The new Volkswagen Scirocco has been named ‘Car of the Year’ for 2008 by the road test team and journalists from Top Gear magazine. Judges were mainly impressed by the Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) feature that lets the Scirocco alter its suspension, steering and throttle response.
“The standard ACC system allows you to swap between soft and scythe at the touch of the button, giving you a spread of abilities far beyond what we’ve come to expect from the average car,” said the journalists from Top Gear. Judges called the new Scirocco ‘a common man’s exotic’ saying that it is a car that many can understand, appreciate and afford.
VW hooked up with the world’s leading sail maker, North Sails, to help design this special edition Touareg whose aim was to reduce consumption at no expense of performance.
The VW Touareg North Sails special edition touts a 9 percent increase in fuel economy. This is accomplished by apparently doing some tweaking of the transmission to axle transfer points. Still, getting the colossal Touareg to come in under 10 liter/100 km for the diesel version is an impressive accomplishment (VW claims 9.2 l for the 2.5 TDI 6-speed manual and 9.3 l/100 km for the V6 TDI automatic).
German Judge Reinhard Saathoff has refused to strike down some rules in VW’s charter that protect the voting rights of the state of Lower Saxony, which owns 20.1 percent of VW. Porsche’s goal is owning 100 percent of the German mass car maker, Volkswagen. In order to achieve that goal, Porsche had targeted the rule that allows shareholders with at least 20 percent of shares in VW to be able to overturn major company decisions.
Exact reasons for why Porsche wishes to gain power over the Lower Saxony’s voting rights is unclear. One of the theories evolves around Porsche’s wish to limit union power at VW. On the other hand, the federal government is fully supportive of this law, which both it and the unions see as some sort of guarantee of job safety at VW.
Apparently, Porsche’s claim stems from a ruling by the European Union court on a German law court which had similar standards on voting rights.
“The VW law and the charter aren’t the same and we cannot treat them the same,” Saathoff said at a hearing. “If Porsche would interpret a ruling of my court as it did interpret the EU court ruling, I would be pretty mad.”
At the Essen Motor show, on November 28, ABT Sportsline will show to the public their tuning package of the new VW Scirocco.
Hans-Juergen, as ABT Manager, says “the very first Scirocco was the absolute star amongst compact sport coupes.” ABT continues, “The Scirocco looks really dynamic and the handling is very agile.” So, the renowned VW/Audi tuner is happy to oblige with a range of tuning and styling products to enhance the Scirocco’s already dynamic charisma. - Please see the Press Release after the break, for further specifications and info -
The Baywatch jokes started as soon as Volkswagen revealed the Pickup Concept at the 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicles Show this past September. Nevertheless, the Pickup Concept previews the full production model, which is currently in development. It’s believed to carry the name Robust or possibly Taro. Volkswagen will begin production of the 1 ton truck in the fall of 2009. Sales will start in the key markets: South America, South Africa, Australia and Europe.
We have acquired information that the VW Scirocco has been confirmed for the US market. The Scirocco will be introduced alongside with the VW Rabbit TDI.
Stay tuned, more info is likely to follow on this topic!
Following its unveiling at the Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen has announced the latest evolution of its Phaeton luxury saloon will cost from £44,235 when it goes on sale early next year.
Inside, entry level 3.0-litre V6 models will get new touchscreen satellite navigation and climate control systems as well as a refreshed instrument cluster and multifunction display.
Side Scan blind-spot monitor is now available as an option on the Phaeton for the first time. This technology, currently available on the Touareg, monitors the area next to the vehicle and acts as a lane changing aid with an audible alert and a small warning lamp in the wing mirrors.
Other options new to the Phaeton are a rear-view camera and the powerful 1,000-watt Dynaudio soundpack, which includes a 12-channel digital amplifier and 12 speakers.
VW has released a promotional video for the new 2009 Golf GTI. The compact hatch is expected to enter production in spring 2009. The video shows the car on the road, from several angles and positions. Enjoy!
German Judge Reinhard Saathoff has refused to strike down some rules in VW’s charter that protect the voting rights of the state of Lower Saxony, which owns 20.1 percent of VW. Porsche’s goal is owning 100 percent of the German mass car maker, Volkswagen. In order to achieve that goal, Porsche had targeted the rule that allows shareholders with at least 20 percent of shares in VW to be able to overturn major company decisions.
