VW

Volkswagen Brings Back the Golf Cabriolet

The Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet may not be a luxury car per se, but back in the 80s the daughters of every rich family in California were driving one of these. The last all-new Cabrio was launched in 1993, and was discontinued in 2003. But now it's back.

Joining the Volkswagen line-up alongside the hard-top Eos convertible, the Golf Cabriolet features a fabric roof that takes both less time to operate and less space to store. A wide range of turbocharged, direct-injection engines will be available when orders begin after its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

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Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, geneva, geneva 2011, geneva motor show, volkswagen, volkswagen cabrio, volkswagen golf, volkswagen golf cabrio, volkswagen golf cabriolet, vw

Volkswagen Style by Karl Lagerfeld

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

In an effort to give their otherwise ordinary hatchbacks an added dose of Style, Volkswagen has teamed up with none other than the inimitable Karl Lagerfeld. Together the German icons of industry and fashion have put together the new Style packages for the Volkswagen Polo, Golf and Golf Plus.

The packages add special touches such as new alloys, tinted windows and lamp lenses and the special badges, while the Style Plus package upgrades the wheels again and throws in a sunroof too. Unfortunately both are only available in Germany for the time being. Lagerfeld's commercial for the cars (in German) is after the jump.

Gallery: Volkswagen Style by Karl Lagerfeld

Tags: Karl Lagerfeld, Volkswagen, volkswagen golf, volkswagen golf plus, Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Style, Volkswagen Style by Karl Lagerfeld, vw

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Gilt Groupe Puts Jettas Up For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Yesterday I mentioned a BMW up for sale on DailyWish. Gilt Groupe is in the car business this week too, selling a VW Jetta on their private flash sale site. The special deal carves off $10,000 from the price of the cars sold at Volkswagen dealerships. The low price of $5,995 each is only for Gilt members and will be offered for three days. The WSJ reports that access to today's sale will is available through Gilt's mobile applications on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Android devices. For the next two days the sales will be on Gilt.com as well as the mobile apps. The cars will be presented in "Gilt Gold" wrapping and about $18,000 in proceeds from the sales will be donated to the charity Dress for Success.

Luxury Daily questioned whether or not this move is a smart one for Gilt because the Jetta is outside the luxury purview. But as our reviewer Jonathon Ramsey saw earlier this year, the new Jetta handles itself quite well and does offer a quality driving experience.

Tags: fast sales, flash sale sites, Flash Sales, gilt groupe, jetta, vw

Volkswagen Debuts New Eos Convertible with Exclusive Package

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

If you're looking for solid German engineering married with a luxurious interior, but aren't interested in the snob-appeal of a Mercedes, BMW or even Audi badge, look no further than Volkswagen Exclusive. The automaker's luxury-equipment division outfits a variety of VWs with special touches to set them apart.

We recently reported on such a treatment affected on the new Touareg sport-utility vehicle, but now the department has turned its attention to the Eos convertible. As it is Volkswagen just recently unveiled a facelifted version of the standard Eos, complete with a new look, turbocharged engine and new equipment. The Exclusive version upgrades with special two-tone Nappa leather, aluminum and piano lacquer trim, a new steering wheel and door sills. The optional sport suspension is fitted as standard on the Exclusive model, and buyers can choose from two 18" wheel designs. Pricing in Germany where the new Eos debuts start at €35,275 (~$50k).

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Tags: eos, volkswagen, volkswagen eos, volkswagen eos exclusive, Volkswagen Exclusive, vw

Volkswagen Touareg Exclusive

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Volkswagen may not be the first name you think of in luxury, but between models like the Phaeton and Passat CC, the "people's car" company has been going to great lengths to change that perception. Its latest effort involves the new Touareg, for which the Volkswagen Exclusive division has just released a new luxury package.

The Touareg Exclusive is differentiated by extra chrome trim on the outside and two-tone Nappa leather upholstery on the inside. The special seats feature what Volkswagen calls "cool leather" that keeps the surfaces from overheating, and are also heated for colder weather and electrically adjustable in 12 directions. (Bet you didn't know there even were 12 directions.) Olive wood trim, black headliner, special tread plates and a choice of three wheel options round out the package.

Although the Exclusive trim can be specified on any of the diesel, gasoline or hybrid engines available on the standard model, at this point the special Touareg is only available in Germany, starting at €58,150.

Gallery: Volkswagen Touareg Exclusive

Tags: volkswagen, volkswagen exclusive, volkswagen touareg exclusive, vw, vw exclusive, vw touareg, vw touareg exclusive

Luxist Drives the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, Approves of the New, Less Expensive VW

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Volkswagen Jetta is the company's best selling car in the U.S., and it has of late been revealed that the 2010 Jetta is the final branch in one evolutionary tree. The 2011 version is a thing apart, an all-new sapling pollinated by a rethinking of what the Jetta needs to be. The key words in that new philosophy are bigger, lighter, faster, with better fuel economy and better features. And for all that, it's also less expensive. This is not a connect-the-dots evolution of the Jetta. In truth, it should be called the Quantum Leap Edition.

Gallery: Luxist Drives the 2011 VW Jetta

Tags: 2011 jetta, 2011 Volkswagen, 2011 volkswagen jetta, 2011 vw, 2011 vw jetta, volkswagen, Volkswagen Jetta, vw, VW Jetta

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Report: Diesel-Powered Audi R4 'Looks Good' For Production

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Audi e-tron Detroit Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Our British friends at Autocar are citing unknown "high-ranking Audi insiders in Ingolstadt" as saying that there is a strong likelihood that a new Audi R4, Volkswagen BlueSport and possibly an unnamed entry-level model from Porsche are in the offing.

Assuming there is a degree of truth to the report from the British mag, the R4 would get a pair of turbocharged gasoline engines (displacing just 1.4-liters and 1.6-liters, respectively) along with the intriguing option of a 2.0-liter turbodiesel mill. Previously, Audi has shown off a small sportscar concept, seen above in the image gallery from Luxist's sister-site, Autoblog, powered by an all-electric powertrain.

Volkswagen, the huge German automaker that owns both Audi and Porsche, will have the final say in the development of all three machines. The good news is that Autocar's unnamed insider reports, "Scale is important to a project like this... But with three different car makers working to a common goal, the chances [of it getting the go-ahead] look good."

[Source: Autocar]

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2010 Geneva Motor Show: Ze Germans

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Germany is the very epicenter of the European automotive industry, playing host to several of the world's largest and most significant automakers. But with the Frankfurt expo forced to alternate with the Paris salon, Geneva is the closest to a home turf international auto show these companies have.

Ever keen to demonstrate the latest cutting-edge automotive innovations and show the world their newest developments, Germany's automakers crossed the border into Switzerland this year with a virtually unprecedented array of new vehicles. Follow the jump to read and see what they brought.

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Volkswagen Reportedly Still Interested in Ducati

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

2010 Ducati 848 Nicky Hayden Special Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

Rumors of a possible motorcycle brand for Volkswagen aren't anything new. It's a well-known fact that Ferdinand Piech, Chairman of Volkswagen's Board, wishes that the German automaker had purchased Ducati back in 1985 when the Italian bike manufacturer was in dire financial shape.

As recently as last year, Piech – himself a Ducati rider even at age 72 – commented that Volkswagen could still purchase an unnamed motorcycle manufacturer if the conditions were right. Strike up the rumormill again, boys and girls. The Italian motoring press is reportedly signaling that Volkswagen is making renewed overtures toward Ducati, which, like pretty much all other motorcycle manufacturers these days, is seeing sales and profits take a dive due to the sorry state of the global economy.

Just a few weeks back at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Piech indicated that the Volkswagen Group was looking to expand, and some took that to mean it would procure a sizable stake in Suziki, another long-rumored target of the German automaker. KTM has also been bandied about as a potential partner. So, is there any truth to the two-wheeled VW rumors? We'll see how it all pans out soon enough, but we're not exactly holding our breath.

Gallery: Ducati 848 Nicky Hayden Special Edition

[Source: Clutch and Chrome]

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2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Volkswagen Phaeton Exclusive

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

If you're in the market for a top-of-the-line luxury sedan, chances are you'll be looking at the likes of Lexus, BMW, Audi and Mercedes. Maybe Jaguar or Maserati, if you're looking for something with a little more flair. But Volkswagen? That's the problem the German auto giant encountered with the Phaeton, a luxurious limousine positioned against its own sister company's Audi A8, but with a less prestigious badge and a more attractive price to compensate.

The Phaeton was, and remains, a flawless piece of engineering – sharing its platform with the Bentley Continental, for crying out loud – but the "people's car" badge didn't do it any favors, and the car was eventually pulled out of the American market. It's still sold overseas, and is due for a complete overhaul by 2011, but for those faithful customers overseas, VW unveiled the new customizable Phaeton Exclusive edition at the Frankfurt auto show, displayed with one of the deepest, blackest paint jobs we've ever seen. Just don't mistake it for an Audi.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Volkswagen Phaeton Exclusive

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2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Volkswagen CC R-line

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

It was a highly unlikely candidate from the company that brought us the Beetle, but the Volkswagen CC was voted the most beautiful luxury sedan in the world. And with good reason: the Passat-based four-door coupe is one of the sveltest designs on the market. And it just got a bit more enticing with the debut of the new R-line version at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

Unfortunately the R-line package, like the S-line offered by sister-company Audi, is purely cosmetic, so don't go looking for any giant V8s or turbochargers under the hood. But it does give the sleek sedan an aggressive edge to it, which is no mean feat for the world's prettiest luxury sedan. See for yourself in the photo gallery below.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Saab 9-5

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The Most Beautiful Luxury Sedan is...a Volkswagen?

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

What may have been unfathomable less than a decade ago can quickly become reality in the present. So while the notion of Volkswagen producing a luxury sedan, much less one as streamlined and graceful as the CC (known overseas as the Passat CC), would have seemed entirely foreign before, some of the German automaker's latest products have emerged as award-winning designs. The svelte four-door coupe, introduced only recently, has already won the prestigious iF Product Design Award as well as the Australian International Design Award. Now Volkswagen can add the Red Dot Design Award to the list.

One of the most coveted design awards, the Red Dot prize has been bestowed annually since 1955 by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen on the best designs in the world, and was accepted this year by Volkswagen designer Martin Kropp on behalf of his entire team.

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The Classicist: Touring in the New Touareg TDI

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Green, The Classicist

Volkswagen is not a marque one usually associates with luxury, and so we admit to being somewhat skeptical about the new 2010 Touareg V6 TDI and not all that enthusiastic at first when the chance came to test it out. MotorTrend changed our mind with its recent comparison of diesel and hybrid luxury SUVs - amazingly, their pros all concurred that it outclassed more expensive models like the Mercedes ML320 BlueTEC, BMW X5 and Lexus RX 450h. Plus it's one of the most fuel efficient and cleanest SUVs in the world.

We had a chance to experience it firsthand on a recent jaunt to Washington, DC and Annapolis, Maryland. The Touareg handled all situations with poise and equanimity, from navigating the city streets to an amazing dinner at Wolfgang Puck's The Source, to finding the right marina in Eastport through the bay's backroads for some sailing (the touchscreen GPS was a big help there). We could easily have kept on going, as the comfy interior with its wood and leather resembles in MotorTrend's words "a den in a ritzy Alaska fishing lodge" - or for our purposes make that the upstairs bar at the Annapolis Yacht Club.

Don't think that "diesel" means noisy and slow like those old Mercedes wagons of your youth. The Touareg TDI is powered by a hushed 3.0L, turbocharged six cylinder engine that produces 225 horsepower and an impressive 407 lbs-ft. of torque. Tourque, we learned en route, is more important than horsepower in diesel engines. The TDI's torque gives it performance equal to the gas-powered Touareg V8 that's rated at 350 hp and 324 lb-ft of torque, to give you an idea. And whereas the latter has an EPA mileage rating of 13/18 mpg city/hwy, the TDI gets 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Gallery: Touring in the Touareg TDI

Tags: Annapolis, BMW, diesel, Lexus, Mercedes, SUV, Touareg, Volkswagen, VW, Washington DC, WashingtonDc, Wolfgang Puck, WolfgangPuck

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Porsche to Borrow Hybrid Technology From Volkswagen

by Erin Mays (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Luxury need not come at environmental cost (depending upon your view of the environmental friendliness of hybrids, of course), what with Porsche reportedly borrowing technology from Volkswagen in order to develop hybrid versions of its sporty Cayenne SUV and Panamera four-door coupe.

Porsche has been licking its chops as it considers the possibilities inherent in its beefed-up partnership with Germany's largest automaker, and hybrid technology is just one of the many options on the table. Partnering with such a large force also means access to a large development team -- something Porsche couldn't afford as a small automaker with its sole focus on high-performance vehicles. Now, Porsche can offer the best of both worlds -- hybrid engines tuned for as much performance as feasibly possible.

The Panamera and Cayenne are the cars Porsche says it will offer as full hybrids, meaning that the vehicles can travel up to speeds of 20-25 miles per hour without kicking on the gasoline engine.

For the cynics, it may be of interest for us to mention that offering up hybrid vehicles would also have the benefit of lowering Porsche's emissions average, keeping it in the ballgame as governmental agencies throughout the world aren't exactly legislating in Porsche's favor.

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Tags: cayenne, full hybrid, FullHybrid, hybrid, panamera, porsche, volkswagen, vw

Riding in Nazarian's Bugatti Veyron

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Sam Nazarian is big business. CEO of SBE Entertainment, Sam is quickly making a name for himself with a number of the highest-end restaurants, most exclusive clubs (L.A.'s famous Hyde is one), and most sought-after real estate to name just a few of his many projects. So what does a man like Sam do in his spare time? Drive around in his new Bugatti Veyron, impressing women, of course.

And Sue Callaway, of Fortune magazine, definitely seemed impressed when she got to ride in, and test drive, the $1.4 million sports car. Smooth, exclusive, and "jet-like" (Sue's words) in speed and power, I might never be interested in spending that much on a car, but I sure would have loved having her job that day.

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Tags: auto, automobile, Bugatti, bugatti veyron, BugattiVeyron, car, Fortune, nazarian, sam nazarian, SamNazarian, speed, sports car, SportsCar, Veyron, VW, wheels

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