2011 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line

As part of our fresh look at VW’s line-up, we’ve picked up a 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI Sport&Style R-Line 4MOTION DSG. A facelift of this model has already been revealed, but it won’t differ much from this tester, aside from a new face. The ridiculously-long name also hints at several specifications, although all of it is not marked out with badges on the body.
The “Sport&Style” trim means this is the road-biased model, so it comes with a nicer front bumper, lower and aerodynamic.


The “2.0 TSI” and “DSG” bits mean it has the engine and gearbox from a Golf GTI. The “4MOTION” means it is all-wheel-drive. And the “R-Line” pack adds some exterior bits, 19-inch wheels and sports suspension.
The interior is suitably premium, given its price, with touchscreen navigation, panoramic glass roof, soft-touch upper trim and more R-Line bits such as aluminium pedals. Yet Bluetooth and USB are optional, and not fitted in our tester.


Space up front is excellent, and there are plenty of storage spaces. It is all very practical. The only ergonomic gripe is that the a/c vents, as many as eight individual ones, all point towards your face.
Rear space is also excellent, and the bench can move front and back. There are rear a/c vents and pop-out cup-holders near the middle. An odd addition are those fold-out airplane-style trays.
Cargo volume is pretty good, although not as much as larger competitors such as the Honda CR-V or the Chevy Captiva. The rear seats fold down to increase room.


The VW Tiguan, with the R-Line package, really is just a sporty hatchback on stilts, and drives like one too. More in the full review.
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Volkswagen Beetle 2012

Volkswagen took the wraps off their latest generation Beetle, affectionately known as the Bug, at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show a few weeks ago. First introduced during the Mesozoic era, Beetle is one of the very few nameplates which has survived a long timeframe and still manages to be a favourite of many.

In comparison to the previous generation Beetle introduced in 1998, the new one is longer, wider and sports a roofline that extends further backwards while featuring an aggressively-raked front windshield and increased wheelbase. The Beetle shall host a range of new exterior and interior appointments including newly designed horse-shoe shaped tail-lamps, LED daytime running lights, Bi-Xenon headlamps, Panoramic sunroof and Keyless access through satellite navigation systems. Airbags and ESP, alongside the standard ABS and EBD systems, are available to assure safety.

Volkswagen offers a choice of three gasoline engines for the Beetle – a 1.2-litre TSI engine rated at 104 hp, a 1.4-litre TSI engine rated at 158 hp and a 2.0-litre TSI engine rated at 200 hp. A diesel-electric variant shall be available for the UK and US markets , with a 1.6-litre engine rated at 104 hp aided by start-stop battery regenerative systems for optimum fuel efficiency.

While the pricing aspects are unknown, the Beetle with the new face shall go on sale in the American markets during fall of 2011. UK customers have to wait a bit longer until early 2012. Expect a GCC launch somewhere around the same time.

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VW Releases Golf GTI Edition 35 Specs and Price

Developed to celebrate 35 years since the launch of the original Volkswagen Golf GTI in 1976, the GTI Edition 35 will make its premiere at the Worthersee Tour (June 1-4) in Austria. A 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine that develops 235-horsepower and 300 Nm of torque (221 lb-ft), 25HP and 20 Nm more than the standard GTI, powers the limited edition hot-hatch.
However, Volkswagen says the engine is not an upgraded version of the standard GTI's unit but a detuned version of the AWD Golf R's four-pot, adapted for a FWD setup. With 25 more horsepower than the standard GTI and a power-to-weight ratio of 6 kg/hp, the Golf GTI Edition 35 reaches a top speed of 247 km/h (153 mph) and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.6 seconds (gains of 7 km/h and 0.3 seconds respectively).
Like the standard GTI, the Edition 35 is equipped with the XDS electronic differential lock for improved handling and can be fitted with the optional six-speed DSG transmission. The average fuel consumption is rated at 8.1 liters/100 km (29 mpg) for the manual model and 8 liters/100 km (29.4 mpg) for the DSG version.
The VW Golf GTI Edition 35 has a starting price of €30,425 ($43,750) in Germany. To mark the debut of the new model, VW has released a commercial entitled "Are you GTI enough?” which highlights the intense feelings drivers get from the car. Scroll down to see the anniversary GTI raising the adrenaline levels of a female driver.
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Volkswagen Tiguan 2012

The new VW Tiguan is here. An SUV with design parallels to the larger Touareg. An SUV with powerful and at the same time fuel-efficient engines; fuel consumption is 5.3 litres per 100 km for the two front-wheel drive Volkswagen Tiguans 2.0 TDI with BlueMotion Technology (81 kW / 110 PS and 103 kW / 140 PS). An SUV that shuts off the engine completely whenever possible in city driving thanks to a Stop/Start system. An SUV that is an ideal, versatile companion for life on the move with its excellent all-round characteristics, great practicality, 1,510 litres cargo space, up to 2,500 kg trailer load (with 4MOTION all-wheel drive) and many cleverly designed features. A Volkswagen in the best sense of the word! In Germany, the perfected Tiguan will arrive on the market in mid-June 2011; other European countries will follow at the beginning of August, and overseas markets at the end of August.


In Volkswagen's line-up of four-cylinder engines, DSG has replaced the conventional torque-converter automatic transmissions. In the new Tiguan, an extremely fast and efficiently working 7-speed DSG version is used. Its most prominent design characteristics - two dry clutches whose pressure is regulated hydraulically. Engine power is transmitted to the dual clutch via the crankshaft and a dual-mass flywheel. Clutch I handles the odd-numbered gears, and clutch II the even gears plus reverse gear. The results of this sophisticated clutch management: when shifting, there are no gaps in propulsive power. Comfort and convenience are excellent, and the driver experiences an incomparably dynamic yet comfortable shifting feeling.

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VW Launches 180HP Transporter in the UK

A new trim level that brings sportier looks and enhanced equipment features has been added to the UK range of the latest Volkswagen Transporter. The Sportline specification is available on the panel van and kombi models, in both short and long-wheelbase versions, with prices starting at £28,220 (€32,000) for the panel van, and at £30,100 (€34,150) for the kombi.

Motivation is provided by a 2.0-liter BiTDI engine, which develops 180 horsepower and is paired to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The Sportline is also available with the seven-speed DSG transmission, which is an optional extra priced at £1,400 (€1,590).
The Sportline trim adds some sporty exterior touches such as a glossy black grille with chrome detailing, smoked headlights, plus a revised front bumper that incorporates fog lights and a smaller grille. Additional elements include polished stainless steel sidebars and unique 18-inch “Sportline 5-spoke” alloys, finished in silver or satin black. At the rear, the van features smoked tail lamps and a roof spoiler. There are three colors available: Reflex Silver metallic, Deep Black pearlescent or the optional Candy White with a contrasting gloss black roof.
Inside, all Sportline models feature two-tone leather upholstery and additional equipment including semi-automatic air conditioning, a multimedia system with a seven-inch color touch screen, satellite navigation with full Europe map, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and electric windows.

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VW Reportedly Readying Polo R Model

Reports of a future production version of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC car have started to emerge after the carmaker announced it would enter the World Rally Championship in 2013. According to a VW board member quoted by Autocar, the company is working on a hardcore performance version of the Polo to back up its WRC entry.
Before the WRC announcement, Volkswagen had denied rumors of developing a Polo R, explaining that a very expensive small hot-hatch wouldn't be profitable. However, the rally car revealed in the beginning of May featured the R nameplate and had lots of R branding on the bodywork.
VW board member Ulrich Hackenberg told Autocar that the WRC involvement would make a Polo GTI-topping model “more likely”. “You can see how the World Rally Championship program would increase the probability of an R version of the base model,” said Hackenberg, who added that the launch of the Polo R should coincide with the start rally program in 2013.
The car would probably use a more powerful version of the 1.4-liter turbocharged and supercharged engine used by the Polo GTI. Output will most likely be over 200 horsepower, as in the Polo GTI the four-cylinder unit delivers 180 horsepower. It is unclear, however, if the Polo R would adopt a four-wheel drive system as Audi's future S1 model, built on the same platform.

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2012 VW Beetle to Participate in New Car Sharing Scheme

To be completely frank, what caught our attention in Volkswagen’s latest press release (and probably yours in this post) on the new pilot car-sharing program called Quicar, wasn’t the news itself but the special livery of the 2012 Beetle shown in the promotional set of photos. Nevertheless, since we already told you the headline here’s the rest of the story on Volkswagen’s new car sharing concept that will take place in the German city of Hanover (orHannover).
Due to be set in motion this fall, the project will see Europe’s largest automaker providing a fleet of cars that will be used in a sharing scheme with customers booking the vehicles in advance through the Internet, a special app or a call center up to five minutes before the car is needed. A chip card or a chip fixed to the driver’s license unlocks the car, which can be driven after the customer enters a PIN number using the integrated touch screen.
When Quicar launches, there will be some 50 pick-up and drop-off locations all over the city of Hannover, but VW said this number could reach 100 in the medium term.
Volkswagen said it will start off with 200 Golf BlueMotion vehicles equipped with a 1.6 TDI diesel engine that returns an average fuel consumption of 3.8lt/100km (equal to 61.9 mpg US), corresponding to CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. The 2012 Beetle seen in the pictures along with some variants of the Caddy will be added to VW’s car sharing fleet shortly after the launch of the program.

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