Volkswagen Archives

Volkswagen pick’s up a slew of awards at Frankfurt

Volkswagen has been named ‘Most Innovative Brand 2017’ by a panel of judges for the Plus X Award at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA). It is one of the leading innovation awards worldwide for technology, sport and lifestyle.

Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design, collected the top award on behalf of Volkswagen. Though not the only prize bagged by the brand, it is probably the most prominent of the lot.

The award is presented to brands in recognition of their products’
qualitative and innovative edge. Besides this, a number of VW models managed to win in their respective categories for the Plus X award. These vehicles include:

D.BUZZ as “Automotive Concept Vehicle of the Year 2017”
The Golf as “Compact Passenger Car of the Year 2017”
The Atlas as “SUV of the Year 2017”
The Arteon as “Saloon of the Year 2017”

In addition to picking up Saloon of the Year, the Arteon was also awarded the ‘Best of Best’ top ranking in the the categories “Exterior and Interior Volume Brand” in this year’s “Automotive Brand Contest”.

According to the jury that was responsible for handing VW the plethora of awards, “In the Arteon, the designers from Wolfsburg have embodied the shape of the future in a series production vehicle with exceptional aplomb.”

“They have combined the design elements of a traditional sports car with the elegance and space of a fastback while at the same time managing to incorporate many of the concept car’s innovative stylistic features and design details into the series production vehicle, ” they added.

Despite the dark clouds that have loomed overhead these past few years, Volkswagen seems to have pulled its act together and is on its way to better times. If the latest string of awards are any indication of the company’s future, it’s safe to say that VW is back on top.

Volkswagen reveal its concept vehicle of the future

Volkswagen revealed a pretty interesting concept during the on going Frankfurt Motorshow. It’s called the SEDRIC and is a representation of the automaker’s vision of future mobility. Resembling a futuristic toaster, this urban mobility vehicle is meant to cater to the needs of the modern traveler.

The capsule-like vehicle aims to be the answer to transportation problems of the future. And its fully automated systems will be able to relieve the driver of some of his/her responsibilites or be able to function without one. According to VW, more such concept vehicles are in the pipeline which include sports cars, touring sedans and commercial vehicles.

“Our team is already working on ideas for an entire Sedric family. This will range from fully autonomous vehicles for the city, through luxurious long-distance mobility and spectacular sports cars, self-driving delivery vans and heavy trucks,” commented the Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen AG, Matthias Müller.

Sporting electrification and digital network tech, VW says that it will promote ‘simple, convenient, sustainable and safe mobility for everybody at the touch of a button’. Users will be able to call upon the vehicle when needed though Volkswagen’s mobility app called OneButton. Working as a digital assistant, it can get occupants from A to B conveniently.

Sedric will make a huge social contribution because thanks to autonomous driving, it can act as a stand alone transportation service for visually-impaired people, members of the older generation, physically-challenged individuals and children. Apart from that, VW has calculated that Sedric could be able to save drivers about 38,000 hours on daily commutes.

This vehicle was developed through cooperation between Future Center Europe in Potsdam and Volkswagen Group Research in Wolfsburg. Sedric is a completely new take on the transportation system by merging the established discipline of vehicle design with that of user experience and feedback.

Volkswagen has also said that Sedric will act as a platform for continuous technological developments that will help the automaker solve issues that are related to environmental protection, demographic change, business and traffic safety. The development of these systems centre around cameras, 360-degree lidar sensors, long and short-distance radar and ultrasound sensors, a hardware and software architecture.

This information will be used for data processing and vehicle control by powerful computers that use intelligent software to drive the vehicle and control its electrification systems. That said, this technology is still in its infancy, and many more man hours of research and testing is needed before VW sees the fruits of its labour.

VW to make booking a test drive hassle-free

Volkswagen USA has managed to revolutionize the way test drives are carried out. The German automaker has teamed up with Amazon to offer test drives of the all-new BMW Atlas SEL Premium through the latter’s Prime Now service.

Amazon Prime Now gives users the ability to schedule a 45 to 60 minute test drive at a date and time of their choosing. Once the meeting point has been confirmed, a VW Atlas driven by an ‘expert’ will show up at their doorstep.

This door-to-door service is only available in the ‘designated’ area codes and if you happen to be outside these places, then things get a bit more cumbersome. In such a case, one would have to visit vw.com and schedule a test drive at the dealership of their choosing.

Speaking of the new collaboration, Senior Director, Transformation, Strategy and Communications, Volkswagen of America, said, “We are very excited to work with Amazon to introduce more consumers to our newly-launched, seven-seater SUV through this unique test drive experience.”

He later added, “We know people have limited time and are always looking for convenient ways to test out a new product, and with the Amazon Prime Now service we are able to bring the all-new Atlas to customers’ doorstep.”

The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas is a full size SUV that seats seven occupants and has been tasked with taking on more established models from Ford, GM and Dodge on their home turf. The vehicle will be offered in a number of variants, which will be powered by either a four-cylinder turbocharged 2.0L TSI or more powerful 3.6L VR6.

Customers will have the option of ordering their Atlas with a front-wheel-drive or the more sophisticated 4Motion® all-wheel-drive system. Apart from this the vehicle also gets 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, power-folding door mirrors and door mirrors with puddle lights.

Then there’s also leather seating, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, automatic High Beam Control (Light Assist) and ambient lighting. The top of the line variant, the Atlas SEL Premium is equipped with Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist), Area View camera and the Fender® Premium Audio System.

Expect more from VW as they begin to penetrate the US full-size SUV market with one of the largest SUVs they have ever made to date.

Volkswagen gearing up for reveal of I.D. Crozz concept at IAA

Volkswagen will be revealing a concept vehicle at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt that will showcase the automaker’s advancement in EV technology. Called the I.D. Crozz, the SUV crossover is built on VW’s all-electric architecture with the end goal of creating a clean and powerful design.

Based on the images, the vehicle seems to sport Volkswagen’s current design philosophy that has been retouched to seem more futuristic. The wide bonnet that seems to stretch to the entire width of the car belnds well with the front fenders.

It’s basically a mash of several different Volkswagen cars including a hint of XL1 to produce one that is a culmination of their best parts. The interior features a bright red body colour that is contrasted by high-gloss black for a portion of the hood and entire roof.

Despite sporting car-like looks, the crossover SUV will feature a high tech interior and a lithium-ion battery pack that is fitted under the cabin floor. This will allow for less cluttered switch-gear and more cabin space for all occupants.

It will have an open space concept that resembles a mini-lounge where four adults can sit and converse comfortably. Little less is known at the moment because Volkswagen has decided to save the juicy details for the actual reveal date.

Take a look that the video below and let us know what you think of the upcoming VW concept and whether it will be able to shape the EV Volkswagen of tomorrow.

https://youtu.be/B5j38g-UOKE

Volkswagen T-Roc is a crossover that slots below the Tiguan

The wait is over, Volkswagen has finally revealed its newest crossover/SUV, the T-Roc. As such, we now know what to expect when it hits showroom floors. Meant to slot below the Tiguan, VW’s latest offering sports looks that are a combination of several different models.

Built on the same modular transverse matrix (MQB) archtecture as the Atlas, the T-Roc is said to offer 445 litres of cargo space when the vehicle is fully occupied. There’s also the option of folding down the rear backrests in a 60/40 split allowing for that space to be increased to 1,290 litres.

It is the first SUV from the company that will feature a two-tone paint scheme, which include the roof being painted in a colour that best contrasts that of the rest of the bodywork. It’s prominent louvered grille stretches from edge to edge and integrates with the projector headlights quite nicely to form a unified look.

Judging from the side and rear, the T-Roc seems to have taken quite a bit of its design inspiration from the Mk7 Golf, which isn’t a bad thing. The proportions, especially when it comes to the rear, are car-like and seem to complement the sporty look even further. The placement of scuff plates for the front and rear allow for better offroad functionality.

Inside, you get the usual meticulously neat array of dials and switch gear that we are used to seeing from VW. But the The interplay between the Active Info Display and the specific infotainment system provide for a digital and interactive cockpit.

Another noteworthy feature that is being offered with VW’s latest model is the “Security & Service” package (including Emergency Service, Automatic Accident Notification and Roadside Assistance). This may seem like a Godsend especially if you live sketchy parts of town.

Marketed as a five-seat SUV, the T-Roc will be made available with a front-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive configuration. The latter is called the 4Motion AWD and will feature the 4Motion Active Control as standard.

Complementing these systems will be the choice of three different petrol and diesel turbocharged engines. As for transmissions, buyers can choose between a manual or the 7-speed dual clutch DSG gearbox.

And like most other VWs, the T-Roc will come with a whole load of safety tech which include, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, the active lane keeping system (Lane Assist) and the Front Assist area monitoring system with Pedestrian Monitoring and City Emergency Braking.

Also available as optional extras are systems such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), Rear View reversing camera, Lane departure system including Rear Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Assist, Park Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist.

Common to a number of sporty VWs is the adaptive chassis control (DCC) and progressive steering that alter vehicle drive ability based on the selected mode. This feature has become increasingly useful in recent years because owners want their vehicle to be the Jack-of-All-Trades.

The German automaker has yet to announce when production for the T-Roc will commence and has also chosen to keep mum on when we can begin to see these new VWs roll onto showroom floors. All we know at the moment is, that the T-Roc will be on public roads, eventually.

VW to build direct descendant of the original Bus

Fans of the original VW Bus can rejoice because the automaker has decided to put the I.D. Buzz concept, a vehicle that’s loosely based on the ever popular people mover, into production. According to a recent article on Road and Track, The German automaker has seen it fit to give the project the green light.

The vehicle will utilise VW’s modular platform for electric cars or MEB and like Tesla, will have its battery pack stored underneath its floorpan. Interior space is said to be revolutionary with Volkswagen touting total volume to be similar to that of an SUV.

This was achieved through the clever use of space as well as the ability of the rear seats to be moved and adjusted to suit the occupants needs. Volkswagen will also be offering this people carrier as a cargo van too, which should make it a favourite among delivery companies.

As far as styling is concerned, the I.D. Buzz bears more than just a passing resemblance to the original Bus because the German automaker probably intends on the former being a reincarntion of the latter.

It sports the same tubular design with maximum emphasis placed on passenger and cargo space. Though the original had a rear mounted air cooled engine, the new one may have a central motor or individually mounted wheel motors.

Like most of the current line-up, the I.D. Buzz should feature a whole host of safety tech from pedestrian warning to emergency city stop systems. In addition to these, is the ability to drive without human intervention. That’s right, VW will be outfitting the car with autonomous driving.

If all this has you excited and anxious for its impending release, we’ve got bad news for you. Reports say that VW will only begin building it as late as 2022, which is still quite a long way off. But that said, we are thrilled that VW will eventually get around to building this amazing vehicle.

Source: Road and Track

Beach party in Europe organised to celebrate the Beetle

The Beetle, the most iconic and longest surviving nameplate in automotive history, will be celebrated by its fan base on the beach of Travemünde (German Baltic Sea). This year, marks the the 13th time that the Beetle Sunshine Tour has been held to date. And according to the organizers, the number of participants keeps growing each year.

Now, there are about 721 Beetles and original Beetles that are currently registered to take part, which the organizer and creator of the tour, Gabriele Kraft touts as being a new record. This year’s event is themed “Welcome to America” in celebration of how well received the various iteration of the nameplate were, including the original Beetle in the USA.

One of the highlights of this year’s celebrations, include a ‘converging rally’ where participants will drive their cars from different points to the meeting point at the Brügmanngarten festival meadow in Travemünde. A 560 PS Beetle GRC from the American GRC Rallycross series is also taking part in the rally.

Like many car events, the Beetle Sunshine Tour will be a fun-packed activity for the whole family with food, drinks and music on hand for added entertainment. Tourists, locals and fans alike are welcome to participate in the festivities and mingle with various celebrities including Karoline Schuch, Devid Striesow, Luna Schweiger and Sidney Hoffmann.

The original Beetle is beloved by many because it was a car for the people. Invisioned by Adolf Hitler as a cheap mode of transportation for the German masses, Ferdinand Porsche was tasked with building the iconic car. Several iterations and prototypes later, and the original Volkswagen was born.

Mind you, back then, the Beetle name was non-existent and the cars were referred to as the Volkswagen Type 1. In its home country of Germany, it was known as the Käfer, which is the German word for Beetle. Eventually VW, adopted this name for the car’s future marketing strategies.

However, in other parts of the world, it was known only as the Volkswagen with the exception of France, where it was referred to as the Coccinelle, which is French for ladybug. Marketing aside, the Beetle came from humble beginnings and a rather minuscule 25bhp engine.

Sporting gender neutral looks and the practicality to seat four full-sized adults, the Beetle was a hit around the world. That coupled with the fact that the air-cooled flat four engine was simple, easy to work on and quite reliable, made it the of choice for many.

In later years, the car developed a cult following and came to symbolize the care-free attitude of the 1960s. It was eventually phased out around the world due to the introduction of more stringent safety and emissions requirements as well as evolving trends. However, in countries like Mexico and Brazil, the car continued to roll off the production lines till the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Its descendants, the New Beetle and Beetle cars had very little in common with the original car apart from the design. Unlike its ancestor, the new cars are built on the Golf platform with the engine mounted in front. Despite that, many still consider them homages to the original.

Volkswagen to introduce new compact SUV this month

Volkswagen is gearing up to unveil a new compact SUV that it calls the T-Roc. Meant to be a smaller vehicle that retains the agility and off-road character of an SUV, the T-Roc is being positioned as a crossover that can offer the best of both world.

Despite being a completely new vehicle, the lines and overall design language of the T-Roc is unmistakably Volkswagen. The front fascia and especially the honey comb grille, look similar to that of the current Tiguan, and to a lesser extent, the Atlas.

It’s integrated dual headlights is a dead giveaway and can be considered an essential trait of all current Volkswagen models including the Passat. This means, that the German automaker has chosen to take an evolutionary approach as opposed to a revolutionary one when it came time to create a a brand compact SUV.

The rear is reminiscent of a Mk7 Golf, which is a welcomed attribute. The simplistic yet elegant lines make for surprisingly neat overall look. This should make it an appealing vehicle to those wanting a crossover that is able to offer car-like looks but with added style.

Judging from the design, the overall footprint of this particular VW shouldn’t be that far off of that used for the Golf platform, which if so, should place the T-Roc beneath the Tiguan and Toureg models. This should help it fill the the void in Volkswagen’s current product portfolio and help boost sales somewhat.

Regarding tech, nothing concrete has been announced yet, but VW has stated that it will bless the vehicle with a wealth of innovations, which should include its slew of safety and advanced driver aids.

Volkswagen will officially launch the T-Roc on August 23rd 2017 and is quite confident that this new addition and its ‘crisp proportions and progressive design’ will invigorate the compact class. That said, we can’t help but wonder how much of these suave looks would actually make it onto the production ready vehicle.

VW Bus convoy party at Hannover

Fans of the VW Bus vehicles joined in on an open-air party on the grounds of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ Hannover plant. A convoy of around 350 vehicles from all six generations of the platform traveled from Wolfsburg to Hannover, where the current T-series is being made.

The event was the final highlight of the four-day VW Bus Summer Festival in Wolfsburg’s Allerpark, of which Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles was the main sponsor. Members of the Board of Management and Works Council, Hannover Mayor Stefan Schostok, Hannover 96 Football Club President Martin Kind and a number of celebrities took part in the parade.

The convoy’s trip is symbolic of the 1956 relocation of T-series production to Hannover, the state capital of Lower Saxony, where the Transporter has been manufactured since. Though the idea of celebrating the relocation of a van plant may seem peculiar to some, many VW Bus fans consider it as important as a major religious holiday.

Dr Eckhard Scholz, Chief Executive Officer of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand, led the convoy from start to finish. He drove his own cumulus white, 1965 T1 with a near 44bhp engine for the journey. He then had a meet and greet sessions with fans at the Stöcken factory in Hannover.

Speaking of the event, Dr. Scholz, said, “It was a fantastic experience to drive to the Hannover production site with so many proud VW Bus owners in order to celebrate the conclusion of the VW Bus Summer Festival here with even more fans. Our VW Buses are more than just a means of getting from A to B.”

He then added, “They are part of a wonderful lifestyle feeling that constantly travels with you – and has done so across every vehicle generation. This easy-going lifestyle feeling could also be felt throughout the entire festival. It was simply lovely.”

During the event, many VW Bus enthusiasts had the opportunity to look at a number of T-series collector’s vehicles and reminisce about the good ‘ol days and their own past experiences. It is said that each Bus is rich in history, and that cannot be replicated or relived with another. It has offered generations, the freedom to travel where and whenever they desired.

Volkswagen records sales growth despite ongoing diesel-gate issue

Despite the ongoing diesel-gate scandal, Volkswagen’s sales figures don’t seem too shabby. Based on a report published by the automaker, things are starting to look rosy again for the German based manufacturer.

In the past two months alone, VW’s sales figures have grown by 3.5 to 4.0 percent. That equates to roughly 2.9 million vehicles that have been sold worldwide in the first half of this year. By comparison, the automaker managed to sell 0.3 percent more cars this year than it did during the same period in 2016.

There’s also been above average market growth in certain areas. in the US, where VW’s image has been hit the worst, saw an increase of about 8.2 percent. In South America there was a 12.2 growth, Russia recorded 17.9 while China only saw an increase of about 0.2 percent.

Volkswagen attributes the rise in sales these past few months to its broad portfolio of vehicles, which have been able to appeal to varying tastes. Despite the dark clouds that have been looming directly above the automaker, many car buyers still regard VW vehicles as some of the best in the world. And with the launch of new models like the Polo, Arteon and Tiguan Allspace, VW hopes this rusrugence in sales will be bolstered even further.

“The Volkswagen brand is on the right track. There is strong demand for our cars throughout the world and our strategic realignment is showing positive effects on business operations”, explained Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand.

He added, “We have successfully embarked on a new phase in our company. Our objective is to position Volkswagen in such a way that it is fully and completely viable for the future so that we can continue to play a leading role in the automobile world of the future.”

Financially, VW has taken a number of steps to help weather the storm, which include improving vehicle costs and optimizing its product portfolio. The result, is a robust manufacturing system that is able to cope with demand and churn out new as well as improved vehicles in a timely manner.

The Board of Management of the Volkswagen Brand have said that sales forecast of this year is expected to rise 10 percent compared to the same period lat year. Also, an operating return of 2.5 to 3.5 percent on sales of higher end models is to be expected. Medium-term and long-term return on sales of the brand are expected to reach at least 4 per cent by 2020 and 6 per cent by 2025.

If things continue to pick up, VW may finally be able to put this diesel scandal behind them and continue to produce some of the best cars that they have to offer. And we hope that this happens sooner rather than later.

Piston.my

Volkswagen

Volkswagen pick’s up a slew of awards at Frankfurt

Volkswagen reveal its concept vehicle of the future

VW to make booking a test drive hassle-free

Volkswagen gearing up for reveal of I.D. Crozz concept at IAA

Volkswagen T-Roc is a crossover that slots below the Tiguan

VW to build direct descendant of the original Bus

Beach party in Europe organised to celebrate the Beetle

Volkswagen to introduce new compact SUV this month

VW Bus convoy party at Hannover

Volkswagen records sales growth despite ongoing diesel-gate issue

Volkswagen pick’s up a slew of awards at Frankfurt

Volkswagen reveal its concept vehicle of the future

VW to make booking a test drive hassle-free

Volkswagen gearing up for reveal of I.D. Crozz concept at IAA

Volkswagen T-Roc is a crossover that slots below the Tiguan

VW to build direct descendant of the original Bus

Beach party in Europe organised to celebrate the Beetle

Volkswagen to introduce new compact SUV this month

VW Bus convoy party at Hannover

Volkswagen records sales growth despite ongoing diesel-gate issue

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