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Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing , Volkswagen When building a new factory, especially one as large and complex as an auto manufacturing plant, there are plenty of elements that can throw things off schedule. Scheduling itself, however, is rarely the problem, especially for a German company. But that's the reason why Volkswagen has delayed the groundbreaking ceremony for its new plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee . According to VW spokespersons, the ceremony is being delayed until March due to several members of the company's management board in Wolfsburg wanting to be present, but can't make it any earlier. (And it's not even Oktoberfest yet!) However, Volkswagen insists that construction of the $1 billion plant is progressing as planned. This also includes the city's preparations for hosting the factory, refurbishing office buildings downtown, the opening of a new school for the German-speaking children of VW employees, stores and restaurants to cater to the workforce...
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Filed under: Hatchbacks , Volkswagen , Rumormill Click above to view the current Volkswagen Polo GTI in our hi-res image gallery The interwebs were all alight like Times Square last night with reports of a new Polo GTI on the way. According to Auto Express , the mini-GTI will upgrade on the upcoming replacement for the current Polo with all manner of GTI-trademarked upgrades, from sport seats to the black grille with red stripe, with power provided by the same 1.4-liter twin-charged TSI four as the upcoming SEAT Ibiza Cupra and driving 178hp through a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG to reach sixty in about seven seconds. Sounds good, though we're not likely to get the Polo in the American market, in regular or sport versions, for the foreseeable future. What the reports apparently neglect to mention, however, in their enthusiasm for a revived Polo GTI, is that Volkswagen already makes one. The current Polo GTI revived the model in late 2005 with a 1.8-liter turbo four offering up...
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Filed under: Marketing/Advertising , Volkswagen Click above to watch video after the jump DDB London, the ad firm that gave VW the singing dog commercial - and took home an award for its work - is back in the ring with a spot for the new Golf . Taking a little bit of Matrix , a little bit of Bourne , and even a spin kick move from Transporter 3 , a VW designer has to battle his way to the very end to prove a point. As usual, it's pretty nifty and worth a watch. And after that, if you're looking for something completely different, you should check out this VW ad that presents an entirely new take on Toy Story. Check 'em both out after the jump . [Source: Guardian ] Continue reading VIDEO: New VW Golf commercial goes Matrix VIDEO: New VW Golf commercial goes Matrix originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Volkswagen , Rumormill When VW unveiled the Passat CC at Detroit last January, a lot of us wondered whether it ought to simply be the Passat sedan instead of an additional model in the range, which would then have to battle the regular Passat for sales. Now it looks as if that scenario we envisioned might be the case for model year 2009. A contributor to the VWvortex forums has posted what's reportedly a list of product changes for the upcoming year. Most of them are completely mundane, but for the Passat sedan, the change listed says, "Updated End of Production Date - wk 51/08." We read that as being the 51st week of 2008, which is this coming week. Assuming it's all on the level (we've got an email in to VW for confirmation), come 2009, the Passat Wagon's counterpart in U.S. showrooms will be the CC. Makes sense to us. Thanks for the tip, Jay! [Source: VWvortex ] Rumormill: VW kills Passat sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on...
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Filed under: Time Warp , Coupes , Economy , Volkswagen , Rendered Speculation Click above for high-res renderings of a possible New Beetle When designing a retro-style automobile like the revived MINI, Mustang or VW Beetle, the first generation is the easy one. The second go-round, on the other hand, is a tougher nut to crack, and the easy thing to do is to maintain the status quo. Volkswagen did just that when it revised its New Beetle back in 2006, but the third-generation of today's Bug is expected to ratchet things up a bit design-wise. We're expecting something more mature , perhaps along the lines of the Ragster concept from 2005, which emphasized its low-slung bodywork with a chopped top reminiscent of the Porsche Speedster. Flashier lights and more angular sheetmetal are also distinct possibilities. Whatever the case, it won't be an easy redesign. VeeDub could stay the course by keeping the cute and charming nature of the current New Beetle intact or it could spice things...
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Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing , Volkswagen Anyone paying attention to the world economy shouldn't be surprised to hear that Volkswagen is the latest company to feel some financial discomfort. Automotive News cites Automobilwoche, which says about 2,000 VW managers will meet Thursday in Dresden with CEO Martin Winterkorn to discuss the company's future plans. A source tells the German magazine that several things are on the agenda. Production cuts are almost a given and plans for future models are not safe. Automobilwoche specifically mentions the plant currently being built in Chattanooga as one that will be under review. Hopefully this is not the end of the on again/off again U.S.-bound Scirocco or the Mk VI GTI we were looking forward to. But don't get your hopes up for that mid-engined roadster debuting in Detroit. [Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. via Automobilwoche ] VW could cut production, new models to weather downturn originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Volkswagen Click above for a high-res gallery of the JE Design Scirocco Volkswagen's new Scirocco seems to be the hottest new platform for Euro tuners, with Abt and MTM already coming out with tuning packages. JE Design has developed their own line of parts and accessories, starting with a subtle three piece aero kit that includes a new front spoiler, side skirts, and a rear spoiler extension. A performance kit boosts the turbocharged 2.0L inline-four to 244 bhp and 258 lb-ft torque, while an upgraded exhaust system adds another 11 more horsepower. Also available are lowering springs and multispoke wheels in a variety of finishes. Now if we could only get Volkswagen to once again reconsider its decision to not bring the Scirocco stateside . Hit the jump to read the press release. Gallery: JE Design Scirocco [Source: JE Design] Continue reading JE Design throws its Scirocco into the mix JE Design throws its Scirocco into the mix originally appeared...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Hatchbacks , Volkswagen Click above for a high-res gallery of the MTM Scirocco R It was only a matter of time before the Audi and VW specialists over at MTM got their hands on a Scirocco. The results are what we would expect from the German tuner: up to 272 horsepower, a sporty suspension, better brakes, and handsome 19- or 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin tires. The boost in power comes from a re-mapped ECU combined with a new exhaust system that runs out of a modified rear fascia. The upgraded suspension system includes lowering springs and sport-tuned shocks, and the brakes come with eight-piston calipers with up to 15-inch discs. Full details in the press release after the jump. Gallery: MTM Scirocco R [Source: MTM] Continue reading MTM pumps up the VW Scirocco MTM pumps up the VW Scirocco originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Euro , Hatchbacks , Volkswagen , Misc. Auto Shows It's been no secret that a facelifted VW Golf Plus has been in the works for a while. It's just that the Euro-market hatch wasn't supposed to be formally revealed quite yet. The car will be introduced on Wednesday with the usual fanfare at the Bologna Motor Show, but media at this week's Essen Motor Show got a sneak preview when they picked up the Golf Plus brochure at the VW stand. The error was apparently corrected in short order, but once something's out, it's out. Dutch paper De Telegraaf , which was also the first outlet to run official Panamera photos a week or so ago, was among those who grabbed a copy of the new Golf Plus materials. Their scan is what's shown above. As you can see here, it looks pretty much like the old Golf Plus, except it has the new Golf's front-end theme. We'll see the whole thing when VW releases more images and specs next week. If you click the photo you can...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Euro , Hatchbacks , Volkswagen , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for a hi-res gallery of the ABT Scirocco So, the Essen Motor Show is coming up. For those of you unaware, it's basically a Euro SEMA. All the tuners will be there, showing off stuff that's both decent and dreadful, proving that yes, Europeans can do bad taste as well as anyone this side of the Atlantic. ABT is entirely capable of serving up either dish, but in the case of their Scirocco, they manage to stay on the better side of decent. You know the drill: body kit, wheels, suspension, brakes. They have power upgrades, too -- bumping the wee 1.4 TSI to 200 horses, and the 2.0 TSI to 240. Unfortunately, a look 'round back indicates that this whole stacked-tailpipes thing recently adopted by Lexus and Ferrari is on its way to becoming a fad. We love this shade of green, which looks to be the same as that used on the original VW IROC concept , but ABT's car wins because it doesn't...
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Filed under: Economy , Hybrids/Alternative , Euro , Green , Volkswagen Click above for a high-res gallery of the Volkswagen up! concept European manufacturers seem to have been taken aback by the recent success of their microcars. Now that consumers have gotten a taste of what life is like when you're choosing between filling your tank or your stomach, industry insiders are predicting that the microcar category will only pick up steam. Daimler is sitting pretty with its smart brand, BMW is working on a city-spec Isetta revival, Toyota has responded with its diminutive iQ and VW went small with its Up! concept cars. But VeeDub's got even smaller ideas on its corporate mind, working on an smaller city car to slot below its already dinky Up! model. Power for the city car will come from either a 1.2L four cylinder or an oil-burning three-pot. That gasoline engine is expected to feature cylinder cutoff technology so it can operate on just half of its allotment of pistons when full power...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Sedans/Saloons , Volkswagen WRCB Chattanooga is fast becoming the go-to source for info on Volkswagen's upcoming New Midsize Sedan, a.k.a. the NMS. They were the ones who brought us a rather unrevealing video from Berlin containing a few morsels of information about this car that will slot in between the Jetta and Passat. The local Tennessee station does have a vested interested in NMS news, as the new sedan will be produced exclusively in North America at Volkswagen's new plant being built in Chattanooga. Now they're apparently in the spy photo business, having procured this shot of what is said to be an NMS mule being unloaded from a transporter in Germany. Man, that looks an awful lot like a next-gen Jetta both in shape and size, but the station claims a piece of paper on the windshield reads "VW 411 NMS". When shown to a source inside VW, however, WRCB was told that this was not the NMS. So who knows what we're looking at, but it was...
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Filed under: Hatchbacks , Volkswagen Click above for a hi-res gallery of the 2009 Volkswagen Golf GTI Volkswagen customers in the United States have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the new sixth-generation Rabbit and its GTI performance variant. And while it's still a little ways off, at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel as the German automaker has announced that the new model will hit the U.S. market in early September 2009. European customers, meanwhile, already began taking delivery of their new Golfs last month, with the GTI due to arrive there next summer. American versions will initially be available with the current 2.5-liter inline-five, a new 2-liter turbodiesel in the TDI version and the GTI's 2-liter TSI. A new 1.8-liter TFSI is expected to replace the base 2.5-liter unit, with 4Motion all-wheel-drive, TwinDrive hybrid and LPG versions to follow, as well as a possible all-electric version and a replacement for the current top-of-the-line R32 performance...
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Filed under: LA Auto Show , Motorsports , Volkswagen Click above for high-res image gallery of the Race Touareg 2 This is Volkswagens entrant in this weekend's Baja 1000: a spaceframe-chassis Touareg TDI with 75 cm of suspension travel competing in the top-dog Trophy Truck class and utilizing an oil-burning V12 with nearly 550 hp. That's a long way from the first VW win in 1967 that came courtesy of a VW Beetle converted into one of the soon-to-be-ubiquitous dune monsters. Driver Mark Miller won the Baja 500 last year in the first Race Touareg. Aided by helicopters and eight support vehicles, we'll find out on Sunday if he and navigator Ryan Arciero can take The Big One this year. Gallery: LA 2008: Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 Live photos copyright (C)2008 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading LA 2008: VW Race Touareg 2 LA 2008: VW Race Touareg 2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email...
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Filed under: Euro , Marketing/Advertising , Videos , Volkswagen Click above to watch the video AutoCar readers have voted on the year's best car commercial, and unsurprisingly, it's not from America. Neither is AutoCar, sure, but that still doesn't quite explain why we get GM's Our Country ads and the rest of you get ninja kittens and singing dogs. We're not even sure how singing dogs sell cars - which might be why we don't get them - but they're a lot more fun. The dog can try to explain himself in this year's winning video after the jump. [Source: Automoto Portal ] Continue reading VIDEO: AutoCar Ad of the Year - Volkswagen's Singing Dog VIDEO: AutoCar Ad of the Year - Volkswagen's Singing Dog originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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