We’ve seen them in science-fiction films: cars that drive themselves. And, as car enthusiasts, we hoped that this invention will never be realized, or at least not in our lifespan. But is seems like Volkswagen and the EU have other plans.
At the final presentation for the HAVEit (Highly Automated Vehicle for Intelligent Transport) project in the Swedish city of Boras, the German car company presented the “Temporary Auto Pilot”, or TAP, a system that allows the car to semi-automatically drive itself up to speeds of 130 km/h (80 mph) on motorways, with the driver simply monitoring the vehicle.
Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, the new generation of Volkswagen’s fuel-efficient Passat BlueMotion is available to order now in the United Kingdom, with first examples scheduled to hit showrooms towards the end of July. The BlueMotion version of the seventh-generation Passat (not to be confused with the US model), itself launched in Europe in January, is offered in both sedan and Estate formats with prices starting at £19,875 and £21,180 respectively. Read more »
It has been a long time since we last saw a tuning firm getting its hands on the Volkswagen Passat CC, but today we received news on a freshly developed styling and performance package for the mid-size sports saloon by German firm KBR Motorsport. Read more »
Citing inside management sources from Volkswagen, a news report from German weekly business magazine WirtschaftsWoche said the German automaker wants to produce its Tiguan compact SUV in North America in order to reduce costs and protect itself against fluctuation of exchange rates. Officially, Volkswagen declined to comment on the magazine report. Read more »
Volkswagen has announced pricing for the all-new 2012 Passat, the firm’s midsize sedan design to meet the needs of U.S. consumers. The four-door saloon will have a starting MSRP of $19,995 (€14,110), not including a $770 destination charge that increased the price to $20,675.
Built at Volkswagen’s newly inaugurated Chattanooga plant in the state of Tennessee, the Passat is available with three engine options and eight equipment levels. The starting price corresponds to the 2.5L model, which features a 170HP 2.5-liter petrol engine mated to a manual gearbox. The entry-level Passat comes equipped with automatic dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, steering wheel audio controls and VW's no-charge three-year/36,000 mile Carefree Maintenance Program as standard.
After Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Volkswagen also revealed its dedicated lineup at the annual RETTmobil exhibition, which is dedicated to emergency and rescue vehicles. The Wolfsburg-based manufacturer premiered the Sharan and Passat Variant as emergency vehicles together with new features for its range of specialty cars.Read more »
Unless you've been living in some oddball world where the internet doesn't exist - in which case, you wouldn’t be reading this anyway (…), you’ve undoubtedly seen Volkswagen’s much praised Super Bowl commercial starring a pint-sized Darth Vader who uses the Force when he discovers the new, North American-spec 2012 Passat.
Having garnered close to 40 million views on Youtube on VW USA’s channel alone, the German company decided to bring the TV spot to Europe, and specifically to the UK to promote the seventh generation of the Passat that went on sale in the country in January. Not surprisingly, the only thing the advertising agency changed in the ad was the car. The campaign aired on UK television today and will run for six weeks.
Joining an increasing number of advertisers, Volkswagen plans to air two never before seen TV spots during the 2nd and 4th quarters of Super Bowl XLV on February 6. The 30-seconds ads will showcase two models, the all-new 2012 Passat sedan that we first saw in Detroit earlier this month, and the so-called 21st Century Beetle.
The German company has teamed with Lucasfilms for the 2012 Passat spot, which will feature a pint-sized Darth Vader making use of the Force when he discovers the family saloon in the driveway.
The commercial for the next generation of the Beetle won't actually show the car but it will supposedly tease its silhouette while showing a beetle scurrying through the ground like a car outperforming all the other creatures. "The ad is an homage to some of the greatest car chase scenes in the history of film and TV," said VW of America in a statement.The next Beetle is scheduled to get its official debut in May.
“Both spots show the creativity and innovation that people expect from an iconic brand like Volkswagen,” added Mike Sheldon, CEO, Deutsch LA, Volkswagen’s Agency of Record. “The Super Bowl is unlike any other media platform in the world in terms of its reach and cultural influence. It is tailor-made for big announcements and is the perfect way for VW to engage the American public.”
One of the most highly anticipated world premieres of the 2011 NAIAS, the new U.S. market 2012 Volkswagen Passat, turned out to be one of the less exciting -at least in terms of design- introductions of the show. The US-built replacement for the European-sourced Passat literally looks like an extra-large Jetta, which drew its own share of criticism for its uninspired and generic looks. For comparison, we've added a few shots of the Jetta after the jump.
While the design may not be engaging, the car's lower sticker prices will certainly attract more buyers as the new Passat will start from around $20,000 or some $7,000 to $8,000 less than the 2011MY it replaces.
However, keep in mind that while the base 2011 Passat was offered with a modern 200HP 2.0 TFSI, the entry-level 2012MY Passat will come with VW's old 2.5-liter five-cylinder unit rated at 170HP.
Other engine options for U.S. buyers include a more frugal 140HP 2.0-liter turbo diesel that returns up to 43mpg, and a range topping 3.6-liter VR6 with 280HP and a 0-60mph sprint time of 6.5 seconds.
Volkswagen will manufacture the 2012 Passat at its new $1 billion Chattanooga factory in Tennessee, the automaker's first U.S. assembly plant since it shut down its Pennsylvania plant in 1988. The mid-size saloon will go on sale in the States in mid-August.
One of the most highly anticipated world premieres of the 2011 NAIAS, the new U.S. market 2012 Volkswagen Passat, turned out to be one of the less exciting -at least in terms of design- introductions of the show. The US-built replacement for the European-sourced Passat literally looks like an extra-large Jetta, which drew its own share of criticism for its uninspired and generic looks. For comparison, we've added a few shots of the Jetta after the jump.
While the design may not be engaging, the car's lower sticker prices will certainly attract more buyers as the new Passat will start from around $20,000 or some $7,000 to $8,000 less than the 2011MY it replaces.
However, keep in mind that while the base 2011 Passat was offered with a modern 200HP 2.0 TFSI, the entry-level 2012MY Passat will come with VW's old 2.5-liter five-cylinder unit rated at 170HP.
Other engine options for U.S. buyers include a more frugal 140HP 2.0-liter turbo diesel that returns up to 43mpg, and a range topping 3.6-liter VR6 with 280HP and a 0-60mph sprint time of 6.5 seconds.
Volkswagen will manufacture the 2012 Passat at its new $1 billion Chattanooga factory in Tennessee, the automaker's first U.S. assembly plant since it shut down its Pennsylvania plant in 1988. The mid-size saloon will go on sale in the States in mid-August.
