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Volkswagen reveals the 178hp Polo GTi!

Sunday, February 21, 2010 9:16 AM Posted by faisalahmad 0 comments

Volkswagen has finally unwrapped the all new Polo GTi. This high-performance Polo has a supercharged 1.4 liter TSI engine under its hood which is able to crank out 178hp at 6,200 revs and 249Nm of torque from as low as 2,000 revs.

This enables the mini GTi to hit 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and it will continue till it reaches 225 km/h. That’s actually pretty decent as anything below 8 seconds starts getting fun. Fuel consumption is figured at 47 mpg on a combined cycle.

The engine in paired with the company’s 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, fondly known as DSG. The hot super mini also has an XDS electronic differential system which is part of the standard ESP system. The Polo GTi is treated to new springs and dampers which bring the hatch lower by 15 mm.

Exterior wise it has a honeycomb grille with red strips, a subtle bodykit, new headlights with the option to add LED daytime running lights and a pair of chrome-tipped exhaust pipes at the back. It sits on 17-inch alloy wheels which are also found on the Golf GTi.

Inside you will find a flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters, aluminium pedals, front sports seats finished in tartan trim, gloss black trim on the centre console as well as a black headliner.

Continue reading to view an image gallery.

Posted in Volkswagen

Second-generation Volkswagen Touareg premieres with Hybrid model

Monday, February 15, 2010 7:54 AM Posted by faisalahmad 0 comments

This is the second generation VW Touareg, which is lighter, more fuel efficient and cleaner than the original SUV to bear the name launched in 2003. The big news is that the Touareg range includes a hybrid model, Volkswagen’s first production hybrid.

The Touareg Hybrid combines a 3.3-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine producing 328 bhp and 360 Nm of torque and an electric motor generating 46 bhp, resulting in a total output of 374 bhp and 580 Nm. The electric motor can operate independently of the combustion engine, making the Touareg a full hybrid. On electric power alone the new Touareg is capable of travelling at speeds of up to 50 km/h, but most of the time it supplements the V6 to provide more grunt -the Touareg Hybrid does 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds before reaching a top speed of 240 km/h. On the combined cycle, fuel consumption is 12 km/l.

The entry-level engine and the likely volume seller is a 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine generating 237 bhp and 550 Nm while returning 13.5 km/l and emitting 195 g/km of CO2. A new 4.2-litre TDI V8 engine producing 335 bhp and a massive 800 Nm of torque sits at the top of the range.

VW says that the new models are up to 20 per cent more fuel efficient than the cars they replace, also thanks to a weight reduction of 200 kg, a new eight-speed automatic and Start/Stop technology. The new body also has a lower drag coefficient. Overall length and wheelbase of the Touareg have each grown by 40 mm to measure 4,758 mm and 2,900 mm respectively. Width remains at 1,928 mm while overall height drops by 20 mm to 1,724 mm.

The new car is easily recognisable as a Touareg from the outside, even though it features VW’s new family face. The all-new cabin looks good too, and while it remains a five-seater, rear room is claimed to have grown significantly due to the new sliding rear bench and reclining backrests. More pictures after the jump.

Posted in Volkswagen

Volkswagen Passat CC Test Drive Review

Sunday, February 7, 2010 1:42 PM Posted by faisalahmad 0 comments

As motoring journalists, we’re very lucky to have the newest and shiniest cars in town parked in our porch. After awhile, the “immune system” gets build up to a level that only the very captivating will leave a mark.

The Volkswagen Passat CC is one such car because it’s such a beauty. I caught myself looking back everytime I walked away. I unrolled the curtains so I could occasionally look at it while reading the papers. Such was the effect.

Continue reading the report after the jump.

Posted in Volkswagen

Volkswagen Eos top pictures and wallpapers

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 3:55 PM Posted by faisalahmad 0 comments

Posted in Volkswagen

Dakar: Volkswagen set for podium clean sweep

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 5:29 PM Posted by faisalahmad 0 comments

Volkswagen looks set to make a clean sweep of the top three positions in the 2010 Dakar, as the “World’s Toughest Race” enters its final stage from San Rafael to Buenos Aires, the finish point. In the overall lead after 13 stages is VW’s former WRC champion Carlos Sainz, but he’s only leading teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah by just two minutes and 48 seconds. American Mark Miller looks to have secured the final podium spot – he is over 31 minutes behind Sainz but almost two hours ahead of Stephane Peterhansel, the highest placed X-Raid BMW driver in fourth.

The penultimate stage was won by nine-time Dakar winner Peterhansel. With that, the Frenchman has won four stages in this year’s race, extending his record of stage victories to 55. The relatively smooth and fast wrap up stage will start today evening in South America.

Posted in Volkswagen

Volkswagen New Compact Coupe

Thursday, January 14, 2010 3:40 PM Posted by faisalahmad 0 comments

This is the Volkswagen New Compact Coupe (NCC), Wolfsburg’s Detroit show star. Looking a lot like a “poor man’s Audi A5″ the NCC is powered by a hybrid powertrain which combines a 1.4-litre TSI engine with 148 bhp and 220 Nm and a 27 bhp electric motor VW calls E-motor. Naturally, power goes to the front wheels via a 7-speed DSG gearbox.

VW quotes great consumption and emission figures – 23.8 km/l economy and 98 g/km of CO2 to be precise. As a comparison, the Eos Bluemotion is rated at 16.1 km/l and 144 g/km. Performance is not sacrificed to achieve this; 227 km/h top speed and 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds are resepectable.

A 1.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack stored in the NCC’s rear powers the E-motor. Efficiency measures include regenerative braking, stop-start and a “coast down” measure, where engine is disengaged from transmission as soon as the driver releases the gas pedal. This is even possible at higher speeds, as in highway cruising. Drag losses are eliminated, so the NCC coasts for a long time to save fuel.

At 4.54m long and 1.78m wide, the NCC has a similar footprint to the Jetta, although it has a lower roofline and longer wheelbase (2.65m) than the sedan. Boot volume is 380 litres. The four-seat coupe is positioned between the Scirocco and Passat CC. You can probably image that the new Mk6-based Jetta will be a four door version of this one.

Everything looks highly ready for production, from the simple, cleanly designed body to the cabin that uses parts found in current VW models. Chief Designer Klaus Bischoff describes the NCC as having a “timeless dynamic and purist elegance that is typical of Volkswagen”. When will it be launched? “When the time is right,” is the statement in the press release.

Posted in Volkswagen