Hasta La Gadget!

A Czech fugitive living in South Africa nearly met his end in bizarrely James Bond-like fashion when he was fired upon by a Volkswagen CrossPolo that packed machine guns behind its rear license plate. Seriously, this is a thing that actually happened.

Read more…

Volkswagen has announced some changes it will be introducing in the 2014 model year, among them being a replacement of the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine currently used in the Beetle, Passat, and Jetta with a 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection 4-cylinder TSI engine. In addition, the auto maker will also be expanding its R-Line with five new models.

In particular, the VW Jetta SE and SEL models will get a new 170-horsepower 1.8-liter engine, which will boost its mileage rating by about 16-percent. In addition, all of the Jetta models will be changed up to offer independent rear suspension, as well as some technology changes that include Navigation in select models, and an MFI high-res display in the instrument panel.

The 2014 Beetles will also be seeing a new 1.8-liter engine, which has an estimated highway fuel economy boost of 17-percent, a tad higher than the increase for the Jetta models. The Turbo model will be replaced with the Beetle R-Line model, gaining new bumpers, badging, and the option for Bi-Xenon headlamps and 19-inch wheels.

The Passat will see new trimmings and the new 1.8-liter engine, with Volkswagen saying this will start with the SEL model. The new engine will give the Passat 184 lb-ft of torque, as well as new electro-mechanical steering, which will trump the current hydraulic offering. The VW Car-Net system will be available in the Wolfsburg and higher editions.

In general, all the Volkswagen models will be E15 capable starting with the 2014 models, and the VW Car-Net connectivity system will be rolled out in “a broad range of models.” The auto maker has added the Touareg R-Line to its lineup of vehicles, as well as the addition of an R-Line to the Tiguan range. The Routan, meanwhile, will be carried over without change only as a fleet model.

SOURCE: VW

Volkswagen to use 1.8-liter turbocharged engine in 2014 models is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

When someone talks about high gas mileage, most consumers think of hybrid vehicles and the generous MPG ratings they offer. That isn’t always the case, however, as Volkswagen proved this month with its VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel passenger car. The car began its trip through the 48 lower US states on June 7, and

Read The Full Story

Bumblebee, you’re doing it wrong. Or maybe he just got scared and decided to roll into a ball. This vehicular sculpture was actually made by Indonesian artist Ichwan Noor. He created this Volkswagen sphere that is 1.8 meters across out of the parts of actual Volkswagen Beetle.

To put it in more artsy-fartsy terms:

The sculpture’s visual form yields an impression of a sphere – the basis of all forms. The shape of a car is pressed onto the spherical form, producing a dynamic movement, a certain flexibility, but also fragility. It is a concept of “totems” that is embraced/believed by the people of today.

Or maybe it’s just cool because someone crushed a car into a ball and it looks like Bumblebee. Yeah, that’s why I like it.

In related news…

[via Japan Times via Colossal via Neatorama]

Volkswagen is planning to roll out updates to both its Beetle turbo and Jetta GLI, bestowing them with new engines, better MPGs, and higher price tags. The update models are going to be rolled out later this year, and will feature an average of a few hundred more dollars on their respective price tags over current offerings.

The Jetta GLI, Beetle turbo, and 2013 Beetle are all going to be updated with a Gen 3 EA888 engine, which is a 4-cylinder 2-liter turbocharged engine that offers drivers 210 horsepower, a small boost over the current 200-horsepower offering. With the new engine, these vehicles will also see a (very) slight increase in their mileage ratings, to the tune of between 1 and 2 MPG. Not a huge increase, but like all things it’ll add up in the long-haul.

Although the cars will get better mileage than the current models, the updated MPG won’t be advertised on the 2013 models, instead being rolled out to the 2014 models after the government okay’s the figures. Looking at the current models, the Jetta GLI is rated at 24MPG in the city, and the Beetle turbo is rated at 22MPG in the city. So for the updated models, we’ll be seeing something like 24MPG and 26MPG, respectively.

Volkswagen says it will be rolling out R-Line bumpers on the Beetles, with coupe model offering a 6-speed transmission and a starting price of $30,135. The Jetta GLI will be seeing the addition of LED tail lights on all of its models. Consumers can also expect to see new rear bumpers, 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and more. No mention of the dates when the new vehicles will hit dealerships.

[via USA Today]

Volkswagen to update Beetle turbo and Jetta GLI this month is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.