Vorderman Volkswagen

Filed under: Green , Audi , Volkswagen , Emissions , Diesel Volkswagen has taken parking lots to a whole new level in the United States and will not be emptying them soon. Volkswagen AG has paid more than $7.4 billion to buy back about 350,000 U.S. diesel vehicles through mid-February, a recent court filing shows. The German automaker has been storing hundreds of thousands of vehicles around the United States for months. Continue reading VW storing around 300,000 diesels at 37 facilities around U.S. VW storing around 300,000 diesels at 37 facilities around U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Mar 2018 15:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2J7HG3Y

The New York Auto Show a surprising embarrassment of riches this year and among the most talked about vehicles was Volkswagen’s pickup concept, the Tanoak. Based on the Atlas, the concept was meant to “show just what’s possible” from the MQB chassis. That might cause some VW fans’ brows to furrow in confusion. Why not just give the Amarok a new name? There’s a very good reason for this, as VW’s head of design, Klaus Bischoff, explained to us on the New York International Auto Show floor: size.  According to Bischoff, in this country size matters and VW’s body-on-frame frame pickup just wouldn’t be big enough. “It needs to be big,” says Bischoff. “If you don’t tick the box on that one, you are out of the field of gaze, people don’t look at you.” The MQB platform, on the other hand, VW feels could make a truck big enough to fit in the American market. In fact, the Atlas Tanoak is as long as a standard-cab Ford F-150 (though it would compete with a Tacoma). And that’s pretty im...

If you thought the  Porsche  911 GT3 RS couldn’t get any more hardcore, think again. Just a few weeks after debuting at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS has introduced its Weissach Package at the 2018 New York Auto Show. Offered for the first time on the 911 GT3 RS, the Weissach Package outfits the sports car with several carbon fiber componentsincluding the hood, roof, wing, and trunk lid. The cost? The package costs a cool $18,000 and that’s without the optional forged magnesium wheels that run another $13,000. Adding the Weissach Package and the magnesium wheels bring the weight of the GT3 RS down to 3,153 pounds. The carbon fiber pieces and the titanium bolt-in roll cage inside the cabin drop 13.5 lbs, while the wheels are another 25 lbs lighter compared to the standard aluminum wh...

Filed under: New York Auto Show , Volkswagen , Truck , Concept Cars Perhaps the biggest surprise of the New York Auto Show was the Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak pickup truck. And one of the things that make the Tanoak so intriguing is how it seems pretty feasible to bring to market. It's based on the Atlas, which already has powertrains certified for emissions in America, and at least the front half wouldn't likely need much, if any work to make sure it passes U.S. safety standards. And like the Atlas, it uses the MQB modular platform found in everything from the afor Continue reading VW Atlas Tanoak: Would it make sense to build it? VW Atlas Tanoak: Would it make sense to build it? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Mar 2018 10:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2pOX1NM

Filed under: Audi , Volkswagen , Skoda , Diesel Volkswagen will buy back new diesel cars if German cities ban them, it said on Thursday, seeking to reassure potential buyers and stem a plunge in sales of diesel vehicles. Continue reading VW offers to buy back new diesels if bans introduced VW offers to buy back new diesels if bans introduced originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Mar 2018 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2GmXDBg

The Urus SUV wants to prove it deserves to be a Lamborghini . The Italian automaker has confirmed the Urus will compete in some form of motorsport, but hasn’t revealed where exactly it will be competing. According to  Autocar , sources say an announcement is likely to come towards the end of this year. What we do know, however, is that the Urus will compete in a form of all-roads competition that can showcase its versatility. “Lamborghini welcomes challenges, but whatever we do will be quite different from other brands,” said Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali. “We will choose a form of competition intended only for our class of vehicle. Our car has many faces. You can enjoy its beauty, it is very fast on the track, very fast off road and very fast on gravel. We will choose something that combines all of these things.” Unlike the Bentley Bentayga however, it doesn’t appear the Lamborghini Urus plans on competing at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Lamborghini has de...

The Volkswagen Atlas comes in two engine configurations: 6-cylinders and not enough cylinders. Or at least, that’s what you’d think at first blush. When you look at the numbers, though, the four-cylinder looks a lot more impressive than the six. The 2.0-liter Atlas makes nearly as much torque, nearly as much power, and gets to 60 mph faster than the six-cylinder despite consuming less fuel. And that last figure is an important one for VW, because corporate average fuel economy figures, and the failure to meet goals set by the government, can be a very expensive proposition. So, despite selling well it’s still frustrating to VW that so many people are opting for the 6-cylinder and not the 4. Despite introducing a powerful, lightweight engine, it just happens to be too small for most people’s tastes. “If you look at the pure data, the inline four-cylinder is the better engine,” Matthias Erb, Chief Engineering Officer for VW’s North American Region told us at the New York Auto Sho...

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , New York Auto Show , Volkswagen Despite plans from fellow German carmakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz to pull out of the Detroit Auto Show in 2019, Volkswagen says it's sticking with the Motor City next year. Continue reading VW stays with Detroit Auto Show in 2019 even as BMW, Mercedes pull out VW stays with Detroit Auto Show in 2019 even as BMW, Mercedes pull out originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Mar 2018 18:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2Gls5fn

It’s Wednesday, so it’s time once again for our Find of the Day. This week we have a sweet silver Scirocco in excellent shape. If you’re in the market for some new metal, this might be just the car. Volkswagen never quite found the sweet spot with their sporty coupes. Some people classify the Karmann Ghia as a sports coupe, but with an air-cooled engine, there’s zero sport in the little car. The Karmann-built and also Italian-designed MK1 Scirocco looked great, but it also was a sexy body on a sedate platform. The initial MK2 Scirocco was more of the same. But in 1986 Volkswagen made a substantial update to their sports coupe. They made it, well, sporty. Under the hood is a 1.8-liter, 123 horsepower, twin-cam engine. This rev-happy engine transformed the car from a good looking commuter to a seriously hot car. Scirocco 16V’s came standard with a close-ratio 5-speed manual transmission. To match the new guts, the car also received a generous styling refresh: a bold body kit, a large i...

Filed under: New York Auto Show , Volkswagen , Truck , Concept Cars Continue reading VW pickup is real: Atlas picks up a truck bed and the name Tanoak VW pickup is real: Atlas picks up a truck bed and the name Tanoak originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2GDL2Nx

Volkswagen talks a big game about how versatile its MQB platform is and now they’re trying to prove it by showing off a pickup truck. The Atlas Tanoak concept shows what an MQB-based Atlas family pickup truck might look like.  With more and more sales attributable to VW’s SUVs (more than 50% in February, in fact) Volkswagen is eager to spin them off however they can. And although VW has clearly stated that there are no plans to produce the Tanoak, the pickup market is huge in America and they’re using the kind of language they did when they introduced the I.D. Buzz concept, which is now going into production. Powered by the same 276 hp VR6 engine that powers the Atlas, the Tanoak is a crew cab pickup with space for five and a five and a third foot bed. [ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] Riding on 20-inch rims shod in 275/55 tires, the Tanoak uses VW’s 4Motion all wheel drive system. It also rides a full two-inches higher than the Atlas, for all your off-roading ambitions...

For the first time ever, an RS5 will be sold in Sportback trim. The quad-doored RS5 was unveiled last night at the Classic Car Club of Manhattan ahead of the New York International Auto Show. The Sportback will use the same 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 that powers the RS5 coupe. Making 444 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, the engine will propel the car to 60 in fewer than four seconds and all the way up to a German-limited top speed of 155 mph (or 174 mph if you shell out for the Dynamic plus package.) As has been Audi Sport’s wont lately, the RS5 Sportback features box-esque flares over the wheel arches as a callback to the 90 quattro IMSA GTO, which was famously kicked out of IMSA for being too good. [ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] The arches make the car 15 mm wider than the S5 Sportback, which we liked very much indeed here. “The Audi RS 5 Sportback is a completely new offer for our customers. Our progressive interpretation of a five-door high-performance coupe has neither a pr...

Filed under: Green , New York Auto Show , Volkswagen , Crossover , SUV , Future , Hybrid The Volkswagen Atlas Sport Concept previews a five-seater Atlas soon joining Volkswagen's SUV arsenal for the U.S. market. To be built in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2019, this lightly disguised concept mixes seven-seater Atlas exterior with a cues from the recent new-generation Touareg and some hybrid powertrain tech we haven't seen from VW yet. Continue reading Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a near-production look at the future Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a near-production look at the future originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 18:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2upwoVr

The first Atlas variant is here, albeit in concept form. The five-seat Atlas Cross Sport concept is a “near-production concept” of a shortened, coupefied Atlas that Volkswagen intends to start building next year. Part of the company’s well-publicized effort to double its market share in America, the Atlas Cross Sport is a specifically American product. The ACS concept shares a wheelbase with its big sister and namesake, the Atlas, but is a full 7.5 inches shorter—hence the fewer seats. As well as being shorter in overall length, the ACS concept also gains a plug-in hybrid system that apparently makes 355 hp in concert with VW’s VR6 engine. [ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] The concept, says VW, is powered by two electric motors. The front motor makes 54 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, while the rear motor makes 114 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. This, they say, is good for a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds (which would beat a GTI off the line and might make a Golf R driver sweat). Of cou...

Filed under: Government/Legal , Green , Volkswagen , Emissions , Technology , Diesel Lawyers for more than 50,000 British car owners kicked off a lawsuit against Volkswagen in London's High Court on Tuesday in a battle for compensation over a diesel emissions scandal that has engulfed Europe's largest carmaker since 2015. Continue reading 50,000 British VW drivers kick off dieselgate lawsuit 50,000 British VW drivers kick off dieselgate lawsuit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2Gw7urT

Rumors of an electrified Porsche 911 have been circulating for months —  and were eventually confirmed when CEO Oliver Blume claimed the forthcoming plug-in would be the “most powerful” version of the sports coupe the company has ever built. This, of course, stoked new rumors that automaker might decide to make the 911 a fully electric model. Porsche wants to put those ideas down before they get out of hand. At the company’s annual results conference in Stuttgart, Blume clarified that the 911 would eventually yield a plug-in variant but would never be purely electric. While we advise all automakers to never say never, Porsche does seem to feel as if a battery only edition of the 911 is preposterous. The CEO even warned that the high-performance hybrid wouldn’t appear until some time after the 922 generation had already been in production. “We are waiting for the further evolution in battery technology so you should not expect a plug-in version in the coming years. It’s curr...

Rumors have been swirling about a pair of drivetrains slated for two of Audi Sport’s biggest models. The RS6 and RS7 were expected to get an engine in the 600 hp range and a hybrid power unit in the 700 hp range. Now, though, doubt is being cast on whether or not the RS6 will get the extra power. Germany’s Auto Bild reports that the RS6 is only going to get as much power as its German competition. The BMW M5 and the Mercedes E63 AMG make 600 hp and 603 hp, respectively, so the report suggests that the RS6 will only be powered by good old-fashioned gas. Those 600 horses will be offered by the VW Group’s nearly ubiquitous twin-turbo V8 . The 2.9-liter engine is the source of movement for Porsches and Lamborghinis. Thanks to those brands, though, we know that the engine is good for as much as 650 hp, so the RS6 could still put the BMW and the Mercedes in their place. The RS6 is expected to come in Avant trim, though rumors hint at the possibility of a sedan version for the US mark...

It hasn’t been here long, but demand for Volkswagen’s e-Golf has been high. Too high, it seems, as the model is nearly sold out with long waits for a car depending on the market. “Our electric vehicle sales were three times more popular in 2017 than 2016 and the e-Golf nearly sold out, so it’s clear customers are willing to switch to EVs once the price is right,” VW chair Herbert Diess said at VW’s annual media conference last week. In Western Europe, the e-Golf was the best selling electric vehicle last month, with 1,985 models sold. That puts it ahead of purpose-built EV rivals like the Renault Zoe and BMW i3. But it’s selling well in other countries as well. Volkswagen Canada reports that there is a 12-18 month wait for the e-Golf and its 125-mile range. Buyers looking for a VW EV won’t have to wait too much longer, though. The I.D. hatchback is expected to arrive in 2020, with the Crozz SUV arriving two-years after that. Volkswagen expects to have 300 electrified models by 2030....

Volkswagen has unveiled the all-new Touareg, and while it may not be arriving in North America, it gives us an interesting glimpse into all future SUV and crossover products from the German automaker. Launching in China, the new Touareg will serve as VW’s flagship model in the region. As such, VW is promising a luxurious driving experience thanks to the presence of premium materials the latest technologies. These include the two standard digital interior displays, which consists of a 12-inch digital cockpit display and a 15-inch console display, along with Night Vision assistance, LED Matrix beam headlights and a windshield head-up display. [ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] The new Touareg rides on VW’s MLB platform found in a variety of other products, including but not limited to the Audi Q7, and Bentley Bentayga. It helps the new Touareg shed some much-needed weight over the outgoing model while also enabling larger dimensions. The SUV is now 233 lbs lighter than befo...

Volkswagen is looking at a new mid-size pickup for the US, but it won’t be the Amarok. A new report says that Volkswagen is planning a pickup based on the Atlas crossover and it could debut this week. The automaker has been working hard to add more US-centric models. Like replacing the Touareg with the larger Atlas, as well as US-versions of the Passat and Jetta. Now the latest is the most American version of all, according to Automotive News . It’s a pickup. Although not a full-size model. It will be a mid-size truck, could put it in the segment with the  Nissan Frontier or Toyota Tacoma. But if the truck is based on the Atlas, and will be built in Tennessee, that means unibody. That would put the new VW pickup in the ring with the Honda Ridgeline. With buyers moving more and more to crossovers, SUVs, and pickups, a VW truck could be a great way to bring buyers back from other brands. If the concept gets good reviews at the New York auto show this week it could go into pro...

Who’s looking for a great spring project? Are you searching for a great car to take to the next Radwood ? We have a perfect contender in this week’s Ratty Rescue: a 1987 Volkswagen Jetta GLI. Car lovers around the world know what these three letters on the back of a certain hatchback mean: GTI. The letters transform a simple economy car into the famous hot hatch. GTIs have additional horsepower from a high-compression 8-valve engine, close-ratio manual gearboxes, improved suspensions, lightweight alloy wheels, and some trim enhancements to differentiate the quicker bunny from its more sedate siblings. [ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] Volkswagen took this same recipe and baked a slightly different cake: the Jetta GLI. Pulled right from the GTI, the GLI has the same performance add-ons. These extras transform the humble car into an entry-level performance sedan. The GLI has all the fun of the hatch, but with the additional practicality of four doors and a large trunk. The GLI ...

Filed under: Rumormill , New York Auto Show , Volkswagen , Truck Way back in 2010, Volkswagen presented the Amarok body-on-frame pickup truck it has sold on several markets, but not in the U.S. In case you feel the lack of a Volkswagen midsize pickup truck is a significant omission, there might be good news for you: Automotive News is reporting that VW could be bringing a pickup concept to the New York Auto Show. The truck is said to be based off the Atlas SUV structure. Expect it to be unveiled on Wednesday. Continue reading VW reportedly will introduce a pickup concept at New York Auto Show VW reportedly will introduce a pickup concept at New York Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Mar 2018 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2IU4iVd

Filed under: Reviews , Volkswagen , First Drives , New Car Reviews , Sedan Continue reading 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT First Drive Review | No GTI, but pretty good 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT First Drive Review | No GTI, but pretty good originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Mar 2018 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2pys40T

Filed under: Volkswagen , Infotainment , Technology , Crossover , SUV , Luxury Volkswagen has just revealed the latest version of its first modern SUV, the Touareg. It's bigger and is way more high-tech than its predecessors. And according to Volkswagen, it's not for us in the United States. Instead, it will just be launching in overseas markets such as China and Europe. Continue reading VW reveals the new Touareg, but not for America VW reveals the new Touareg, but not for America originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Mar 2018 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2G5K3C8

“There is no V6 planned for the R8,” or at least that’s what an Audi spokesperson told Road & Track earlier this week . The assertion is in direct contrast to reports and rumors that have been circulating around the web about a 2.9-liter V6 R8 premiering at the New York International Auto Show. The rumors’ origins, though, can be traced back to 2015 when Roland Schala told Top Gear that a V6 would fit rather nicely into the second-gen R8. Following the discontinuation of the V8, people have been waiting for a model to fill its shoes. With Audi’s step away from dinosaur-based performance toward kite-and-key-based performance, the brand seems to have lost interest in the R8. Peter Mertens, head of R&D, even admitted that there are no plans for a follow-up to the R8. While it might sound easy to shove the RS5’s V6 into the back of the R8, it was only ever designed for a V10, so even if there were plans for it at one point (which there’s evidence of) the development budget mi...

Thank goodness this classic Volkswagen Beetle escaped the Cash for Clunkers program. With VW killing of the Bug once-and-for-all in the very near future, it’s prime examples like forum user Heezy’ s 1974 Super Beetle that remind us of the spunky blank-canvas-of-a-car the early Beetle was. This Beetle has undergone a complete transformation. It’s a great example of how well these little cars hold up if you’re willing to put in some elbow grease. And Heezy did. In its current state, the ’74 is a driver’s car with the looks to put its best foot forward in the local concourse, but it wasn’t always that way. A Hot Mess Heezy has done a fantastic job documenting this car’s transformation with beautiful full-size pictures on its dedicated build thread . The pictures from day one show a two-tone paint job that doesn’t exactly scream class. There’s so much paint on the car. It’s difficult to tell whether the body is straight or not. To the previous owner’s credit, the car’s interior is pa...

European rallycross enthusiasts will be treated to a brand new Polo for team PSRX’s 2018 season. Best of all, though, now it isn’t just being sponsored by Volkswagen, it’s being sponsored by Volkswagen R. The shift in marketing strategy points towards a new focus on performance models and VW’s press release suggests that the R line (not the R-Line) will expand. “Volkswagen R,” writes VW in a press release, “home of Volkswagen’s most powerful and sporty production models, is partner of the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team in 2018 and is intensifying its cooperation with Volkswagen Motorsport.” Until now, the world rallycross car has simply been called a Polo GTI World Rallycross car. That makes sense because the Polo GTI can be purchased in Europe. No Polo R currently exists, by contrast, despite the renaming. Rumors of a Polo R have been around for a while, though, as have rumors of a Tiguan R (and a T-Roc R, to boot). The branding is particularly apt for rallycross because it implies ...

Audi’s quattro with ultra technology sounds awesome. We know quattro is good, so ultra technology quattro must be better, right? But what is it, what does it really mean, and – most importantly – how does it work? Let’s explore. Quattro arrived in 1980 in – appropriately – the Quattro. The permanent all-wheel drive system took the rally scene by surprise when it started to dominate the competition in the dirt. Since then, Audi and quattro all-wheel drive have become synonymous. Every model the automaker offers is available with some form of the system, and on most it comes standard (in North America, anyway). So that’s quattro, but what makes it ultra? Audi offers multiple types of all-wheel drive systems, depending on the vehicle and the engine layout. There is a system for transverse-mounted engine cars like the A3, and multiple systems for cars and crossovers with longitudinally mounted engines. Sideways engine cars use a system with a Haldex center differential. They send power ...

The Beetle’s days may (or may not) be numbered. As part of our Beetle Week, I reached out to a few VWVortex Beetle owners to find out what the car means to them. I’ve included my own story at the bottom. It’s immensely evident past and present owners are passionate about their Bugs. Volkswagen, if you’re reading, here’s just a sampling of the joy the Beetle brings to people. Mario : VWVortex member DrTechy 2012 Turbo Beetle (a.k.a. FrankenBeetle), Platinum Gray Lyndhurst, New Jersey If Mario’s car looks familiar, that’s because it was a recent Forum Friday entry. The money, time, and love put into this car are incredible. His Turbo Beetle truly changed his life. “Growing up the beetle was the most unique car I’d ever seen. From watching the Herbie movies with my parents over and over again to playing “Punch buggy” with my friends every time we’d see one, it was ingrained in my brain. Once I was old enough to drive, VW’s became my passion and I owned countless GTIs and Golfs ove...

Filed under: New York Auto Show , Volkswagen , Coupe , Hatchback , Sedan Volkswagen has opted to offer the sporty R-Line design package to its all-new 2019 Arteon. The gussied-up four-door coupe will make its public debut at the New York International Auto Show next week and will be available on every trim level when the Arteon goes on sale in the fall. Continue reading 2019 Volkswagen Arteon gets R-Line treatment 2019 Volkswagen Arteon gets R-Line treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Mar 2018 11:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2GduL1F

It’s day three of our Beetle Week at VWVortex, and we have not one Find of the Day, but three! If you’re in the market for a new Volkswagen, these cars are looking for new homes. Beetle #1: 1966 Zombie Ratrod It’s rather fitting that our first car has an “undead” theme; is the current Beetle about to keel over? Like all canceled cars, even a shot to the head can’t stop it from returning. This ragtop ratrod is definitely a head turner. Take a look at the dozens of photos and check out the level of detail on this slick aircooled Beetle. Where to begin? The extended front suspension visually lengthens the car. The rear has been lifted to give it that “jacked up” look. There’s a custom paint job, ragtop sunroof, and if you look closely, the B-pillar was cut out and frameless rear windows installed. Inside, there are custom front seats with wood slat backrests. Wood slat floor mats line cover the floorboards. There’s a custom dash. And in the back is a smaller third seat perfect for ba...