Being a car guy, my automotive interests are actually mostly focused on two very different ends of the spectrum. I love high-performing, high-horsepower cars. Cars like the Audi R8 and Corvette ZR1 bring a huge, stupid grin to my face. On the other end, however, I’m a student of vehicles that are small on the outside but fairly spacious inside. In other words, I can appreciate a good packaging job more than the next guy. I’ve been following the excruciatingly long gestation period of the Scion iQ for years, and was delighted to have the chance to drive a very different, but almost similar, Volkswagen Up! at a recent media event.
Tag Archives | Volkswagen
Video Review: 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan SE 2WD
The 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan is a refreshed model for this year. For 2012 the Tiguan has received a revised exterior and upgraded transmission bits that help it look more like the rest of its family and remain competitive in the pile of little SUVs. In a word, the little VW is adorable. The Tiguan wins the award for the car that I have driven that garnered the most approving looks from the women that it encountered. The Tiguan is easily likable, but like a lot of things little and adorable, it can do things that make you want to scold it and put it in a corner.
Hey, There’s a Cool Car: 1996 Volkswagen Golf Harlequin
The same friend who first introduced me into the thrills of high-school hoonage—in a late 1970s Chevy Monza—recently bought this 1996 Volkswagen Golf Harlequin, and I was lucky enough to get some time behind the wheel. For those who haven’t read the head Savant’s own piece on the car, from 2009, the Golf Harlequin actually came that way right from the factory.
Review: 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn DSG
There are several ways to make your critics shut up. One is to address their criticisms point by point, giving in to your critics’ concerns. One is to ignore them and press on, sort of doubling down if you’re confident that you are making the right decision despite what the critics say. Or, you could respond the way Volkswagen did to criticism directed at its de-contented 2011 Jetta and do both – pressing forward with the lower-end models, but adding a higher-end model that addresses most of the criticisms levied at the lower-spec cars (albeit at a much higher price point).
Review: 2012 Volkswagen Passat SEL 2.5
As an automaker, how do you take a good – but slow selling – car and improve its sales by two or threefold? Volkswagen faced this very question during the development of the new-for-2012 Passat. Some people – my father-in-law included – really liked the Passat. But many more other potential buyers were unwilling to pay a premium price for a car from a non-premium brand. That Volkswagens had a run of reliability issues over the past several years didn’t help either. The solution? Remove a significant amount of cost from the car to dramatically drop its price, while disguising as much of the cost cutting as possible.
Why Would Anyone Buy a Classic Sports Car?
EBay, Barrett Jackson, and Hemmings all abound with classic and veteran sports cars for sale and auction year-round, but why do so many people want to buy one – or even more than one?
What makes an otherwise-sane person sink exorbitant amounts of money into an obsolete piece of machinery?
I bought my first classic sports car in the 90’s – a decrepit and pitiful 1978 MG Midget. That was just the beginning; I was bitten as they say. Shortly after the Midget came home, I bought a 1977 MGB, then a 1973 MGB, a 1967 MGB GT, BMWs, Porsches, Triumphs and on and on. Let’s take a look at the reasons why folks might consider buying a classic sports car.
Investors Launch $2.6 Billion USD Lawsuit Against Porsche Over Failed VW Takeover Bid
By Carl Malek
Typically, the start of a brand new year is usually an opportunity to look towards a bright future filled with new beginnings. Unfortunately for the folks at Porsche, an ugly incident from the company’s past has resurfaced thanks to the efforts of a group of investment funds which have filed a lawsuit seeking $2.6 billion USD in damages over the events that took place during the company’s ill-fated attempt to take over Volkswagen back in 2008.
Review: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI
By Chris Haak
I just finished reviewing a large, seven-passenger Chrysler Town & Country minivan, and now find myself moving onto my next task. In the Town & Country review, I laid out my argument for why minivans are really the ultimate family vehicles: they’re comfortable, safe, and efficient given the size of their interior.
Now, I want you to forget about everything I said about minivans, because really, you are looking at all the car an American family of four needs.
Next Generation GTI To Feature Power Increase
By Carl Malek
Volkswagen has been busy working on the finishing touches of its next generation GTI model, and it appears that a horsepower bump is in the cards for the new version of the original hot hatch. This is according to the folks over at Autocar Magazine, who claim that the familiar 2.0 liter turbocharged engine will be tweaked to help increase power from 200 horsepower to a more robust 220 horses. One of these tweaks is the use of a brand new valve lift system developed by Audi. Along with the revised engine, Autocar also states that the upcoming GTI and R variants will feature a brand new electronically controlled mechanically locking differential, which would help improve the performance of both models.
Ask the Autosavants: Will the VW Beetle Drop Its “Chick Car” Rep?
By Chris Haak
From the moment it was first displayed, Volkwagen executives have gone to great lengths to point out that the new Beetle (not the New Beetle, mind you) will appeal much more to male buyers than did the previous model. Of course, when the Beetle’s first publicity stunt is a giveaway on Oprah, I’m not sure how serious VW is about boosting the testosterone levels of their classically-shaped hatchback.
Nonetheless, even the press release makes no bones about the company’s intent to shift Beetle buyer demographics from a 65/35 female/male split to something closer to 50/50:
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First Drive: 2013 Volkswagen Up!
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Ernie: I should add one scarry thing about snapshot is, w...
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charly: we cant get it here because americans hate the die...
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Tom D.: Cool! And fun, VW should do stuff like this now....
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Kevin Gordon: George, it sounds like you've experienced the sam...