2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift in depth
Six weeks after its official announcement at the Beijing auto show, full details are finally being released about the 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift. The Dresden-produced Volkswagen flagship saloon is available with either two individual rear seats or a bench, and can be purchased with a long wheelbase.
Changes to the car include a completely remodeled front end that incorporates LED cornering lights, and bi-xenon headlights that touch either side of the chrome grille. The rear light cluster is also comprised of LEDs behind smoked lenses. In keeping with Volkswagen’s current design language, “horizontal lines dominate the geometry,” according to a press release.
Categories: Volkswagen Tags: Volkswagen
Review: 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI delivers potent one-two punch of efficiency and entertainment
It’s time for American consumers to stop being scared of small diesel cars. Currently, we can’t think of a single automaker that isn’t shelling out bags of money to research and develop new hybrid powertrains – cars that are efficient first and fun-to-drive second (or third, or fourth). Diesel vehicles, on the other hand, offer a different sort of solution. Gobs of torque delivered at low revs and impressive fuel economy work together without sacrificing too much in the way of driving pleasure. Besides, does anyone really want to live in “One Nation Under Prius?”
Volkswagen introduced us to its new Jetta TDI a little over a year ago, proving that clean diesel technology offers a way forward for anyone who gives a hoot about driver involvement. Now, the automaker has fitted its well-received 2.0-liter diesel engine in the all-new sixth-generation Golf. Can this hatch prove to America that it’s possible to fuse efficiency and enthusiasm together in a high-quality package? Can you really have your cake and eat it, too?
Visually, the 2010 Volkswagen Golf is simple yet stylish. Gone is the chrome-heavy nose of the last-generation car, and while the overall shape hasn’t changed a whole lot, it’s important to note that the MkVI Golf doesn’t share a single piece of bodywork with the MkV Rabbit (yes, we’re glad the name has been changed back, too). What Volkswagen has done is something that’s really underappreciated – make a car that’s visually appealing while not being over the top. These days, it seems that some automakers put too much effort into creating bold design for little more than shock value, and it’s refreshing to see that Volkswagen stands by its core goal of attractive simplicity.
Categories: Auto Review, Car Review, Hatchbacks, Volkswagen Tags: Volkswagen
New York 2010 Live: Second generation Volkswagen Touareg makes U.S. debut, Hybrid too
Volkswagen has just unveiled its 2011 Touareg for the first time in the States, giving us Americans a chance to see the slimmed down SUV and its hybrid sibling that we first saw at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month. This second generation Touareg will still have a diesel option, but for those who like to feel even better about themselves while they gently crush wildflowers in the Arctic National Preserve, there’s also a hybrid model offered for the first time in a VW SUV.The hybrid model gets a 3.0-liter, supercharged, direct injection V6 gasoline engine paired with an electric motor and eight-speed automatic transmission that help it to a mileage rating of 21 miles per gallon city and 25 highway. That V6-plus-electric-motor combo also combines for 375 horsepower and 428 lbs.-ft. of torque, allowing a healthy towing capacity of up to 7,700 pounds.
Categories: Auto Show, Hybrid, New York Auto Show, SUV, Volkswagen Tags:
