How To: Polish Your Car Like a Pro

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Source: Internet

Retro Styled Bulli Concept For 2014

Click here to read the post in The Car Connection.

Source: Internet

Volkswagen Up!

Don't forget to include the exclamation point whenever you mention the Up! The concept was first displayed at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and this year we get to see the production model. Built to compete in a crowded European entry-level hatchback market, the Up! is slated to get between 54.6 and 56 mpg, depending on the engine chosen. No word yet on whether VW plans on bringing the Up! to the U.S.; with the engines rated at between 59 and 74 horsepower, we'd be doubtful, except that save for a 68-horsepower natural gas option, the engines are powered by standard gasoline.

Source: Internet

Volkswagen Nils Electric Car Concept: 2011

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2012 Volkswagen Beetle

Click Here to read the review on the 2012 Beetle.

Source: Thecarconnection

VW Bug-In #4

EUROPEAN BUG-IN #4

Source: Streetfire.net

VW Pickup

Source: Internet

Early 60's VW 23 window Volkswagen Bus

Source: Internet

1935-1936 VW 3 Prototype

Source: Internet

2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible Coming Next Spring

The wraps have only just come off the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle but so far only the hard-top model has been revealed. However, as we saw with the previous generation ‘New Beetle’, sales of the convertible are just as important as those of the coupe and in some years were actually the higher of the two.

In fact, from 2003 to 2005, the New Beetle Convertible was the more popular choice, with sales managing to peak at 24,255 units in 2003, its first full year of sales.



Understandably, Volkswagen will be keen to launch the convertible version of its latest Beetle and thanks to information revealed at a first drive event of the hard-top, we can now reveal that it will come onto the market next spring as a 2013 model.

The 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible will once again feature an automated folding soft-top and should be priced only slightly higher than the hard-top, which lists from $19,765.

It turns out Volkswagen is also waiting until next spring to launch the diesel version of the latest Beetle, the Beetle TDI. This fuel friendly model will be offered in either coupe or convertible bodystyles and will come with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine rated at 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is a claimed 29/40 mpg city/highway.



Look out for the debut of the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show this September, but in the meantime, click here for our first drive report of the coupe, which goes on sale in October.

Source: TheCarConnection

Volkswagen New Beetle Ragster

What Is It?

Volkswagen New Beetle Ragster Concept

What's Special About It?

Although man has harnessed fire, split the atom and created Pay Per View, few thought it could be done, but this concept car unequivocally proves VW's cute Beetle can be a tough-looking, masculine ride with more attitude than a New York City cab driver.

Based on a production Beetle convertible, the horribly named Ragster was designed by Salaeman Halim at Volkswagen's California design studio. "I wanted to give the car more direction and more attitude," says Halim, whose dream car is a Lamborghini Countach LP400. "But I didn't want it to try and be something more than it is."

Halim achieved his objectives by shortening the A-pillars 90 mm and adding a square roof that is 4 inches lower than the Beetle's usual rounded top. The result is a chopped-top look any hot rodder will recognize and respond to positively. Within the U-shaped frame of the top is a sliding canvas panel, which makes the car a kind of quasi-speedster. It's also the genesis for half the car's questionable name, which combines the words "ragtop" and "speedster."

Halim also added edge to the Beetle's bumpers and wheel wells, redesigned the taillights, added large cross-drilled brake rotors, too-cool redline tires and 19-inch alloy wheels. Then he had his creation painted "Rebel-White" with silver racing stripes.

"The redline tires serve three purposes," says Derek Jenkins, Volkswagen's advanced design chief in North America. "They evoke the rideline drag slicks of the 1950s and 1960s, they're supposed to remind people of Hot Wheels and they enhance the diameter of the large wheels."

Inside the Ragster, Halim added racing bucket seats covered in chocolate brown leather with unique white stitching, a three-spoke steering wheel and a dash-mounted rearview mirror.

The powertrain is a mystery. VW says a powerful gasoline engine or a high-torque TDI are imaginable should the Ragster see production.

Source: Insideline

Volkswagen Future Vehicles

Volkswagen CC

2014 Volkswagen CC: After receiving a midcycle refresh in 2011, the CC should get its first redesign around the 2014 Model Year.

Volkswagen Golf

2013 Volkswagen Golf: Redesigned for 2010, the Volkswagen Golf won't get a significant refresh until the 2013 model year. At that time, Volkswagen may add a plug-in hybrid version of the Golf to the lineup.

2013 Volkswagen Golf R: New for Model Year 2013 is the Volkswagen Golf R. Essentially being the old R32, expect it to have standard all-wheel drive, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that puts out around 270 hp, and will be available in two and four-door configurations. The only transmission offered will be a six-speed manual.

Volkswagen GTI

2013 Volkswagen GTI: All-new for 2010, the Volkswagen GTI won't get a significant refresh until the 2013 model year.

Volkswagen Jetta

2012 Volkswagen Jetta Coupe: Previewed by the NCC concept at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, the production version of the Jetta Coupe is expected to arrive in late 2011. It will share all of the same drivetrain components with the Jetta sedan and should be priced accordingly.

2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid: A plug-in hybrid version of the next-generation Jetta is planned for production by 2012.

Volkswagen New Beetle

2012 Volkswagen Beetle: After over a decade on the market, the Volkswagen Beetle finally gets a full redesign for the 2012 model year. Expected to go on sale in the fall of 2011 in the U.S., this Beetle, which was revealed at this year's New York auto show, will be slightly bigger than the current model with styling apparently inspired by the Porsche 356.

Volkswagen Passat

2012 Volkswagen Passat: All new for the 2012 model year, the Passat will have a drastically reduced base price and will be available with a 2.0-liter TDI engine good for 43 mpg.

Volkswagen Polo

2013 Volkswagen Polo: This subcompact hatchback has been on sale for years in Europe. The latest version may finally make its way to the States as Volkswagen sees a larger potential market for cars of its size.

Volkswagen Tiguan

2013 Volkswagen Tiguan: A redesign of the Tiguan is expected to arrive by 2012.

Volkswagen Touareg

2014 Volkswagen Touareg: The second-generation Volkswagen Touareg went on sale in the U.S. at the end of 2010. The earliest we expect a refresh to happen is around the 2014 Model Year.

Volkswagen Up!

2013 Volkswagen Up!: Volkswagen may bring its Up! city car to the U.S. by 2012. Although the two-door version is expected to go on sale in Europe in 2011, the U.S. will probably get a four-door version based on the Space Up! concept. An all-electric version of the Up! is also under consideration for the U.S. market.

Source: Insideline

1963 Volkswagen VW Beetle & Bus Ad

Source: Internet

Volkswagen Reviews

Volkswagen built its first car, the Beetle, in 1945; with the Type 2 transporter the company stuck with the same tiny model range until well into the 1960s. When the Volkswagen Passat arrived in 1973 it marked a new era for the company, which has always sat between the mainstream and premium sectors.

The really big news for the marque was the Volkswagen Golf of 1974, which would become an icon - and especially when developed into the Golf GTi. Another brand which Volkswagen introduced in the early 1970s is the VW Polo - and once again it's still with us, alongside the Touran, Touareg, Phaeton and Fox.

Enjoy these Volkswagen's pictures of early models:

Volkswagen Bus




21 Window Bus






1960 Volkswagen Bus








Volkswagen Camper Bus


Volkswagen Mini Bus

Volkswagen Beetles






1968 Volkswagen


1959 Volkswagen Beetle Deluxe

Source: Internet

2011 Volkswagen CC

The Basics

While basically a restyled version of Volkswagen's conservative Passat sedan (no longer offered for 2011 while an all-new version waits in the wings), the CC hits an entirely different aesthetic realm—and to many, looks like a more expensive car than it is.

Key Takeaway

The 2011 Volkswagen CC has performance that doesn't altogether match its sexy shape, and seating space is disappointing, but otherwise there's a lot to like.

If you feel that the 2011 Volkswagen CC feels a little bit like an auto-show concept, or a much more expensive vehicle, you're not alone. The CC takes after the Mercedes-Benz CLS with its stunning, coupe-like silhouette, frameless windows, and long, flowing design—including nice rear styling that tucks neatly down. The Volkswagen CC's interior still stands out several years after introduction; it includes details like contrast stitching, contrast color themes for the upholstery, and pleasing, upscale trims that aren't typical in a car that starts well under the $30k mark.

While the strong, sleek appearance of the 2011 Volkswagen CC might suggest sport sedan, it's not quite that. All of the CC models are quick on the straight line, though they don't handle with the verve of a sport sedan, clearly trading off some crispness for comfort. The engine that powers most of the CC line is the excellent 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder, making 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, and we much prefer it to the 3.6-liter VR6 engine that's available (only in 4Motion all-wheel-drive guise). VW's excellent DSG automatic is now offered in the CC, and we like it or the standard manual. The VR6, which has to be revved a bit, simply doesn't move the CC that much quicker to justify its fuel economy figures, of just 17 mpg city.

The VW CC handles well, but that's not its forte. Most of the lineup—especially the four-cylinder models—ride quite well, and lavish interior trims feel luxury-car caliber; the interior is tight and serene, too.

But take even a brief look at the rather odd seating arrangement and slightly cramped backseat, and it's abundantly clear that the Volkswagen CC is a vehicle that was designed for form over function. Backseat space isn't passable for adults, for head room reasons, while the front-seat position is, for lack of terse terms, a bit odd.

Volkswagen hasn't skimped on features in the CC sedans; all of them, even the base Sport, come very well-equipped. The CC is available in Sport, Lux, and Executive models, with Sport and Lux models getting the four-cylinder engine and the Executive upgrading to the VR6 and 4Motionn all-wheel drive.

Bluetooth connectivity is now standard on all models, along with a new sound system that includes an auxiliary input and iPod connectivity. The navigation system in the CC is an all-new unit this year, while the top Dynaudio sound system is now only offered on the top Executive VR6.

Source: Internet/TheCarConnection

2011 Volkswagen Tiguan

The Basics

The stylish Volkswagen Tiguan is based on the Golf platform, so it's compact and beneath it all more car than ute. It measures 173.2 inches in length, 72.8 inches in width, and 66.5 inches in height, with one of the taller, more upright stances of vehicles in this compact segment. Design-wise, it gives the impression, as vehicles in this class often do, of a vehicle that was designed from the inside out; the smooth but conservative look appears as more blandly contemporary than sporty or adventurous. But there's nice detailing to keep it in line with Volkswagen's cars, as well as the Touareg SUV.

Key Takeaway

The 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan feels refined and sophisticated, but it's not especially rewarding to drive.

The 2011 Tiguan drives more like an especially tall car than a utility vehicle, and it does, at least at first impression, feel significantly more nimble and responsive feel than rivals like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The basics are promising; the Tiguan packs a 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, with front- or all-wheel-drive configurations, and transmission options include either a six-speed manual or an automatic. But the goods aren't here to satisfy enthusiasts; the Tiguan is tuned for all-around ability rather than ultimate precision, and this reflects in the ride, steering, and brakes.

The Tiguan has the straightforward, versatile, and comfortable interior that compact crossover shoppers look for. Sporty and supportive seats give good comfort and an excellent driving position in front, and the flexible interior package includes second-row split bench seats designed to slide and tilt. Even larger adults will be very comfortable in the front seats, thanks to generous headroom, shoulder room, and legroom, and the back seats are ample for adults. The cargo compartment has a small hidden storage bin underneath the load floor, and with the 60/40-split back seats folded there's 56 cubic feet of expanded cargo space. A twin glove box up front adds convenience, and there are numerous other cubbies.

Overall, the Tiguan has a very refined, high-quality feel inside. Fit and finish and build quality in the Tiguan are top-notch, and while there's a little wind noise on the highway, the Tiguan's cabin is well isolated from road and engine noise.

With the Tiguan, Volkswagen keeps to its commitment to safety features and top-notch occupant protection. Standard features include front side airbags, side-curtain bags, and stability control, while rear side thorax airbags—not often available in this class—are an option. On all-wheel-drive versions, hill descent control is also included, to help control speed on steep slopes. Safety results have been excellent.

For 2011, the Tiguan gets a new lineup of alloy wheel designs, as well as new steering-wheel designs—including multi-function buttons for audio. Base S models get a new single-CD sound system, and an iPod adapter and voice-activated Bluetooth are now also standard on all models. The SEL model includes leather seats and push-button start, and roof-rack rails come with SE and SEL trims. Noteworthy options include a sizable panoramic sunroof, a navigation system (improved for this year), and a music hard drive, and an iPod connection. The navigation and audio setup also includes DVD video playback when the vehicle is stopped, and an SD memory card slot. The top Dynaudio system remains offered only on the Tiguan SEL 4Motion model.

Source: Internet/TheCarConnection

VW Goes Retro

What is it? The Microbus-inspired Bulli concept will be part of a subfamily of more distinctive VW's that will include the new Beetle, out next June, and the baby Up! hatchback due in the fall. These new cars will be more youthful and have more of a sports feel and visual character, but without losing the core functionality of the brand.

What makes it hot? The all-electric Bulli has a range of 186 miles on its 40-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The battery pack is sandwiched in the floor of the van and could be recharged in less than an hour, according to VW, at an "electric refueling station" designed for electric vehicles. Unlike the original Microbus, the concept's electric motor is positioned in front of the vehicle and drives the front wheels. The 114-horsepower motor delivers 199 lb-ft of torque. VW says the concept would run from zero to 62 mph in 11.5 seconds. Top speed is limited to 87 mph.



What concerns us? VW has long struggled to invest its models with the emotional character of the original Beetle. The Bulli concept signals the start of a campaign to reinvigorate this critical strand of the Volkswagen DNA. A good idea? Only time will tell.

When and how much? Yet to be determined.



Our verdict? A generation of baby boomers with fond memories of the old VW Microbus will undoubtedly say, "Build it and we will buy it." And the fact that it is electric should have cross-generational appeal with similarly minded eco-conscious youngsters. Not a bad combination.

Source: Internet

Microbus Truck Concept

Source: Internet

2001 Volkswagen Microbus Concept

Source: Internet

1973 VW Van

I will make no apologies for admitting that some of my favorite vintage automobiles are among the most humble. The VW Transporter Van is one of those. I've never owned one but have an indirect connection through a former racing buddy, Ben Pon Jr., whose father was the Dutch Volkswagen distributor that sketched the original concept and handed it to VW management with the Recommendation that such a vehicle, based on the Beetle, would be a commercial success. VW Canada loaned me an "office van" as a mobile platform for Wheelspin, a TV show in which I was host, so I'm familiar with the fun (and it is fun) of driving a Transporter.

What brings this to mind is a tip from Nigel Matthews about a 1973 Volkswagen Type2 (the official designation) with less than 33 km (about 20 miles) on the clock being auctioned by Coy's in London's Royal Horticultural Hall on February 27. The panel van was one of two bought by a Finnish Farmer in July 1974 with the idea that when one was no longer serviceable he would use the other one. He never did!

Source: Internet

2011 Toyota Sienna

The 2011 Toyota Sienna may be the Japanese automaker's third-generation minivan, but Toyota emphasizes that the new Sienna is becoming more carlike than ever. Want proof? How about the new Sienna SE sport van, which actually handles like something you'd want to drive, outside of Krogering?

The Sienna gets smart updates to its drivetrains and its interior package for 2011, but not to its seating configurations, which still lag the class-leading Dodge Grand Caravan and Nissan Quest in flexibility. To compensate, Toyota's offering a pair of business-class seats for the second row, just in case your kids don't have enough first-world problems.

The Sienna is offered in a broad model range, and remains the only minivan with an all-wheel-drive option. Available with either a four- or six-cylinder engine and in seven- or eight-passenger versions, the new Sienna strikes us as a worthwhile take on a more fun to drive minivan, though Toyota might not like the fact that we like the cheap four-cylinder version best of all. There's just not much reason to spend a lot on the V-6 versions, since the smaller engine is powerful enough--and since almost all of the safety goodies are standard.

The Sienna's competition includes the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, the the Nissan Quest and the Honda Odyssey. It's a solid competitor, and really, any of these can be justified for your reason of choice.

Source: Internet

Two Ford Freedom - 1950's TV Ad

Source: Internet

Volkswagen Tiguan Design

Source: Internet