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[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] What the LA Auto Show lacked in new car reveals, it made up for in technology and announcements. Despite that, there was still some lovely metal on display. From the updated Golfs at the VW booth to the modified VWs, Lambos, and Porsches of the aftermarket sections, there was still plenty to see. The post Gallery: Volkswagen at the LA Auto Show appeared first on VWVortex . from VWVortex http://ift.tt/2AmfpCD via IFTTT

Porsche endured some fury from enthusiasts for putting a four-cylinder motor in the 718 Cayman and Boxster but has promised it will never downsize engines to be smaller than 2.0-liters. The catch is that it doesn’t make sense from a performance standpoint to downsize the internal combustion engine to that point, so the alternative would be to go the full electric powertrain route, Michael Steiner, member of the executive board for research and development of Porsche, said during an interview at the 2017 L.A. Auto Show. “We could do more downsizing, even below 2.0-liters, but if you would like to have good performance and very precise and fast reaction to any movement of the gas pedal, you need torque, not only power,” Steiner said, adding that hybridization would be a solution for supplying torque. “At some point, it would make no more sense to downsize the combustion engine and put more and more electric energy into the vehicle. You come to the point where it doesn’t make sense any

Volkswagen is looking to expand its performance offerings with more R, GT, and R-Line products. Speaking at the LA Auto Show, Hendrik Muth, Senior VP of Product Marketing and Strategy, revealed that Volkswagen’s appetite for aggressive design is strong. Although he would not share details about which models are set to gain performance upgrades, he did reveal that the plan is to have an R-Line design package for every vehicle in the lineup. The brand revealed the Tiguan R-Line at the LA Auto Show just this week. It joins the Atlas, the Passat, and the Beetle, which all have visual improvements in the bumpers and along the sides, but have no driveline upgrades. Now the trim is set to grow with the Jetta R-Line being shown shortly after the new model’s premiere in January. Muth’s comments, though, suggest that the Golf–as it is in Europe–the Arteon–set for debut in 2018–and the Touareg are in line for the R-Line treatment. The GT trim, meanwhile, is a yet-to-be-released package for t

Lamborghini wants to make sure the world knows its Urus SUV has sports car DNA. Set to make its debut early next week on December 4, the Lamborghini Urus has been the focus of several teaser videos over the last couple weeks. The latest from the Italian automaker has chief technical officer Maurizio Reggiani explaining how Lamborghini was challenged to transfer its supercar DNA to the SUV. “The lines of the Urus embrace the full heritage of our super sports cars displaying shapes and design criteria that are typical of a Lamborghini,” Reggiani says in the video. “Another important aspect is of course the sound of the vehicle, which changes significantly between the three different modes Strada, Sport, and Corsa.” While the prototypes featured in the latest video are still heavily camouflaged, we do get to hear the exhaust note produced by the SUV’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with 650 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. Stay tuned next week, when Lamborghini will finally pu

Filed under: Earnings/Financials , Green , UAW/Unions , Audi , Porsche , Volkswagen , Emissions "In many places we are still too slow, too bureaucratic and too hierarchical." Continue reading VW CEO sees 'strong' Nov/Dec sales, new record in 2017 VW CEO sees 'strong' Nov/Dec sales, new record in 2017 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Nov 2017 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2jyhZ0l

We’ve long known that VW will produce electric vehicles in North America, but just where that production will take place remains unknown. Volkswagen is keeping mum on whether the US’s Chattanooga plant or Mexico’s Puebla plant would get the nod, but, speaking at the LA Auto Show, Volkswagen USA’s chief engineering officer, Matthias Erb, revealed that the US wing wants production to be American. “We’re fighting for electric production in the US,” said Erb, adding that adding an electric assembly line in Chattanooga would be relatively simple. Admittedly, the same goes for Puebla, but Erb’s comments implied that when electric production begins, it will be alongside an existing plant. The reason for that is relatively simple. It would allow both lines—electric and internal combustion—to use the same paint and body shop. And with supply lines already headed to the factories, it would ease logistics as well. The dream said Erb would be to have electric cars and gas-powered cars on the s

Filed under: Green , BMW , Ford , Honda , Jaguar , Land Rover , Mercedes-Benz , Misc. Automakers , Toyota , Volkswagen , Volvo , Green Automakers , Green Culture , Africa , Asia , China , Europe , United States , Electric Partners include BMW, Daimler, Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen, Volvo, Ford, Honda and Toyota. Continue reading Automakers pledge ethical minerals sourcing for electric cars Automakers pledge ethical minerals sourcing for electric cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Nov 2017 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2iljbHY

Volkswagen was looking towards the future in LA this week, shining a light on what’s coming in terms of sales. Taking a page out of Amazon’s book, the company wants to simplify the shopping experience to remove all barriers to sales. That means new buying experiences online and at the mall, as well as a simpler way to buy vehicles. Said in the context of the I.D. family of vehicles, the buying process would be simplified down to five clicks. First, you would choose the model. Perhaps alarmingly, VW wants to take away door count options and trim levels in the name of simplicity. Second, you choose the power. Although this could apply to power output, VW’s head of sales and marketing, Jürgen Stackmann, said Tuesday that he expects range to be the more important selling feature. Third, you choose the color. That one pretty much speaks for itself, but along with the rest of the industry, VW is interested in offering two-tone paint jobs, so I guess that could become two clicks if you’re

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] If you’re in the market for something different, have we got the car for you. Looking for a rare model to take to your next neighborhood Cars and Coffee ? Then this 1992 Passat G60 Syncro may be right up your alley. The third generation Passat was the most modern car Volkswagen had ever produced, and the designers graced it with almost futuristic styling. The front clip has a wedge shape, the body sides have a deep character line that runs around almost the entire car, and the glass is flush to the window surrounds. One of the most controversial styling elements is the grille-less front panel, it adds a ton of character to the design. In the United States, Passats came standard with a 2.0L 16 valve engine or VW’s new VR6 engine. Both engines drove the front wheels. But Canadian buyers had an interesting option: the 1.8L G60 supercharged engine connected to VW’s Syncro all-wheel-drive system. And this particular super Syncro also comes with a

During a presentation about the brand’s electric fleet, Volkswagen teased us with the outline of an upcoming electric sedan. Only called the “I.D. Sedan,” the outline was placed alongside the I.D. Buzz, the I.D. hatchback, and the I.D. Crozz, which was revealed as the first I.D. family member for the US. All are concept cars, though, and the sedan will undoubtedly be a concept, too. That said, with each subsequent concept, the cars have become a little more realistic. The first concept that was revealed, the I.D. hatchback looks futuristic, with solid wheels, blue tires, and a hollow interior with slowly sliding parts. Although it can drive, it has all of the un-mass-produceable trappings of a concept car. The I.D. Crozz, meanwhile, looks much more production-ready, with an infotainment screen that looks recognizable, disc brakes, and black tires. Although clearly still a concept thanks to its lack of mirrors, it looks like it could eventually hit production. So the I.D. sedan wil

Filed under: 2017 LA Auto Show , Volkswagen , Crossover , Minivan/Van , Concept Cars , Electric Volkswagen says it'll be "affordable." Continue reading VW's I.D. Crozz EV crossover — we'll get it in 2020 VW's I.D. Crozz EV crossover — we'll get it in 2020 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Nov 2017 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2idQwUW

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] Volkswagen will be introducing a production crossover based on the I.D. Crozz concept to the US market, which is making its US debut in LA right now. “The I.D. CROZZ-based electric vehicle will be an affordable and stylish electric SUV—and there is more to come!” said Hinrich Woebcken, CEO. The LA Auto Show is America’s first chance to see the I.D. Crozz concept that was first revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show back in April. The Crozz is a roughly Tiguan-sized crossover that, thanks to its lack of internal combustion engine, has the same amount of cabin space as a much bigger, traditionally propelled SUV. Like the I.D. hatchback and the I.D. Buzz, the Crozz is based on VW’s electric platform, known as MEB. With a flat 83-kWh battery pack integrated into its frame—under the bodywork—and electric motors fore and aft, the Crozz concept makes a little more than 300 hp. Power is sent to the rear wheels by default, with the front wheels kicki

Filed under: Design/Style , 2017 LA Auto Show , Volkswagen , Crossover Custom wheels, bumpers, and a lot of badging. Continue reading VW's new Tiguan crossover gets R-Line trim VW's new Tiguan crossover gets R-Line trim originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Nov 2017 10:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2BjO8jF

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] The LA Auto Show has barely kicked off and already Volkswagen has debuted the latest version of the Tiguan: the R-Line. Possessed of the same 2.0-liter TSI engine as the regular Tiguan, pumping out the same 184 hp as the standard models, the R-Line brings aggressive aesthetic touches to the Tiguan lineup. Available on both the SEL and SEL Premium trims, the R-Line package adds 19-inch “Trenton” alloy rims to the SEL, and 20-inch “Braselton” rims to the SEL Premium trim. Along with the rims, VW has added new bumpers that highlight the air inlets, a diffusor finished in gloss black out at the back, body-color wheel arch extensions and side skirts. Finally, the addition of R-Line badges completes the look. Inside, the start screen on the infotainment console shows off the R-Line badge, as do the stainless steel door sills and the steering wheel. Stainless steel also adorns the pedals, while the headliner is finished in black. Expected to go

A convoy of Volkswagens brought Christmas cheer to a UK children’s hospital, in the fourth annual Beaulieu Santa Run. More than 300 people in 116 modern and classic VWs set off from the Beaulieu estate, bound for the Southampton General Hospital. The Santa Runners were set on their way by Lord Montagu, the owner of the estate which is home to the National Motor Museum. The convoy of campers, vans, and Beetles made the 12-mile trip, picking up more presents along the way. The presents were for the Piam Brown unit for children with cancer and blood disorders, but enough gifts were collected to give out to all of the children spending December in hospital. Some of the Santa Run participants dressed themselves and their cars for the occasion. There was no shortage of dressed up vans and drivers alike, but best dressed was presented to Ken Griffin. He dressed himself as Father Christmas, and his van with graphics from the comic The Beano. Which if you live outside of the UK is the longe

If you ask any terrible motorist how skilled they are behind the wheel, the response is often the same. “Oh, I’m a great driver,” they’ll say with a self-assured smile. Meanwhile, you’re left holding back a series of screaming rants that involve first-hand accounts of why their claim couldn’t possibly be accurate. But what about the rest of the country? As it turns out, the general consensus in the United States is that most people think they’re a fine driver. But things get a little more complicated when you drive into people’s habits behind the wheel. In a recent survey, Driving-tests.org found that 60.8 percent of surveyed Americans thought they were an above-average driver. While that percentage can only be an impossibility, some of the claimed behaviors were slightly better than a comparative sample of international respondents.  By comparison, the group’s international survey only yielded a 50.6-percent portion of drivers who considered themselves “above average.” But the majo

Traction control technology became a mandatory feature on all passenger cars and light trucks in 2012 and the driving community is all the safer for it. Traction control is an electronically controlled feature that limits wheel spin during acceleration so that the drive wheels maintain maximum traction and a driver maintains better control of the car. In wet or slippery conditions, some wheels on your vehicle may start spinning faster than the others and the system’s goal is to reduce power to the excessively spinning wheel(s) when sensors detect it and redistribute it to the wheel(s) that may need more. Most traction control systems now go the extra mile and use a vehicle’s anti-lock braking to slow a spinning wheel as power is being redistributed to other wheels. The main goal here is to avoid a skid, which could easily end in a crash if drivers don’t know how to control it. “Traction control systems were traditionally mechanical and usually limited to the rear axle (2WD) with a l

Batteries are not exciting things. They store power. They make our stuff work. You have to replace or recharge them sometimes. You can get new ones almost anywhere. Nobody thinks much about batteries. This is a funny thing since batteries are everywhere. There are probably at least a handful batteries within a 20-foot radius of you right now and you probably care about none of them. There is at least one battery in your life, however, that you should be thinking about right now, and it’s the battery in your vehicle. “I hope someone visits me, soon,” the battery in your car says. “It’s getting cold out, winter is coming, and I could use me a little bit of lovin’ before the cold and ice show up. Why does nobody ever visit?” Your car battery is lonely. It doesn’t ask for much. But right now, it wants you to give it a little love. After all, when the cold and snow and ice arrive, that lowly battery begins the hardest part of its year. Do you like being late for meetings because your ca

Looking for the best Cyber Monday deals on Amazon? At WiseGuide.com we write about things we think you’ll like, introducing you to great products, services, and special deals. We do have affiliate partnerships, so we may earn revenue from the products and services you buy. We scoured  Amazon.com  for all the best Cyber Monday deals we could find on absolutely everything today. Here’s what we found: 1.  Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 4 wireless speaker in black for $157.92  (65 per cent off $449.95 list price) A brand trusted by audiophiles everywhere, Harman/Kardon speakers combine superior sound with high-end design. The Onyx Studio 4 is a wireless Bluetooth speaker with built-in noise-cancelling microphone that functions for conference calls as well as accessing Siri or Google Now. Offering up to eight hours of play time, this elegant speaker will look good in any room of your house.  Check out the deal here . 2.  Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 holiday edition portable wireless speaker in bla

With the redesigned Jetta coming out at the start of next year, Volkswagen has started its teasing regimen. Volkswagen’s Canadian website now features a pretty revealing gif of the Jetta . Although bathed in darkness, the animated gif shows a light moving over the car, showing off some of its lines and, well, it looks an awful lot like a Jetta. The grille is a little different, the headlights a little more angled, and the roof a little more raked, but there’s nothing earth-shattering here, something we already knew because of a leak a few months back. Our very own Chris Compton found out earlier this year that the Mk7 Jetta would premiere at the North American International Auto Show, at the beginning of January. Volkswagen’s North American president Hinrich Woebcken described it as “super modern” “strong” and “emotional.” “We have given the car a North American ‘touch’ but not always in terms of low cost and less content, but in much more specific needs of the market,” said Woeb

Like BMW, which aims to keep gas-powered M cars in production for as long as humanly possible , Porsche is also making a commitment to motoring purity in the face of new technologies and government overreach. That circular device positioned in front of the driver? Porsche wants to keep it there. The specter of Big Government and Big Safety conspiring to kill non-autonomous motoring is a real fear, one that’s been talked about more than a little here at TTAC. Call it the Red Barchetta scenario. Porsche seems aware of it, too, though it tiptoes around the entity at the center of the issue. Nevertheless, the automaker claims a future Porsche “will be one of the last automobiles with a steering wheel.” That’s the view of Lutz Meschke, vice-president of the company’s executive board and head of finance and IT. In an interview published by the automaker, Meschke lays out the short and medium-term future for both self-driving technology and the steering wheel. No one knows what the long-

The result of VW’s latterly abandoned WRC racer, the Polo GTI R5 customer race car has successfully completed its first tests in Fortjohn… Fontjonk… Fontjoncouse, France. “A successful first test is a good sign and great motivation,” said Sven Smeets, Volkswagen Motorsport Director. “After the many hours and weeks spent working on our latest customer racing project on the computer, in the design process and in the workshop, the Polo GTI R5 can now finally show what it is capable of out on the road, and we can gain valuable data for the further development of the car.” The test lasted three days, with test driver Dieter Depping and Swedish WRC2 champ Pontus Tidemand behind the wheel of the 270 hp Polo. The test days took place over tarmac, then on gravel. The first day was a test of tire durability, brakes, and the cooling system, as the car was run ragged over the high-speed section. The gravel tests, meanwhile, were a test of the chassis, testing the suspension and damping. “It i

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] The dream of the 80s is alive in Portland (we took a little license with the decade). For a mere $1,200 you can zip around in your own piece of VW’s quirky coupe history. This week’s Ratty Rescue is a little less ratty, but still in need of rescue, so if you’re in the market for a rarer-by-the-day ride, this could be the car for you. Volkswagen introduced the Scirocco in 1974 to replace the virtually prehistoric Karmann Ghia. The new coupe featured modern styling from Giorgetto Giugiaro but replaced the sexy curves of the aircooled coupe with sharp creases and crisp edges. In one model, the wheezy, underpowered, unsporting Ghia sports car was pushed to the wayside: the Scirocco ushered in a new era of performance for Volkswagen. Scirocco buyers loved the crisp handling, the low seating position, the light chassis, and the knife-edge styling. The little coupe was not only stylish but practical too, with a decent trunk space and a folding rea

With the madness of Black Friday behind us, we can all now shop from the comfort of our computer screens. That’s right Cyber Monday is upon us so here are ten great deals for you and yours. Get 73% off an Extra Large Trunk Organizer Tired of hearing your things banging and sliding around your trunk? Get this extra large trunk organizer. Big enough for cleaners, boxes, and unlabeled cans of fun this organizer comes at a huge discount . 60% off Jump N Carry 12 Volt Jump Starter and Power Supply Jumper cables are great, but what if you get stuck in a lonely parking lot in the middle of nowhere and you’re pretty sure that rustling in the bushes is just the wind, but you can’t be sure that it’s not a mountain lion patiently stalking you–or worse? Well, get yourself a starter and get back on the road. 83% off OBDII Scanner Code Reader Jokes aside these are actually useful and available at a price that simply can’t be beat. 64% off Dewalt DWP849X electronic polisher Buff and bu

Get up to 50% off between now and Sunday for ECS Tuning’s Black Friday Bonanza. Deals on products from ECS Tuning, Black Forest Industries, and much more. Get everything you need to finish that project or start a new one at  ecstuning.com The post Get Up to 50% off at ECS Tuning’s Black Friday Bonanza appeared first on VWVortex . from VWVortex http://ift.tt/2AuXfS9 via IFTTT

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] The Marshall Pruett Podcast is back with another aural wonder. This time, recorded from the cockpit of the Audi’s 2005 Le Mans contender, from the HSR 24-Hour vintage event at Daytona International Speedway. Although it wasn’t the fastest in qualifying at Le Mans back in 2005, R8s would come first, third, and fourth at the race. For the Daytona classic event, the car was driven by Andy Wallace, a Le Mans legend who raced the R8C in 1999, the predecessor to the R8s that would dominate endurance racing for a decade and a half. The R8 itself is powered by a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V8 revving making between 635 and 650 hp and revving all the way up to 7,800 rpm. That was good enough to give Wallace the pole at the Daytona event, though the car eventually retired from the race due to technical issues. Wallace’s time, though, was so good that the 12-year-old Audi was only one second off the time set by the 2017 Cadillac DPi-V.R. The post Listen:

Now that Thanksgiving is over and the dishes put away, the real fun begins. Black Friday marks the start of the shopping season and with it comes a virtual boatload of the best Black Friday deals. At WiseGuide.com we write about things we think you’ll like, introducing you to great products, services and special deals. We do have affiliate partnerships, so we may earn revenue from the products and services you buy. We scoured  Amazon.com  for all the best Black Friday deals we could find on everything from TVs and electronics to outdoor goods and automotive. Here’s what we found: 1.  Samsung Electronics UN49MU8000 49-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model) for $697.99  (42% OFF $1199.99 List Price) Wow. This is an absolutely killer deal on a great Samsung TV and an extreme step-up in color with a billion more shades than a regular 4K UHD. You’ll be able to see extreme contrast between the darkest darks and the lightest lights with expanded color and depth—even in dark scenes.