Benjamin Hudson asked:


Volkswagen will be presenting some of its new innovative models at the 77th Geneva Motor Show which include the Golf Variant. For the last 45 years, Volkswagen has been producing vehicles with extra-large cargo areas which they call Variant. An addition to the Variant range is the new Golf Variant which debuted at the Geneva Motor Show and is scheduled for release in Europe this summer.

The Volkswagen Golf Variant reflects an ideal balanced of interior and exterior dimensions. And with the net cargo installed it can accommodate 690 liters of cargo even with five passengers on board. And once the rear bench seat is folded the interior height that measures 0.83 meters is utilized to store up to 1,550 liters of cargo.

The Golf Variant is considered to be a fusion of new and classic styling elements that distinguishes this range from other car design. The rear end of the Golf variant shows a new side of Volkswagen Golf and while half of each taillight is integral to the rear hatch on the other body versions of the model series, the Golf Variant integrates the rear hatch entirely in the fender to emphasize the large load width of the hatch opening.

Volkswagen—Europe’s largest carmaker and manufacturer of the popular VW Beetle parts — will offer the Golf Variant with one gasoline and two diesel engine options. The gasoline engine produces 75 kW/102 PS while the two diesels of the Golf Variant produces more power at 77 kW/105 PS and 103 kW/140 PS—they are considered as the most efficient engines ever with remarkable fuel economy. The smaller of the two TDIs consumes 5.2 liters per 100 kilometers while the large TDI is environmentally friendly as it is fuel efficient. The Golf Variant can reach a top speed of 205 km/h and consumes 5.6 liters fuel per 100 kilometers. Its CO2 emissions record 148 g/km.



Kansieo.com

Benjamin Hudson asked:


The AIADA newsletter reported that Volkswagen’s positive first-quarter results were exactly what Porsche Chief Executive Wendelin Wiedeking had in mind when he took a controlling stake in the German automaker last year. Meanwhile, VW of America, Inc. recently announced April 2007 sales of 19,086 units. This represents a decrease of 7 percent from last year’s sales of 20,528 vehicles.

Business Week, on the other hand, reported that Volkswagen’s operating profit for the months of January to March of 2007 rose 81%, making their profits amount to $1.48 billion. That generated a 4.1% margin.

Winterkorn, an executive of VW, has this biggest job of building a real export powerhouse. For all its huge $143 billion in revenues, Volkswagen’s success remains largely centered on Europe.

Still on a positive side, in the spring season, Volkswagen’s new hard-top convertible Eos posted its best month ever with April sales of 1,142 units. The Eos is the world’s first four-seat, hard-top convertible with an integrated glass sunroof.

To take on Toyota, Volkswagen has to build serious market sales in the U.S., where last year it sold only 397,000 cars. To bolster Volkswagen’s weak U.S. market operations, Winterkorn is betting on new models. These include a van with lower costs, improved quality, and revamped sales and marketing strategies, to be launched in 2008.

VW Finance Chief Hans-Dieter Pötsch said their company certainly needs to enrich their product portfolio in the US. He also said they need models which are more specifically designed and manufactured to North America, with a more competitive cost base. He was also glad to say that it is exactly what they are doing.

Volkswagen, a manufacturer of performance quality VW tail lights, is an automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg, Germany, and is Europe’s largest automaker. It forms the core of Volkswagen Group and is the world’s fourth largest car producer after Toyota, General Motor and Ford, respectively. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg.

The name means “people’s car” in German. Its tagline is translated in English as “For the love of the car” or, “For Love of the People’s Cars”, as translated by VW in other languages, though in direct translation it reads “Out of love for the car.”

On the other hand, Volkswagen of America, Inc. was founded in 1955. Its headquarters is in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen in Germany. It has approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers.



Caffeinated Content

Phoenix Delray asked:


The Passat is an automobile that was launched under the Volkswagen line and it falls in the middle of the sedan market segment. This model was absolutely critical to the Volkswagen name when it was introduced in 1973 because at the time the sales of the Beetle were declining drastically. The Beetle was the very first model that was developed by the Volkswagen line and it introduced the automobile manufacturer name to the entire world. When the sales of the Beetle began to decline it was a perfect time to introduce a much larger vehicle like the Passat. The other models employed much older and outdated technology and they were failing to maintain a hold on the market.

The original Volkswagen Passat was offered in many different styles to the Volkswagen customers and much of this is due to how great VW parts can be for an automobile. They designed the original and standard two and four door models, but then they also had very similar looking three and five door versions. On the outside, all of these versions shared the same stylish design; this was developed by the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The idea was to model the very first Passat after the Audi 8.0 sedan that had been launched by the company only one year earlier.

In Europe, the Passat very quickly became one of the most modern and stylish family cars that was available at the time. Before the Passat was conceptualized and developed, there were the Volkswagen Types three and four. By the early seventies though, these two models were rapidly aging and becoming outdated; the Passat was a response to this and offered a more attractive replacement. Originally, the Passat was constructed with VW parts that used a four cylinder overhead camshaft and 1.51 petrol engines, which not surprisingly, were also used in the Audi 8.0 sedan. The Passat followed suit with the Audi in having either a four speed manual transmission or a three speed automatic, depending on your personal preference.

The VW parts that were used to construct the very first Passat were strong enough to last for years before it had to be reconstructed. The designers and engineers at Volkswagen have made many updates and modifications to the Passat since 1973, and this is why it continues to be one of the best selling cars for Volkswagen as well as in the entire mid size sedan market segment.



Kansieo.com

Natalie Anderson asked:


Vintage cars ageing twenty to forty years old still roam the streets today in the Philippines. And you can see them either restored in their original state, modified or customized. And the possibility that one of them is a Volkswagen is high.

Volkswagen is a German word which means “people’s car” and considered to be a classic car which was conceived in the year 1934 by Adolf ******. It was later immortalized by Walt Disney as “Love Bug” named Herbie, the Beetle that has a mind of its own. A series of four films was produced starring the Beetle.

The Philippines is a great market for Volkswagen auto parts like Volkswagen oxygen sensor especially since some of the VW that still roamed the country are old and requires for lots of replacement parts. At present nobody knows how many Volkswagens in the country are still roadworthy. The last Volkswagen sold in the Philippines was in the year 1974, the very same year that Volkswagen People’s Car closed ship that is according to Jesus Layan which was then an inventory staff of the company. The Volkswagen People’s Car was then occupying the building on McArthur Highway in Matina.

The building that used to be a showroom for the remarkable Volkswagen cars is now owned by Davao City Water District. Jesus Layan has also continued giving VW auto services at his Transworld Services shop located at the Buhangin Diversion Road near Green Heights Convention Building.

The Volkswagens roaming the Philippine road comes in variants like the ever popular Beetle, Brasilia, the “Sakbayan” a Filipino buggy version, the rarely seen Karmann Ghia coupe and the Kombi van. There are also some contemporary versions like the Polo, Passat, and the new Beetle.

Volkswagen owners in Davao even formed a “Club Vee Dub Davao” which is an association of VW enthusiasts. The association was founded in 2004 by four avid VW owners namely Michael Angelo Aportadera, owner of a Kombi and two Beetle units and Charles Reginald Reyes, who owns a Herbie look alike complete with racing stripes and the ever popular number 53.

The main objective of the club was to build camaraderie in which members will be ale to share their ideas on how to keep the Volkswagen legacy plus engaged in various VW related projects. The club also has tie-ups with other Volkswagen clubs around the country.

In the year 2006, president Engineer George W. Arquiza who owns 13 Volkswagens has organized Bug Runs which include activities such as motorcades, tree-planting and coastal clean-up, educational trip to the Philippine Eagle Center for the benefit of the Bantay Bata Wards plus some drag racing and slalom.

The new overall president of the association of VW owners in the Philippines is Mr. Ricky Jimenez who is an environment advocate and owned a modified 1981 Beetle. His 2007 agenda include: the registration of the club with SEC, create a committee that will be responsible for various activities such as those pertaining to socials, sports, VW car shows, educational trips, membership recruitment, quarterly publication, races, out of town trips and other pro-environment projects.

Club members are also thinking of creating their very own personalized eco-Tshirts with their car’s picture for design plus some catchy environment-oriented slogans like for example: “This Bug is resistant to aerial or boom spraying. This VW is environment-friendly. It tells the owner to plant trees” and many more.



Caffeinated Content

Anthony Fontanelle asked:


Amidst the board-room shakeups and in-flux product plans following the quasi-takeover by Porsche, a few things have nevertheless stayed on course at Volkswagen Central in Wolfsburg, Germany. One such project is the replacement for the not so new New Beetle, which is reportedly on track for a 2010 launch, said Mark Stehrenberger of Motor Trend.

According to the sources, the 2010 VW Beetle will once again be styled in California and engineered in Germany. It will be sharing a platform with the next-generation Rabbit and the new Scirocco. The next-generation Beetle, on the other hand, is an attempt to deviate from the ‘chick car’ image attached to it in the previous years.

To create a more upscale and full modern look and style, a VW pool of designers use sleek and elegant body parts mated to enhanced and hi-tech auto equipment. The next-gen Beetle will be made bigger than the current model. It will also make better use of the extra interior space.

The upcoming Beetle will be equipped with improved a VW window switch, roof, fenders, engines, a radiator, car accessories, striking design cues, and other noteworthy modifications.

The charming bug-eye aura, rounded contours, and spherical roofline are binned in favor of a more aggressive, and more conventional, style with a sportier deportment and coupe-style roof as illustrated in the drawings. The new Beetle is being penned to easily adapt for a wide variety of model variants. The upcoming Beetle is the reason why the German automaker has hesitated bringing the Scirocco, an almost identical car, stateside.

Additionally, a soft-top cabrio will come shortly after the hatchback’s launch, with a sport wagon with small rear doors reportedly coming shortly thereafter. Other variants on the table include a micro-van, a pickup, and a sport wagon-based crossover, with hotted-up versions also part of the product mix, said Stehrenberger.

The plan to get rid of the iconic classic shape of the Beetle may result to backfiring if performed – it is an understandable move for VW to attempt to produce a sub-brand using the Beetle name. The strategy can be likened to BMW’s venture with its Mini lineup.

The Beetle was widely scorned for its odd styling, rough ride, weak power, and high noise levels. But the car was ultimately the longest and most produced for a solitary design. It remained a hot seller even as rear-wheel drive traditional subcompacts were improved until ultimately replaced by front-wheel drive models. The German automaker intends to preserve the hot-selling factor of the car hence the plan of reviving the same in a more upbeat and upscale manner.

In creating the New Beetle, VW did an awesome job of seizing the essence of the old variant in both form and function. Since then, the New Beetle, launched in 1998, has undergone some minor facelifts but little else, leaving its interior design and architecture to sour as the auto competition leapt ahead with more tidy executions and enhanced materials.

“In principle, I like the New Beetle save for its interior. Yes, ergonomically it’s comfortable enough but please, less plastic expanses and fewer diminutive audio buttons would be start,” said Stehrenberger. “Despite its shortcomings, the quirkiness of the Beetle’s living space will endear it to most if not all owners, as will its fun factor. Buyers seeking practicality and efficiency over style and nostalgia will likely pass on a Beetle. This front engine, front-wheel-drive version of Germany’s famed folks-wagon is completely modern but it’s no Honda Fit when it comes to cargo space and frugality.” But Beetle aficionados should delight the fact that VW is making the iconic car much better.



Caffeinated Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress

linda turner asked:


The Volkswagen Beetle, or the Type 1 as it was officially known until 1967, is an economy class car. It was originally designed by Ferdinand Porsche for Adolf Hitler’s commission for what the latter called the “People’s Car,” (Volk-Wagen in German). The idea was to have a car available at an affordable price for every German household. The official production started in 1938 and ended in 2003.

The original design was equipped with an air-cooled 4-cylinder horizontally opposed cylinder or “flat four” located at the rear as opposed to the front like most vehicles. Another trademark is the design of the body, which probably gave the vehicle its namesake. Throughout the years, some upgrades to the model have been produced, but the architecture remains mostly in line with the original Type 1 signature design.

Due to the inherent versatility of its engine platform and customization opportunities, the Beetle is one of the longest and most produced design among automobiles. As far as modification goes, VW Beetle Parts, be it OEM or aftermarket parts, are heavily sought after by many Beetle enthusiasts. Certain set styles were already popular amongst the car’s cult following, such as the Cal Looker, Resto Cal, and Rat Rod, but other combinations and variations are possible.

While the engine platform is over 40 years old, the Beetle’s engine is flexible enough to handle the mixing and matching of more souped up or tweaked parts, going beyond the original limitations of the stock Beetle, making the car no stranger to motorsport events and street racing competitions. A particular Beetle sub-style known as the Baja Bug is also found in off-road competitions.

Other customizers opt to stick to the vintage Beetle look. Since the Volkswagen produced different incarnations of the Beetle, parts vary from year to year. The market for classic stock VW Beetle Parts ranges back to the very first model produced in the 1960’s, allowing collectors to restore and maintain their vintage Beetles on good running condition.

In 1998, Volkswagen released the New Beetle, a retro themed car based on the company’s Golf platform, but borrowing the design of the its big brother so to speak. Unlike the original, the New Beetle had a front-mounted engine as opposed to the Beetle’s traditional rear-mounted one. It remains to be seen if the New Beetle will have the same characteristics as the original.



Create a video blog

Peter Clark asked:


The VW Beetle is one of the most well known cars in history. The beetle came out initially in 1938, and has been in production in one form or another for most of the years from 1938 to 2003. The VW Beetle is without doubt one of the most classic cars in history. And the history of the VW Beetle is an interesting one indeed.

The original idea for the VW Beetle, or what is also known as the VW Bug, came from Adolf ******. It is said that he had the idea of a “peoples car” in 1924 whilst he way in prison. He wanted a car that anyone could afford, and also to help with the unemployment problem that existed in post WW1 Germany. In 1933 the **** party came to power and ****** raised the issue of building special roads for the peoples car, and in 1933 the government began a program of construction of “autobahns” for German drivers. “Volkswagon” (VW) is the German name for peoples car.

Hitler wanted the design project for the Beetle started and gave the job to Ferdinand Porshe, later to become very well known for the “Porsche” cars that bore his name. ****** specified some criteria, including a top speed of 62 mph (100 kmh), at least 42 miles to the gallon fuel consumption, able to transport at least 2 adults and 3 children and to be able to sell for less than what was at the time the equivalent of 86 pounts (UK currency).

Thus began the history of the VW Beetle, arguably the most famous car in history.

The big question was the engine to be used and the placement of the engine, and in 1935 an Austrial engineer came up with a design for a flat four engine, Porshe having previously decided that the engine should be rear mounted. This engine was an air cooled engine, and was cheap to build, and this engine powered hundreds of thouands of beetles for the next 40 years.

And the name even came from Adolf ******. He specified a car that would “look like a beetle” so it was well streamlined, and hence the name “Beetle”. Then “Bug”. And the history of the VW Beetle records that that body shape changed little over many decades.

The basic style of the VW Beetle changed little over many decades, though of course there were many different models, but each model had the same basic beetle shape, and the engine changed little too. The manufacture of the Volkswagen Beetle stopped in 1980, at what point it had become the worlds most popular car.

The VW Beetle is not the worlds fastest car. It will, technically, do 0 – 50 mph in 13 seconds, a little slower than most cars today, but it had other features that made it popular. It was cheap to buy and run, simple to work on and reliable. It had only a small motor and, although originally required by ****** to do 42 mpg, actually did a little over 30 mpg. That, however, is still very good compared to many modern cars.

That’s the basic history of the VW Beetle. It was and is one of the worlds classic cars. It spawned a whole generation of great small cars, like the VW golf, and sold hundreds of thousands. It has also been the basis of many other vehicles. For example many vehicles such as dune buggies are based on a simple VW Beetel chassis.

The history of the Beetle is an interesting one. And for those interested in owning a VW Beetle there is still a range of great quality second hand Beetles available. And there are countless restored Beetles and car clubs with many Beetle owners.

So if you’d love your own piece of automobile history grab a VW Beetle. The history of the VW Beetle has shown it to be one of the worlds great cars.



Kansieo.com

Miranda Restelle asked:


Contrary to the popular belief, headlights do not necessarily refer to the part that is attached on a vehicle like the ones made by VW. Rather, it more or less refers to the beam of light projected by a headlamp which is the more correct term. However, the term headlight is loosely interchangeable with the word headlamp, as far as inform discussions go.

The use of headlights was introduced way back in the 1880’s, albeit a primitive version, this early incarnation was fueled by acetylene or oil, with the latter being popular due to its resistance to wind and rain. It wasn’t until 1898 that electric headlights were put into production. A century has passed and vast improvements have been added to device, however the function has always remained the same, a light source that guided motorist during low visibility conditions.

While there is not much debate left for function due to the fact that most headlights across all makes and models (since the difference is barely noticeable), the design component has been given special attention, as it highlights a car’s personality just as much as its body. VW headlights for the Beetle for example, have round headlights to compliment its appearance. And it can be argued that this was due to the fact that round headlights were easier to produce because at that time headlights used a parabolic reflector. However, the VW New Beetle retained the round shaped headlights that have been associated with its predecessor. On the other hand, the evolution of headlight design is evident on two of VW’s other successful platforms, the VW Golf and VW Passat, which both started with spherical headlights in earlier generations to rectangular-shaped ones during the 80’s, and currently, sporting elliptical headlights much like modern sedans. Customization has allowed for different color of the beams and styles, with the help of headlight covers. While most tuners of North American cars opt to “copy” the Euro-style lights, modern VW owners, with the exception of VW Beetle and classic VW owners have the style by default.

Maintenance for VW headlights is minimal, but will eventually need replacement much like any electronic or mechanical part. Models that use sealed beam headlights must replace the entire module once the filament burns out, while most post-1985 models, however, use lens-reflectors assemblies that allows for bulb replacement rather than changing the entire lamp. As time goes by, the front lens is subject to deterioration, due to accumulated road dirt and debris. Headlights made of polycarbonate can turn cloudy and discolored, mostly due to oxidation of paint hardcoat by ultraviolet light, either from sunlight or the bulbs themselves. This can be remedied by simply cleaning the front lens, however advance stages would mean that a replacement is in order. Should cracks somehow occur, there is a of high possibility of water to enter the module and burn the reflectors making them useless due to the lose of its specular reflective properties. Reflector malfunction is also possible if the wattage is higher than the specified range or through wear and tear. The only solution to reflector-related problems is to replace the headlight entirely.



Caffeinated Content

Darrell F asked:


 

The staggering number of these Volkswagen vehicles is the least of your worries. From Lupo to Urban Fox, Polo to GTi, Golf Plus to Golf Estate, Beetle to Cabriolet, Jetta to Passat, Passat Estate to Passat CC, Tiguan to EOS, Touran to Sharan, Touareg to Phaeton, the list is endless. Despite their miniature-like size, the price is still uncompromisingly high. It still speaks of sophistication and comfort while retaining its remarkable design. Not only are these array of models renowned fuel-savers, they are also widely-known to emit very low CO2 which makes them air-friendly. These car units are known to be built with a quality that outshines larger vehicles found in the market. Individuals can indulge in a private and trendy ride with the little hassle on parking issues. Move at speeds with nary a thought about traffic.

These collections, although varying in a not so huge dimension, are equipped with power and magnificence incomparable to others. The eye-popping interior, the smell of leather and the sleek combination of wood work are just a few of the unthinkable features. You can feel your importance as you get in the Phaeton. If you are thinking of lugging along the whole family to a picnic spot, try the Golf Estate. You can cram the family as well as the various picnic gadgets you thought you might need.

All comforts come with a price and if you are not willing to dig that amount in your savings an option is what you need. You can still enjoy the comforts these Volkswagen models have in store for you without spending too much. Volkswagen leasing and VW car leasing will give you the opportunity you need without losing too much in the bargain. It is a good compromise when you want to experience elegance yet retain your savings. There is no better way of economizing, at the same time living life at its best. With the two alternatives handed on a sleek bargain, who can resist? This is the trend these days. The desire to purchase and keep the title does not hold enough value.



Kansieo.com

Benjamin Hudson asked:


Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn told the VW shareholders that Volkswagen AG is set to post a pretax profit of at least 5.1 billion euros that is US$6.92 billion in 2008 because of its higher sales of its cars in Asia and Europe, and the United States fuel growth.

He also said the German automaker — famous for its Beetle and durable VW disc — will become more involved in the Indian and Russian markets and has outlined plans to expand production and sales in both countries, which are seeing a growing demand for new cars.

Speaking at the automaker’s annual meeting, Winterkorn did not lay out an earnings goal for this year, which the company said earlier would likely surpass the 4.4 billion euros earned in 2006. He said in the meeting that the Volkswagen group has experienced 12 eventful months. He further explained the collective wage agreement in October and the return to a five-day week represent a big step toward more competitive labor costs, higher capacity utilization and secured jobs.

The company has spent nearly two years cutting some 20,000 jobs from its German workforce because it strives to become more nimble in the face of rising competition from European and Asian rivals. Because of the restructuring, the company’s workforce was reduced to 94,000 employees; a 7 percent decrease from its previous number of employees. Workers at the six plants in western Germany also extended their workweek to from 28.8 hours 35 hours.

Winterkorn said the company, which is establishing production in India and Russia, is working hard in those two countries to build a good image in both markets.

India is one of the fastest growing automotive markets worldwide. Noting that Volkswagen sells Audis in the country and that some models from its Skoda unit are already built in India and Russia, Winterkorn said they are intent on playing a key role in shaping this growth.

Winterkorn further said because of the high tariffs on imported vehicles, however, Volkswagen will only be able to build a satisfactory presence in India if they also manufacture there directly. That is why VW will build a plant near the city of Pune at which it will start producing models including a small car designed to the needs of their customers in the Indian market, beginning in 2009.

Volkswagen expects to start assembling VW and Skoda models at its new plant in Kaluga near Moscow by the second half of this year, but is aiming to eventually have a complete manufacturing presence.

Same in India, Volkswagen’s objective in Russia is to attain a full manufacturing process. Once the body shop, paint shop and assembly line are ready, they will be able to start manufacturing Volkswagen and Skoda models in Russia two years from now.

Winterkorn said Porsche AG’s decision to recently increase its stake in VW was a sign of continued strengthening of the cooperation between the two companies – Porsche and VW. Winterkorn believes that Porsche has faith in Volkswagen’s potential.

Last month, the German luxury automaker raised its holding in Volkswagen to 31 per cent in a move that it said was aimed at protecting VW from a hostile takeover. Followed by the German state of Lower Saxony, which holds nearly 20 per cent, Porsche is now VW’s biggest shareholder.

A German law that limits Volkswagen shareholder voting rights to a maximum of 20 per cent appears likely to be ruled unlawful by European Union judges, but these holdings would leave the automaker protected.

The meeting came a day after the Wolfsburg-based company said it earned 740 million euros, or just over $1 billion, in the January-March period, compared with 327 million euros a year earlier.

Sales rose 5.1 percent to 26.6 billion euros that is $36.1 billion, from 25.3 billion euros.

Big gains in China and Eastern Europe, and a modest gain in the United States, helped offset a dip in sales in Volkswagen’s German home market after the country increased its value-added tax rate in January.



Caffeinated Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress