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[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] Si Gray was back at it again yesterday, spending some quality time in the towns of Refnitz and Faak.  “Traffic isn’t too much of a nightmare”, Si tells us, but it’s clear that many more are out and about.  Give it a few more days, and the Si’s confident that with the snow completely gone, Worthersee will be back to the style of gridlock we’re used to. In total, Si sent over 79 images from around the lake, which we’ve embedded above.  Shout out your favorites in the comments section below, and keep an eye out for more images tomorrow.   The post Worthersee 2016: Day Two appeared first on VWVortex . from VWVortex http://ift.tt/26DV0Dy via IFTTT

The Tiguan, Touran, Phideon, and T-Cross Breeze were each recognized in the prestigious Plus X Awards this year. The awards are reserved for those cars that receive the most quality seals in the Plus X Awards’ subcategories. The Tiguan and Touran, for example, each got quality seals for high quality, design, ease of use, and functionality, and were give the Compact SUV and Compact MPV awards as a result. The China-only Phideon, meanwhile, received similar quality seals, and was therefore titled the “Premium Saloon of the Year 2016/2017. Finally, the T-Cross Breeze concept, presented at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year was given the “Automotive Concept of the Year 2016/2017” award. The Plus X Awards were established in 2003, and recognize innovation in technology, sport, and lifestyle. It has come  to be known as one of the most important international awards for innovation. It honors companies whose sustainable products have a “Plus X” factor. The post Four VW Models Given

The weather is warming, flowers are blooming, cars are finally wearing their summer wheels. It can only mean one thing: spring has sprung. And with the rising  temperatures comes a new collection of gear from Volkswagen’s DriverGear collection. As you’d expect, the collection features lighter clothes, and ways to keep the sun off your head, but it also features products to help you get outside and celebrate the nice weather. R Whisker T-Shirt Volkswagen’s most powerful production Golf to date—until next week when we get a good look at the GTI Clubsport S—only alerts passers by to its potency with tiny details, like the R whisker and a unique blue. This t-shirt features both, so celebrate the Golf R and look good doing it with the R Whisker T-Shirt. Boho Tank Volkswagen’s tribal pattern is so subtle and good looking that you could easily miss the nod to VW. Perfect for festival season, of the musical or automotive variety, this jade green tank top, features a crocheted upper back

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] It’s that time of year again.  Our man Si Gray has made the journey to Lake Wörthersee in Austria, ready to take in a solid week’s worth of the best Volkswagens, Audis, and tuner cars that Europe has to offer.  Joined by Matt Crane from AWOL, Jamie Orr from Orchid Euro, Joe Flaherty from Black Forest Industries and a few thousand other enthusiasts who wouldn’t let a bit of snow get in the way of their annual pilgrimage, Si will be providing us with the most complete, comprehensive and obsessive coverage you’ll find anywhere on the web. After being pushed up a bit, this year’s event got off to an interesting start, with the aforementioned white stuff providing a backdrop that we’re not used to seeing.  Si says 6-8 inches of fresh powder fell in the past 24 hours, meaning that the streets were a bit less active than what would otherwise be seen this close to the event, but that didn’t mean that quality was effected.  As you all know, those with

Lamborghinis have a rich history of wild paint schemes and mods. Whether they’re being plated in gold or highlighted to look like something out of Tron , the cars are as much a canvas as they are a speed machine. But no one (we think) has ever painted their Lamborghini with rattle cans of spray paint. No one, that is, until now. Meet Project Inspire, a hand painted Lamborghini Huracan from Miami’s Rich B. Caliente that was inspired by a Star Wars Stormtrooper helmet, and  recently featured in Dub Magazine. “The owner of the Huracan who is also an artist, Zevi ( @zevigg ), saw [the Stormtrooper helmet that I had painted] and asked if I could paint his entire Huracan with a blend of base colors,” Caliente tells Dub Magazine. “I asked him to give me a day to think about this project since it involved major amounts of time and effort.” Eventually, though, Caliente, who makes his living painting unique cars, realized that this would be a great rolling showcase for his work. In all,

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] Since 2008 12 apprentices at Volkswagen Vocational Training have been offered the chance to go wild with a GTI. This year the apprentices will be unveiling the ninth Wörthersee GTI, and since it’s the car’s 40 th anniversary, big things are expected. “The Golf GTI is more than just a car. It is a way of life and makes people’s hearts beat faster,” says Jonas Rohrbeck, future automotive mechatronics technicians and team spokesman. The car is still under wraps, so we can only speculate about what the team has created, but we do know that it’s registered for road use. Past highlights include the gull-wing doored, three seater of 2008, the 2013 cabrio with special air outlets and paint, and last year’s “Dark Shine” GTI, which featured a specially designed exhaust system and valve control. This year’s team is made up of 12 apprentices, among them automotive mechatronics technicians (a field of engineering that combines systems, mechanical, ele

Filed under: Green , Volkswagen , Alternative Fuels , Green Automakers , Green Culture , Technology , Electric , Hydrogen Teens in Aarhus, Denmark have turned abandoned bicycles into tiny food gardens. VW is working on the SLAM fast charging project. DLR shows off its HY4 fuel cell airplane. Continue reading Recharge Wrap-up: DLR's HY4 fuel cell plane, VW's 'Golden Test Device' for EV charging Recharge Wrap-up: DLR's HY4 fuel cell plane, VW's 'Golden Test Device' for EV charging originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/26ywzHJ

The Nürburgring is one of Europe’s longest running circuits and possibly its most famous. Despite that, it has long suffered financial difficulties. Just last year the German F1 Grand Prix was canceled due to those difficulties. Now, though, there are hopes of a stable future for the track, thanks to a Russian pharmaceutical tycoon. Forbes Russia reports that, thanks to a recent purchase of shares, Viktor Kharitonin now owns 99% of the track, with the remaining 1% going to Getspeed, a performance company near the track. Kharitonin already owned 80% of the motorsports complex, and reportedly purchased the remaining 19% for roughly $43M. The investment should make the track more financially stable, and Khartonin has already expressed his desire to reopen talks with F1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone to bring the Grand Prix back. The track has long been used by automakers to test their fastest cars. Its combination of tight corners, long sweepers, and enormous straights make it an attractive

Volkswagen AG held its Annual Media Conference today to discuss the state of the company. Although it wasn’t all good news, the board members, including CEO Matthias Müller are determined to use this as an opportunity to move Volkswagen forward. “2016 will be a year of transition for us,” said Müller. “Yet it will also be a year in which we will accelerate the transformation and lay the foundations for a new, better Volkswagen.” Among these transformations is the group’s opening up to more partnerships and equity investments in traditionally non-automotive fields. “The era in which our sector kept itself apart from everything is now over,” said Müller. E-mobility will also come to define the company, said the CEO. He reaffirmed the company’s goal of releasing 20 additional e-vehicles by 2020, when the first vehicles on the new MEB platform will hit the streets. The diesel scandal will also be one of 2016’s major focuses and Müller said that the year’s most important task is providi

Volkswagen is beginning the recall of their diesel cars in Europe today with the Golf 2.0L TDI Blue Motion Technology (BMT). The fix, says Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), comes without any impact to fuel consumption or performance. “It is Volkswagen’s declared aim that the technical solution does not result in any changes to the fuel consumption levels, performance data or noise emissions of the vehicles concerned,” writes VW in their press release. “For the Golf 2.0 TDI BMT the KBA has confirmed that this objective has been achieved in full.” The recall amounts to about 15,000 cars, with more following shortly, according to VW. They are being staggered in order to be as “customer friendly” as possible. The fix comes at no cost to the owner and VW is reminding its customers that the fixes are purely technical, so the cars can be driven normally leading up to the fix. Read the full release below. The Volkswagen passenger car brand is starting the technical modifi

Want your car featured in a VWvortex AUTObiography? Tell us what it means to be a Volkswagen enthusiast, and show us how you and your car demonstrate those ideals! Send the completed form with pictures to tom@vwvortex.com. Next up is VWvortex reader: Cowan26 How long have you owned this car? I’ve owned my car now since 2013 Is there anything unique about the history of this car? The first generation R32s were never available in Canada, let alone in Tornado Red, which is the rarest colour. To me this makes the car even more special due to the very limited numbers of Red Mk4 R32s that are probably in Canada What drew you to this specific car? When I was younger my father had a beautiful blue Mk2 GTI that I was in love with. We used to always drive out to the countryside and the car held a very special spot in my heart as well as the memories made in it. My dad use to always talk about the Mk4 R32 like it was the “Great White Buffalo” (Hot Tub Time Machine reference) haha and said

Filed under: Green , Volkswagen , Fuel Efficiency , Technology Volkswagen's new EA211 TSI Evo uses the Miller cycle, variable turbine geometry, and cylinder deactivation to maximize efficiency and torque in a small package. Continue reading Volkswagen's new engine packs a variable geometry turbo Volkswagen's new engine packs a variable geometry turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2016 10:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/1rkNhKr

Unitronic® is pleased to announce its Carbon Fiber Intake System for MQB platform vehicles equipped with the 1.8/2.0 TSI Gen3 engines is now available . Unitronic’s Carbon Fiber Intake System is a direct bolt-on upgrade; designed to optimize airflow to the turbocharger, enhance the sound from the engine and turbocharger, all while providing seamless integration, perfect fitment, and an aggressive motorsports-esque appearance in the engine compartment. Unitronic’s philosophy in engineering Performance Hardware starts by, first, analyzing the factory component(s) in various street and track environments to determine overall performance and likely limitations present beyond certain power levels. Through analysis of the data collected, along with engine calibration and engineering principles applied, Unitronic’s Carbon Fiber Intake System optimizes airflow to the turbocharger, equalizing the pressure gradient throughout the intake system leading to the compressor, while reducing air inta

Leopard Racing and their Golfs GTI TCR had a great weekend at Estoril in Portugal. Stefano Comini made it onto the podium in the series’ two races this weekend, while Jean-Karl Vernay earned second in the first race. Comini was fast all weekend, but especially in Free Practice 1, where he topped timing board for sectors, laps, and strings of laps. In the weekend’s first race he managed to get up on the podium’s first step, finishing third. It was the second race, though, when he came alive. “My start was not very good and I missed the first braking point,” said Comini after the second race. “After that I was behind my teammate and could pass him when he did a little mistake in turn 4.” Vernay’s weekend didn’t end so well, as he finished race 2 in fifth, but in race 1 he was the team leader, finishing in second place. “It’s a good result, the best possible in this race, and it’s good to score my first points,” said Vernay after the first race. “I had a good start like [race winner

It’s back to the Santa Pod Raceway for another record in another Beetle with the wrong engine. This Beetle, the Black Current III, covers two furlongs in 9.31 seconds at 144 mph, beating a record for electric Beetles that it set. According to VeeDubRacing, who posted the video, the car is running 400V in the XS class. They say that during these passes the car, built by Current Racing, was churning out about 700 hp, but that it’s capable of going up to 1200 hp. The car does that weirdly-linear-acceleration thing that all fast electric cars do, and it’s still fascinating to see a (basically) silent car beat something that’s wailing down the track. The Black Current III is a dedicated drag car, as you’d expect. It’s on a tubular frame, with acrylic windows all around, a fiberglass front, fiberglass rear wings. It has twin 9” inline motors coupled to a small two speed gearbox that changes gears in a fraction of a second. The ‘box couples straight onto a prop shaft and down to a Ford

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] Is it butchery or genius? Today’s Find of the Day walks the line. This 1971 Super Beetle kind of isn’t a Beetle anymore. It has a 400 hp Chevy small block, Corvette suspension and driveline. Not only that, but it’s a whole 9(!) inches wider than a standard Beetle. The ad says that it was built professionally on a custom tubular steel frame. It has a Chevy 350 crate motor, with a tuned port injection system, Dana 36 rear end, 3” dual exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers, and it sits on 16” aluminum wheels. The interior got the same treatment, with pretty big speakers, all new upholstery, and new switchgear. As is to be expected, the wheel arches are massively flared and from the back it kind of looks good. The side profile is a little odd, though, because of the modern wheels. Despite that, it isn’t… monstrous. You definitely notice the modifications, but the result isn’t gruesome. It actually looks kind of fun, though that is subjective. The

The fine people over at Autocar are pretty good at listing cars by bestness. They make a habit of it. And devotees might notice that one car makes its way onto most of these lists of bests: the Golf. This one is no exception. Yesterday Autocar published a list of the best second-hand cars to buy for less than £10,000. Among the two-seater sportscars and the massive luxo-barges, the MkVI Golf GTI was named the best all-rounder. “It’s refined, comfortable and undemanding,” writes Autocar’s Mark Pearson. “No other hot hatch can match its overall competence.” Really, though, it’s the performance that impressed. “There’s strong grip and accurate steering and the handling is a joy: eminently chuckable, instantly recoverable and immense fun.” While it should come as no surprise that the GTI is a great car in every respect, it’s always nice to be reminded. Unfortunately, though the premise of the Autocar article is great, the money they’ve used makes no sense (what’s a quid, anyway?). So

Filed under: Government/Legal , Green , Volkswagen , United States , Diesel Slides laying out the cheating scheme have reportedly been uncovered in the investigation into VW. Continue reading VW diesel cheat linked to 2006 PowerPoint presentation VW diesel cheat linked to 2006 PowerPoint presentation originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2016 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/1VC31oU

At adam’s rotors you build your custom order for your VAG- pick your machine pattern, zinc finish, hub coating, metallurgy, & brake pad/stainless steel line/fluid pkgs! adam’s rotors inc.  started out small and remains that way…a tight knit, self-owned & operated company established & going strong since 2006.  We were birthed in the VAG community, catering to VW & Audi enthusiasts looking for a way to not only upgrade their brake rotors aesthetically, but something beneficial to performance too. The small outfit and one-on-one interaction creates only the best service w/quick response & even faster made-to-order set-ups. with top notch products, this lends hand to our success thus far.  Working 24/7 throughout the day, any and all questions are answered within the hour to the best of our ability, if not instantly.  Being an online company we do business direct via email, instant message, PM, and over the web in our ever growing threads…we’re always here ready to r

AAA released its annual Green Car Guide today and the e-Golf has been named the best car in the compact segment. The guide is produced by the AAA’s largest member, the Automobile Club of Southern California. The cars are judged in 13 categories, which include: emissions, crashworthiness, handling, ride quality, maneuverability, and more. “The VW e-Golf SEL Premium, is well equipped and fun to drive, and the best part about it is that it’s a greener version of a traditional Golf,” said Megan McKernan, manager of the Automotive Research Center. The 2016 e-Golf makes 199 lb/ft of torque and 115 hp from its electric motor and has a range of 83 miles. It gets an EPA-estimated 116 MPGe, which puts it at the top of the 2016 compact EV class. Read the full press release below: Volkswagen of America, Inc., is pleased to announce that the 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf, was named Best Compact today in the 2016 AAA Green Car Guide, a comprehensive report published annually by the largest member of

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] Smith Volkswagen Performance and Tuning Center in Wilmington, Delaware will hold their 2 nd Annual Volkswagen Group Car Show on Sunday, May 1, 2016 from 10am to 2pm. The Smith family has been in the automotive industry for over 100 years. We have been providing the Delaware Valley with exceptional Volkswagen Sales, Service, and Parts for over 50 of those years. Back in 2014 we added a new chapter to our VW expertise…a Performance and Tuning Division! Arno Kissell joined our team and began to change the way enthusiasts view a car dealership. With his help we have brought in products from the industry’s leading VW, Audi and Porsche performance companies. To name a few brands that we stock; APR, Avant Garde, BBS Wheels, Black Forest Industries, Forge Motorsports, HRE Wheels, Integrated Engineering, Neuspeed, Newsouth Performance, Southbend Clutch, Techtonics Tuning, 42 Draft Designs and many more. To celebrate these milestones we would like to

Despite countless news items and the combined will of the VW community, we have the sad duty of reporting that the Volkswagen Golf R400 will not go into production. The project was championed by former R&D chief Heinz-Jakob Neusser, but the project has been canceled following his departure. Sources say, though, that the engine itself, a tuned version of the EA888, is not dead. It will likely find its way into future Audi products. Despite canceling the R400, VW is still interested in a high-performance Golf R, reports Automotive News. The next generation R, slated for launch in 2020, might still get more power, just not 400 hp. Intriguingly, there may be another way. Rumors suggest that a lightweight Golf R might be the chosen alternative. With weight reduction technology the car could shed more than 300 lbs. Despite our disappointment, we find comfort in the knowledge that a 400 hp Golf R is still well within the realm of possibility with some careful modifying. The post Vo

Filed under: Volkswagen , Hatchback , Performance Without former research-and-design boss Heinz-Jakob Neusser to push it along to production, VW has decided to shelve the Golf R 400 and refocus on the Golf R. Continue reading Volkswagen Golf R 400 has been cancelled Volkswagen Golf R 400 has been cancelled originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2016 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/1XUMPwx

Filed under: Earnings/Financials , GM , Toyota , Volkswagen , Car Buying Volkswagen's 2.49 million global deliveries made the German company the world's largest automaker for Q1, but Toyota was a very close second place. Continue reading Despite scandal, Volkswagen is the world's top-selling carmaker Despite scandal, Volkswagen is the world's top-selling carmaker originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2016 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/1MWbuAl

Volkswagen has just confirmed that it will, in fact, be building the most powerful full-production Golf to date, the GTI Clubsport S. The manufacturer isn’t revealing much before the car’s official debut on May 4 at Wörthersee, but they have confirmed that it will have 310 PS (306 hp). VW has also said that the Clubsport S is being set up for the Nürburgring, where it was spied testing late last week. Although they haven’t said anything about setting any records, a time of less than 7:54.3 would give them the record for production FWD cars that is currently held by a considerably less powerful Renault. Speculation abounds, and some commentators are suggesting that the car will also go on a crash diet, losing equipment like the air conditioning, while also using lightweight materials. A unique suspension and damper set up is also expected, since this will be a track-focused car. It’s also being reported that the car will be limited to 5,000 examples, and will use a tuned version of t

By modern standards, 1914cc isn’t very big, but when you stuff that into the back of a car that originally was only around 600cc, you notice it. Outlaw Flat Four’s Dave Nicholls surely did at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend when he flipped his VW-powered Fiat 600 while drag racing at the Big Bang Camper and Bus Show. According to VeeDubRacing, who released the video, the Fiat is a street driven car that had been running low 11s all weekend. He had only just achieved a personal best of 10.96 when lined up for this run. The conditions must have been perfect, because it hooked up and the back wheels tried to catch the fronts. Fortunately, Nicholls got out okay, although he was reportedly very shocked. The post Watch this VW-Powered Fiat Wheelie So Hard it Flips appeared first on VWVortex . from VWVortex http://ift.tt/26ra9rH via IFTTT

Hypercars belong in Monaco, and that goes double for the nominally French Bugatti Chiron. Thankfully, this one was just released back into its natural habitat. This video features a Chiron in a truck and in a store, and for a brief moment, driving itself between the two, as if it existed in the real world—or the semi-real world of Monaco. The 1,500 hp W16 engined car, sadly isn’t driven exuberantly, but you do get to hear it burble menacingly and back into a shop, the door to which is hardly any wider than the car itself. The car sounds menacing, but looks surprisingly elegant. Something about the proportions makes the Chiron look a little longer, a little curvier, and a little sexier than its predecessor, the Veyron. When order books open, the Chiron will be limited to 500 examples that will cost around $2.6 million. The post Watch the Bugatti Chiron Squeaze Into a Monaco Storefront appeared first on VWVortex . from VWVortex http://ift.tt/26ps81L via IFTTT

The automotive world is in Beijing this week, for the Auto China 2016 car show. Volkswagen is no exception, and last night it held a pre-show event to introduce China and the world to some of its latest models. Volkswagen brand revealed their T-Prime Concept GTE last night , and spoke about the Phideon and the Magotan. The Phideon is a high end, full-size sedan that was first revealed earlier this year. It has a luxurious interior and a turbocharged 3.0L V6 that produces 295 hp. The Magotan, meanwhile, is equivalent to the Passat and the new version is longer and features an updated design. The Group also revealed that they will be investing $4 billion dollars into the Chinese market this year, and that similar investments will continue in the coming years. With that investment will come more independence for the Chinese arm of the group, much like in North America, thanks to the newly created North American Region. The press event was also an opportunity for VW’s Chinese creative

Filed under: Green , Beijing Motor Show , Volkswagen , Crossover , Concept Cars , Hybrid , Luxury Volkswagen hints at a new crossover to slot in above the Touareg with a technology-laden plug-in hybrid concept at the 2016 Beijing Motor Show. Continue reading Volkswagen T-Prime Concept GTE is PHEV taste of things to come Volkswagen T-Prime Concept GTE is PHEV taste of things to come originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2016 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/1SIFrGo

Phil Jarvis has officially made the fastest full-bodied, air-cooled, Type 2 Bus in Europe. At this weekend’s Big Bang Camper and Bus Show, over in the England, he ran the quarter mile in 11.422 seconds at 117 mph. That time puts “The Fire Bus” within spitting distance of the 11.408-second world record. The bus is powered by a 2387cc 443 bhp engine with nitrous that rips like an old-timey race car’s. It’s a really charming vehicle. Everything from its rusty exterior, to its massive tail pipe, and its flower pot siren light make this thing kind of silly and wonderful. Really, though, a Type 2 has no business being so fast. On the first run, Jarvis seems to get out of the groove, and the result is seriously unnerving. It’s just so tall and narrow that you keep expecting it to fall over. The 1/4 mile time was recorded at Santa Pod Raceway in the middle of England as part of the Big Bang Camper and Bus Show, “the first and friendliest VW show on the calendar,” according to organizers.

Filed under: Government/Legal , Green , Volkswagen , Emissions Volkswagen believes that it's too risky to release Jones Day's interim diesel scandal report and no longer plans to publish the documents in April. The company thinks the information could negatively affect negotiations with the Department of Justice. Continue reading VW won't release diesel scandal investigation report VW won't release diesel scandal investigation report originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2016 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/1SIr4lt