship gone sour, the problem appears to be communication. “Volkswagen is not talking...
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Cylinder shut off technology has been a staple in fuel-saving technology for many years now but it has yet to make its way into a four cylinder engine. At least not until now. Volkswagen‘s 1.4 liter TSI engine will be the very first four cylinder to feature cylinder deactivation as two of its cylinders will...
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Volkswagen‘s NILS Concept won’t ever qualify for the HOV lane, since the single seat concept was designed as VW’s vision of a future commuter that’s a bit like the proverbial “table for one”. Sporting a single seat – and a curb weight of just under 1000 lbs – the NILS has a 40 mile range...
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Despite poor showings in various quality surveys, not to mention anecdotal evidence abound, Volkswagen is tackling its vehicle quality problems head on, and is openly discussing the steps it will take to remedy them. The J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey, regarded as the gold standard among industry types, pegged VW at 29th out of 32...
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Volkswagen‘s next big move in the U.S. marketplace will come with an equally big vehicle; a new crossover SUV targeted squarely at the likes of the Toyota Highlander. The new 3-row, 7-seater crossover will be designed for American consumers, and priced for them too. Volkswagen of America Chief Executive Jonathan Browning has confirmed the new...
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Volkswagen is set to unveil a single seat electric car at a special event in Berlin next month, as the company explores the future of mobility and personal transportation. A VW spokesman confirmed that the vehicle would be shown at an event in Berlin on September 8th. VW said that the new car would surpass...
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Set to launch in December in the European market, Volkswagen‘s up! looks to be the next great small car in the segment, especially since it’s the first with City Emergency Braking. The up! features a 1.0L three-cylinder gasoline engine with BlueMotion Technology and a Stop/Start system, allowing the powerplants to get 56-mpg from its 59-hp...
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Spurred by the recent riots in London, the Germans have taken to the streets—and their target are the Mercedes, BMW, and Audi cars owned by “fat cats” that are ruining their country. About 138 cars have been torched across Berlin, with 26 just in the past two days. 130 of those have been Benzes; 91...
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An enterprising drunkard in Germany found himself in a car accident, of his own doing. So with cops coming, what did he do to escape? He jacked a nearby forklift and attempted to move the car himself. In the sort of drunk idea that only makes sense when you’re 7 Nordhäusers in, the 27-year old...
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You’re never too old to play with Lego. And that’s a good thing, because we can’t wait to get our hands on Lego’s new VW Camper Van. Styled after the 1962 T1 Camper, this red Lego VW camper van set is super trippy and looks just like the real thing (only in block form). It...
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Volkswagen executives are reportedly “very serious” to add the Bulli to their production lineup, as part of a “Heritage Range.” So far, this range consists of the Beetle, and…well, nothing else. But given the cult status of the old Microbus, and the overwhelmingly positive response of the Bulli at various auto shows, and VW is...
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Diesel sales have vastly improved through the end of July, up 38.5 percent, compared to the same seven- month cycle in 2010. Volkswagen has been leading the sales with the Jetta TDI and Golf TDI. Volkswagen sold 5,206 Jetta TDI models in July, bringing the diesel powered sedan’s year-to-date total to 56,717. On the other...
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Suzuki’s rocky relationship with Volkswagen has not ended, the Japanese automaker stated today. Even though Suzuki has made public remarks against VW’s role in the two automakers’ joint-venture, there are no plans for the Japanese automaker to pull out. Recently, a newspaper in Germany reported that the tenuous relationship was set to end, but a...
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Both the new Ford Mustang and the new VW Jetta are facing possible recalls as a result of ongoing investigations by safety officials. The Mustangs in question are those from the 2011 and 2012 model year equipped with a manual transmission, with reports from owners stating an inability to shift into gears while merging into...
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Volkswagen was one of several large automakers that did not sign off on the Obama Administration’s proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for 2025. “We still have a dialogue going on with the administration in terms of how we think the policy needs to be adjusted,” said Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America....
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General Motors is back on top as the world’s largest automaker, outselling Toyota in the first 6 months of 2011. Both GM and Volkswagen managed to surpass the Japanese automaker in sales, with March’s earthquake and tsunami blamed for severely hampering Toyota’s overall production. GM moved 4.536 million cars in the six-month period ending June...
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The idea is to see that, when the vehicles intervene, either to swerve or brake to avoid an accident, how those traveling in them, react. Automakers participating in the US program include Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota and Volkswagen.
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Most automakers have gotten in line with the White House and accepted (even welcomed) the new CAFE regulations. Not Volkswagen. In fact, they criticize the new CAFE standards as being biased towards trucks—which of course, they don’t build. The proposal “places an unfairly high burden on passenger cars, while allowing special compliance flexibility for heavier...
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From the “Too Brilliant To Be True” Files comes this idea: a traffic camera that monitors drivers who obey the speed limit, and rewards them by entering them into a lottery. For cash prizes. The speed camera lottery photographs the license plates of passing drivers, then either issues them a citation or enters them into...
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The White House announced earlier that it would be lowering its CAFE standard from 56.5 MPG to 54. The proposal, however, won’t be finalized until Friday—and until then, the White House is looking towards automakers to approve the change. Automakers have yet to officially endorse the new limits, but many are expected to favor any CAFE...
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Kate Middleton’s 2001 Volkswagen Golf with 62,000 miles on it, sold for a whopping $74,500 as the Sunday bidding closed on the eBay auction site. Five bidders fought over the Golf for the last 10 days, and ten minutes before the end of the auction, one person shelled out 48,100 pounds ( $78,383 USD) for...
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On July 13, Rainer Zietlow and his team set a new world record for driving the length of the Pan-American Highway covering nearly 16,000 miles through 14 countries in a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel SUV. The team set off on this journey to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the legendary Pan-American Highway. The team began...
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Important dates for the release of the Volkswagen Up! models have been leaked. The highly anticipated city vehicle will have its world premiere on August 22 in Paris. Following the premiere, the Up! vehicle will be present at the Frankfurt auto show in September 2011, and the official release for the 3-door hatchback is scheduled...
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The Volkswagen Golf GTI is the original hot-hatchback. While many have followed this recipe of putting a tuned engine in a practical hatchback, thanks to its ever evolving state, the GTI is still on the scene and getting faster and faster. Now news from Europe suggests that the next generation GTI will just get a...
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