Volkswagen

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 Touareg Gold Edition & Race Touareg 3 Qatar

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Volkswagen Touareg Gold Edition & Race Touareg 3 Qatar

Luxury SUVs like the Volkswagen Touareg are very popular in the Persian Gulf, where all-terrain mobility is as vital as pampering luxury and fuel costs are no object. No wonder then that Volkswagen is coming to the Qatar Motor Show with not one, but two concept versions of the Touareg.

The Gold Edition is outfitted specifically for Middle Eastern tastes, with 24-karat gold replacing the chrome on the exterior as well as the cabin. The shiny stuff coats the 22-inch wheels, roof rails, window frames, door mirrors, grille surround and more. Meanwhile the interior is also distinguished by gold trim, complimenting the Luna trim color, Alcantara roofliner, Nappa leather seats, natural brown leather and Walnut Burr veneers.

More enticing to enthusiasts, however, is the Race Touareg 3 Qatar. Envisioned as a street-legal version of the racing machine that recently claimed its third consecutive victory in the formidable Dakar rally, the Qatar version is just as tough, but benefits from an upgraded cabin trimmed in Nubuk and perforated Nappa leather.

Gallery: Volkswagen Touareg Gold Edition

Gallery: Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 Qatar

Tags: qatar, qatar motor show, Race Touareg 3, Touareg, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Race Touareg 3, Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 Qatar, Volkswagen Touareg, Volkswagen Touareg Gold Edition

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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Fiat Ponders Selling Alfa Romeo to VW

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

While Sergio Marchionne, CEO of both Italian automaker Fiat and American automaker Chrysler, busies himself with fixing Chrysler and taking the mostly government-owned automaker into the public markets next year, he is wrestling with the dilemma of whether to sell Fiat's beloved, but money-losing, Alfa Romeo brand to Volkswagen.

The companies have been negotiating the possible sales, according to industry sources, confirming a report in Automotive News.

Volkswagen supervisory board chairman Ferdinand Piech has recently taken the unusual course of publicly stating that VW would like to buy Alfa, and that it believes as a company that it could turn the Italian brand around to profitability more easily than Fiat. That move was probably meant to inform industry analysts, and thus pressure Fiat to sell.

VW, of course, has made a business the last decade or more of collecting brands. Today, the VW Group includes not only VW, but Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Skoda, Seat and most recently, Porsche.

Tags: Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo 159, alfa romeo giulietta, alfa romeo spider, AlfaRomeoMito, chrysler, sergio marchionne, volkswagen

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Oprah Winfrey Introduces and Gives Away 2012 VW Beetles

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Oprah Winfrey Show's annual "Ultimate Favorite Things" shows have become TV ratings catnip for advertisers, and Volkswagen today, November 22, joined the parade of brands trying to get a boost from the talk-show diva.

The German automaker used part-two of the program to introduce its 2012 New Beetle vehicle by having Oprah driven on stage in one chauffeured by Santa Claus. In addition, all of Oprah's audience members were given keys to claim their own New Beetle when it is available next summer. The total cost of the program to VW is estimated at about $7 million to $9 million.

It is ironic that VW chose the Oprah show to introduce the vehicle (only an outline was visible to audience members and TV viewers) because VW executives have said for the past year that it is hoping the new more chiseled design would appeal more to men. More than 70% of New Beetle buyers for the last decade were women.

The last New Beetle, which went out of production in 2009, had a much softer, more bulbous look that did not appeal to men very much. The roof-line of the new version is a closer homage to the original Beetle.

The New Beetle--a descendant of the iconic Beetle, which many consider the most significant vehicle of the 20th Century--is a very important model to Volkswagen. The first New Beetle, which debuted in 1994 at The Detroit Auto Show as "Concept One," and then went on sale to the public in 1999, saved Volkswagen of America from having to abandon the U.S. market for want of sales and customers.

The German automaker is amidst an aggressive growth plan in the U.S., and is counting on publicity around the latest iteration of the Beetle idea to help drive the lesser known models in the showroom.

The 2012 New Beetle will look very similar to the VW "Ragster" concept introduced at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show (pictured here).

Tags: New Beetle, oprah, Oprah Winfrey, Ultimate Favorite Things, Volkswagen

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

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Leica M9 Titanium by Walter de'Silva

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Celebrity Design

Already producing as they do some of the most desirable camera equipment in the world, Leica doesn't need much help in the design department. That didn't stop them from teaming up with the Volkswagen Group, however, and their chief designer Walter de'Silva.

One of the foremost designers in the business, de'Silva started with the compact M9 camera and reskinned it in titanium, trimming it out with a sapphire crystal screen, Nappa leather, diamond-texture grip surface and a shoulder harness, paying so much attention to the little details as to hone in on the iconic Leica logo.

The de'Silva-designed M9 Titanium will be available in a limited run of 500 examples, each fetching $26,500 – fitting for a machine penned by a car designer.

Gallery: Leica M9 Titanium by Walter de'Silva

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Tags: camera, leica, Leica M9, leica m9 titanium, Leica M9 Titanium by Walter deSilva, photography, volkswagen, volkswagen group, walter desilva

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

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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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Limousines and Supercars Debut at Beijing Motor Show

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The gulf between perception and reality is often enough to swallow entire countries whole. Take China, for example. The images many still conjure up in their heads when thinking about the Asian giant might come down to squalid shanty towns oppressed by communist overlords. But with the free market taking a greater hold with each passing day, the People's Republic is quickly emerging as a vital market for purveyors of luxury goods, including high-end automobiles. Sure, the average peasant may be able to afford little more than a rickety bicycle, but with the world's largest population numbering over a billion people, even the top fraction of the socio-economic strata can overshadow entire nations.

Against such a backdrop, it should come as no great surprise that the world's premium automakers scrambled to the Chinese capital this year with a wide array of exotic and luxury automobiles. In fact the cars making their world debuts at this year's Beijing Motor Show were enough on their own to outshine the last major international exposition in Manhattan. Follow the jump to see what all the fuss was about.

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Volkswagen Releases New 2011 Phaeton

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Looking for a top-of-the-line luxury sedan? There's no shortage of options on the market these days. And a good portion of them come from the ever-expanding Volkswagen Group: the Audi A8 and Bentley Continental Flying Spur are solid choices, and there's more if you look even further up-market to the Bentley Mulsanne, the Porsche Panamera and the upcoming Bugatti Galibier. But if badge prestige isn't what you're looking for, the Volkswagen Phaeton could be your best choice.

Volkswagen has just unveiled the third rendition of its flagship sedan in Beijing – where sister-brand Audi released the new A8 L – and it comes packed with tech and choices for the discerning customer. It comes in long wheelbase or short, with four (adjustable) seats or five and with four engine options, ranging from a diesel V6 to a gasoline V12. Plus it packs all the latest technology you could expect from a major automaker, including Google Maps-enabled sat-nav, variable headlights, road sign recognition and a four-zone climate control system, all interconnected by two miles of wiring.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton

Tags: beijing, beijing motor show, phaeton, volkswagen, volkswagen phaeton

Fortis Spaceleader Chronograph by Volkswagen Design

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos

There's no shortage of automotive-themed wristwatches on the market. In some cases, the automaker for whom the watch is made has even had a hand in its design. Like the Porsche Design timepieces made by Eterna. Now Porsche's sister/parent company Volkswagen has entered the fold with Fortis.

The Fortis Spaceleader Chronograph by Volkswagen Design is a limited edition of just 2,012 examples, wrapped in chrome and rubber with all the usual suspects: push-button chronograph operation, butterfly clasp, anti-reflective crystal and more. It's already been winning all the major prizes, including the Red Dot design award, the iF design award, and the Good Design award. Nice work if you can get it.

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Luxist Drives the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, Loves the Silent Sound of It

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Volkswagen Touareg has always lived on the wrong side of the tracks in America: it was a big, expensive Volkswagen. Notice, we can't just say it was a big, expensive car, because those are almost as much the norm as anything else – we must qualify the descriptor with the word "Volkswagen." Yet its Cayenne sibling was reversing Porsche's fortunes, and it's Q7 sibling was luring customers Audi had been forsaking when it had no SUV. But the only splash the Touareg could make in the U.S. was in puddles.

No more. The new 2011 Touareg bigger, roomier, and nicer. Much nicer. It is also much lighter, allowing for more power while delivering better gas mileage. That is how we like our VWs. There's a new flavor, too: Hybrid. Luxist spent a few hours in Italy to find out what a Touareg reset looks like. Our first impressions: so good, this is what the first Touareg should have looked like.

Gallery: Luxist Drives the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

Tags: 2011 volkswagen touareg, 2011 volkswagen touareg hybrid, volkswagen, Volkswagen Touareg, volkswagen touareg hybrid, Wheelman

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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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