by VW in the News on September 3, 2010
Dubbed the “Transparent Factory,” Volkswagen’s Dresden, Germany plant is an amazing facility. Not only is the plant itself brimming with the latest and greatest in manufacturing tech, but the plant is actually transparent thanks to a liberal use of glass.
When entering, the building looks and feels more like a museum or swanky office building than a car factory. But despite its breath taking architecture, the 187 million Euro ($240 million) facility is home to a production area covering 55,000 square meters. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on August 27, 2010
Once again, if you thought there was a glimmer of hope that the Volkswagen Amarok pickup would make it to the States, that hope has now been crushed. VW has no plans to bring it to the U.S.
The Amarok will be built in Brazil and recently Brazilian execs denied that the vehicle will arrive here at all. This announcement comes in response to another announcement from Car and Driver in which the magazine believed it would come to the U.S., just not in the near-term. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on August 20, 2010
The ill-fated Volkswagen Phaeton may be preparing for another round in the U.S. market. According to Bloomberg News and USA Today, VW will be bringing the full-size luxury sedan back to the U.S. by 2018.
According to reports, the American version of the VW Phaeton will offer different engines choices compared to models being offered in Europe and China. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on August 6, 2010
The Volkswagen GTI may be small in size, but it keeps coming up big when it comes to third-party quality ratings.
In the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution And Layout (APEAL) Study, the GTI was the top-rated entry in the Compact Sports Car segment—for the fourth consecutive year. And this comes after it also won its category in 2000, 2001 and 2003. When you consider the APEAL awards are based on feedback from more than 76,000 new-vehicle owners, who analyze their purchases in more than 80 separate measures of vehicle quality, it’s obvious that VW has found the right formula for providing drivers with a high-value, high-fun driving experience that no other rival can match. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on July 29, 2010
Although Ashton Stark doesn’t even have his driver’s license yet, that hasn’t stopped this ambitious 14-year old from tinkering with his first car, a ‘72 VW Beetle.
Stark has spent more than a year (and just $4,000) converting his Beetle into a completely operational electric vehicle. As a sophomore in high school, he’s unfortunately still too young to legally enjoy the fruits of his labor. However, in just a few weeks, he’ll finally be able to get his learners permit. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on July 20, 2010
Volkswagen has committed itself to bringing electric vehicles to market by 2013. These vehicles will include the eGolf compact as well as the eUp! city car.
“I am deeply convinced Volkswagen will play a key role in electrifying the automotive world,” Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn said.
VW has said that these EVs will share the same philosophy behind the original Beetle, in that they will be accessible to a breadth of buyers and not merely to those with a healthy bank account. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on July 7, 2010
The completely redesigned, next-generation Volkswagen Jetta recently made its public debut in Times Square in New York City, giving the Big Apple the first peek at some big changes to VW’s U.S. best seller.
For one thing, the new Jetta itself is bigger, growing some 3.5 inches in length to allow for a roomier, more comfortable cabin, featuring premium materials, best-in-class legroom and intuitively placed controls. In fact, the console section of the center stack is even slightly inclined toward the driver to provide easy access to switchgear for the car’s climate, radio and navigation systems. For added versatility, the 60/40 split rear seats in the Jetta can be folded down to accommodate more cargo. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on July 2, 2010
The Volkswagen E-Up! city car is one of the countless new minicars heading to markets globally, and like Toyota’s iQ or Fiat’s 500, the VW E-Up! is also coming to the U.S.
According to Automobile, the electric VW E-Up! should arrive in select U.S. markets by 2013. Although VW has yet to release official information about the car’s launch, the markets would presumably be the same as the initial markets for the Nissan Leaf EV. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on July 1, 2010
According to the latest reports, Volkswagen plans to move forward with production of the Volkswagen BlueSport Concept. The design of this mid-engined two-seater has reportedly been very close to completion and has been on the verge of production for a while.
Although the design is near complete, there are still engineering challenges to work out of course. But sources say that any production model will remain very similar to the concept. [click to continue…]
by VW in the News on June 30, 2010
All-new photos have emerged showing the Volkswagen Amarok pickup truck hitting Germany’s Nürburgring. What’s interesting about these photos, other than the fact that they’re showing a VW truck on a race track, is that the Amarok being testing is a new standard-cab model.
The standard-cab Amarok should go on sale in Europe in 2011. The current model is available now with a choice of two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. Volkswagen appears to be working on more variations and bodystyles of the truck in order to appeal to a wider and more diverse range of customers, even those looking for a lower cost pickup truck. [click to continue…]
