Wolfsburg, 14 July 2015 – Volkswagen AG aspires to holding the leading position in the field of automated parking. A look into the near future of automated parking is given by 'V-Charge', an EU research project, in which six national and international partners are jointly developing new technologies. Its focus is on automating the search for a parking space and on the charging of electric vehicles. The best part about it is that the vehicle not only automatically looks for an empty parking space, but that it finds an empty space with charging infrastructure and inductively charges its battery. Once the charging process is finished, it automatically frees up the charging bay for another electric vehicle and looks for a conventional parking space. 'V-Charge' stands for Valet Charge and is pointing the way to the future of automated parking.

In the USA especially, convenient valet parking is a big hit: you pull up in your car right outside your destination, valet service personnel park it for you and have it brought around again as and when you need it. There is no more time-wasting search for a parking place. The V-Charge project picks up on this idea. Its development goal is fully automated searching for a parking space ('valet parking') within defined zones, such as in multi-storey car parks.

There are many scenarios that illustrate the advantages of the V-Charge concept. Take one practical everyday example: a commuter notices that he is possibly going to be late and is thus running the risk of missing an important meeting at his company. With V-Charge he is able to pull up right in front of the main entrance, get out and establish the link to his vehicle via the associated smartphone application. Operating fully automatically, the vehicle has a digital map relayed to it and within the parking area or multi-storey car park autonomously navigates to a parking space. If it is an electric vehicle, the system additionally prioritises a parking bay with an automatic charging facility. Pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles are identified by the cameras and ultrasound sensors integrated within the vehicle. Therefore, the vehicle is allowed to travel in so-called 'mixed traffic'. The selected parking area neither has to be an enclosed domain nor is any complex technical equipment required.

As the electric vehicle nears its destination, the system recognises via local sensors whether the allocated parking space is taken. If it is empty, the fully automatic parking manoeuvre begins and positions the vehicle exactly above the inductive charging spot. When the charging process is complete, the vehicle automatically moves to another parking space, leaving the charging station free for another electric car. When the driver returns to the multi-storey car park, he calls the vehicle back to the starting point via the V-Charge app. The vehicle moves to the defined pick-up location, with the driver not needing to set foot in the parking area or multi-storey car park.

Taking the lead in the international research consortium is the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. It is responsible for visual localisation, movement planning and vehicle control (Autonomous Systems Lab division), camera calibration, 3D reconstruction from images and obstacle detection (Computer Vision and Geometry Lab division).

BraunschweigTechnical University works on the issues of car park management and the vehicle's communication with the technical surroundings (vehicle-to-infrastructure'V2I'), Robert Bosch GmbH contributes its expertise in the field of sensor technology, Parma University looks after object recognition and Oxford University handles the development of detailed navigation maps of the parking area (semantic mapping concepts). As the sixth partner in the consortium, Volkswagen is providing the platform equipment, safety and control modules, as well as systems for static monitoring of surroundings, object recognition and automated parking.

The test vehicle: a network of technical sensory organs

The technical prerequisites largely already exist. During the introductory stage, for instance, it was possible to utilise sensor and camera technologies that are already being used in today's production vehicles. A dense network of sensory devices enables autonomous operation of the V-Charge test vehicle, which is based on a Volkswagen e Golf1. Four wide- angle cameras and two 3D cameras, twelve ultrasound sensors, digital maps and the so- called 'Car2X' technology for the vehicle's communication with the infrastructure ensure that the vehicle's surroundings are reliably detected and recognised. Pedestrians, vehicles and obstacles get identified, parking spaces recognised and measured and then this stream of data is put together in real timeto form an overall picture – the task that the technical  'sensory organs' have to fulfil is complex and extremely varied.

As continual tests run as part of the research project show, V-Charge is already functional today. GPS-independent indoor localisation, centimetre-exact parking space measurement and 360-degree recognition of surroundings all function reliably, as do the system's reactions to pedestrians and vehicles and the way in which it takes account of traffic moving in line with or across the vehicle's path.

2005: a Volkswagen Touareg called 'Stanley'makes the first move towards autonomy
At Volkswagen automatic motoring moved from being a vision to a field of research at an early stage. 'Stanley' – a Touareg converted in cooperation with Stanford University in California and the Volkswagen Electronics Research Laboratory (USA) into a laboratory that could drive autonomously – was already winning the Grand Challenge competition for robot vehicles as far back as 2005. The next stage of development, in 2007, was the Passat 'Junior', which even then was finding its way through the big-city jungle without a driver – and doing so with such success that it took second place in the Urban Challenge for autonomous vehicles.

Given the working titles 'PAUL' and 'iCar', two further Passat research vehicles also demonstrated their autonomous capabilities that same year. While, thanks to intelligent parking assistance with no driver involvement, 'PAUL' slips into spaces perpendicular to the carriageway, the 'intelligent car' makes life easier for the driver in stop-and-go situations and on long monotonous journeys by automatically braking and keeping the appropriate distance.

In 2011, the 'eT – follow me!' microvan was launched as the ideal vehicle for delivery services. One real-life scenario: If the driver walks from house to house along a street delivering letters, for example, 'eT' follows him on quiet electric paws like a well-trained dog to ensure his mailbag is constantly replenished ('FollowMe' function) – or stays on his spot like a good boy until receiving the electronic 'come to me' call.

Also taking to the stage of autonomous motoring in 2011 was the 'HAVE-IT' (Highly Automated Vehicles for Intelligent Transport), a Volkswagen AG contribution to the research project of the same name funded by the European Commission. The Wolfsburgengineers had developed for the Passat Variant a 'temporary autopilot', which set the best possible degree of automation for driving on motorways and similar roads based on the driving situation, surroundings, the driver's condition and the system status.

Note: Text and photographs can be downloaded from www.volkswagen-media-services.com.

Movie: (V-Charge- The future of parking 2:41 min).

1Volkswagen e-Golf power consumption,kWh/100 km: 12.7 (combined); CO2 emission, g/km: 0 (combined); efficiency class: A+

*The other vehicle models mentioned in the text are test vehicles.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

UK order books are now open for a raft of new ultra-frugal petrol models in the Golf hatchback, Estate and SV.  Powered by a new three-cylinder 1.0-litre 115 PS turbocharged petrol engine, the new Golf TSI BlueMotion returns 65.7 mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of just 99 g/km.  Also available for the first time with a BlueMotion engine is the option of a DSG automatic gearbox.  These cars combine the economy benefits of a diesel with the upfront price benefits of a petrol, with the Golf Match TSI BlueMotion costing £19,740 RRP OTR.  The first deliveries of these cars are due in September.

At the heart of the TSI BlueMotion is a 1.0-litre (999 cc) three-cylinder turbocharged TSI engine from the EA211 series.  This generates 115 PS from 5,000 to 5,500 rpm; standstill to 62 mph takes 9.7 seconds while top speed is 127 mph.  With 200 Nm, the TSI BlueMotion has the highest specific torque of any large-scale production series of petrol engines.  This is available from 2,000 rpm, though 150 Nm is already delivered from just 1,500 rpm.

Combined economy for the Golf hatchback is 65.7 mpg with CO2 emissions of 99 g/km for both the six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG versions.  Such economy is achieved through substantial engine development as well as a number of aerodynamic measures.  By lowering the chassis by 15 mm, adapting the radiator grille, optimising the cooling airflow and fitting special underfloor panels and a rear spoiler, the Golf TSI BlueMotion’s Cd value has been reduced to 0.28 (from 0.29 in the standard Golf).  The car also features super low rolling resistance tyres.  While this improvement may sound modest, it should be noted that in developing the seventh generation Golf, engineers made a 10 per cent improvement in aerodynamics.

Inside the engine, an ultra-rigid crankcase made of lightweight die-cast aluminium and its compact construction with three cylinders mean the 1.0-litre TSI is around 15 kg lighter than a comparable four-cylinder engine.  The exhaust manifold has been fully integrated into the cylinder head and fitted with a cooling jacket to make the best possible use of exhaust gas energy during the warm-up phase and to cool the exhaust gases even more effectively at high loads.  The TSI BlueMotion is also fitted with a toothed belt, which compared to a chain drive, reduces friction by around 30 per cent, while the maximum injection pressure of the 1.0-litre TSI is high for a petrol at 250 bar, while advanced five-hole solenoid injectors ensure precise fuel injections and results in faster energy conversion.

Unlike the diesel BlueMotion model which is based on the entry-level S, the Golf TSI BlueMotion comes as standard in Match trim.  As such it benefits from equipment highlights including ESC, XDS and seven airbags, an Automatic Post Collision Braking System, a PreCrash system, cruise control, stop/start with battery regeneration and driver alert (NB ACC and Front Assist are not standard).  The Golf Match TSI BlueMotion has 16-inch ‘Dover’ alloy wheels.

This new 1.0-litre BlueMotion engine will also be available in the Golf Estate and Golf SV, with predicted fuel economy figures of 65.7 mpg and 99 g/km (103 for DSG) for the Estate, and 62.8 mpg / 105 g/km (61.4/105 for DSG) for the SV.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

What happens when two men drive the perfect rally: round seven of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) saw Volkswagen claim an outstanding result, courtesy of a one-two, as well as first and third places on the closing Power Stage. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia secured their fifth win of the season at the Rally Poland, the 29th of their careers. Volkswagen has now started 33 rallies, during which time the two-time world champions have contributed 22 of the 28 victories achieved with the Polo R WRC. As such, they have been victorious in two thirds of all rallies since January 2013. However, Ogier/Ingrassia were pushed all the way to the finish at the fastest rally of the WRC year so far, and had to produce a flawless performance to fend off the challenge of team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (N/N) and eventually win by just 11.9 seconds. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) in the third Polo R WRC was embroiled in a thrilling battle with Ott Tanak/Raigo Mölder (EST/EST, M-Sport-Ford) for third place, before ending the Rally Poland in fifth place following a last-minute mistake.

Thrilling duel: two-time world champion vs. youngster has Rally

The battle between Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia and Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene at the Rally Poland will go down as one of the most exciting duels in the history of rallying. In extreme heat, with the temperature never dropping below the 30-degree mark, and with vast stretches of the route taken at full throttle, the two duos produced virtually flawless performances in similar conditions. The challenger, Mikkelsen, kept the pressure on defending champion Ogier right down to the finish – in the end, Ogier had his nose in front by just 11.9 seconds.

One and a half hours flat-out through Poland – high-speed festival in Masuria

When it comes to speed, Andreas Mikkelsen is your man. The Volkswagen youngster clocked the quickest time on both of the fastest stages of the season so far, “Gorklo” and “Wieliczki” – at average speeds of 131.09 and 128.13 kilometres per hour. Sébastien Ogier secured a hard-fought victory at the Rally Poland with an average speed of 121.41 km/h. The two-time world champion spent 60.31 per cent of the Rally Poland at full throttle. That is 1:28.10.1 hours of the winning time of 2:26.11.5 hours. The Rally Poland is now twelfth in the list of the 15 fastest WRC rallies of all time, in which the Rally Finland makes eleven appearances.

For comparison: the fastest round in the history of the World Rally Championship took place in Finland in 2012 – with an average speed of 122.90 kilometres per hour.

Exciting final few kilometres for Jari-Matti Latvala on his way to fifth place

Fifth place – the final few metres of the Rally Poland had a dramatic twist in store for Jari-Matti Latvala. The 2014 World Championship runner-up arrived in Poland having never finished on the podium in Masuria, and that place on the rostrum ultimately eluded him again in 2015. In trying to wrestle third place from Ott Tanak, the Finn skidded off the track on the very last special stage, hitting a tree with the front of his car. Making his 150th appearance in the WRC, Latvala had to postpone the celebrations for the 49th podium of his career. However, he was able to rescue fifth place despite a damaged radiator, thanks to an energetic effort from his mechanics. Going into the closing Power Stage, Latvala was just 1.1 seconds behind Ott Tanak/Raigo Mölder (EST/EST, M-Sport Ford).

Low retirement rate at Rally Poland – despite high speeds and heat

All 14 World Rally Cars reached the finish, with just one returning under Rally 2 regulations: the retirement rate at the 2015 Rally Poland was remarkably low. As in Monte Carlo and Sweden, Volkswagen enjoyed another round of the World Championship without any technical problems, with nothing more than routine work required during the six major services – and that at the fastest and hottest rally of the year so far. The only exception was the seventh and last service for Jari-Matti Latvala’s Polo R WRC, which was successfully repaired in time for the final 2.1-kilometre liaison stage after his crash on the Power Stage.

The success story continues: seventh rally of the season, third one-two for Volkswagen

Volkswagen completed its twelfth one-two in the history of the Polo R WRC in Poland. In total, the Polo R WRC now has 54 podiums to its name after 33 rallies. Of 610 special stages, 417 have been won by the Wolfsburg-based manufacturer

Power Stage remains Volkswagen territory

Bonus points on 57 occasions: Volkswagen also made its mark with the 32nd Power Stage with the Polo R WRC. The three bonus points for the Drivers’ and Co-Driver Championship in Poland went to Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, who have now clocked the fastest time on this special stage six times in a row in 2015. Third place went to Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Fløene, who also picked up one extra point.

One-two in the Drivers’ Championship – lead extended in the Manufacturers’ Championship

The excellent all-round team result in Poland sees Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Fløene climb into second place overall, behind World Championship leaders Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia. Ogier/Ingrassia top the standings with a 78-point lead over Mikkelsen/Fløene and 95 points in front of Latvala/Anttila, who are currently fourth behind Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S, Citroën). Volkswagen also extended its lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship and now lies 89 points ahead of its closest rival Citroën.

Quotes after day three of the Rally Poland

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1

“A fantastic Rally Poland! I am absolutely delighted and happy to have repeated last year’s win here. Julien and I really produced a perfect performance. The many fans and sensationally fast stages made this rally a fantastic event. The Polo worked perfectly. A big thank you to my team for that. Apart from the high temperatures, I had loads of fun in the cockpit. The win is also a huge step towards the World Championship title. We may now have a comfortable lead after the first half of the season, but there are still six rallies to come.”

Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2

“I pushed to the absolute maximum as I tried desperately to make it onto the podium. Unfortunately it was not to be. The crash on the Power Stage meant I dropped back into fifth place. Fortunately the Polo is a sturdy car and, in the end, we were grateful to our mechanics, whose energetic display kept us in the race. Without their efforts, we would not have made it to the finish. Compliments to my team-mates Andreas and Sébastien. I was not able to match their pace this weekend. Next up is the Rally Finland – my personal highlight of the year. I would obviously like to get back on the podium at my home race. That is what I will be working toward.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9

“That was by far the best WRC rally of my career. I like the characteristics and high-speed rallies like the one here in Poland. I came close to bagging a first win, and it ultimately just came down to a few minor details. I am incredibly proud of our performance here in Poland. Sure, we came close in Sweden too, but that was our home rally. To be battling for victory on a par with the world championship here is of a completely different, far higher significance. I am confident it is only a question of time before we get our first win. Second place in Poland is far from a poor result for us, and worth its weight in gold in the World Championship. We have regained second place in the Drivers’ and Co-Driver Championship.”

Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director

“The Rally Poland was a virtually perfect rally in every regard for Volkswagen. Firstly, our drivers proved emphatically that they are the best three in the World Rally Championship. Secondly, they were involved in exciting battles with each other and our opponents, and did a great job of promoting the sport of rallying. The rally was also optimal from a technical point of view, without even a minor problem. Our technicians can be extremely proud of that – as that cannot be taken for granted at the hottest and fastest rally of the year. The team could not be closer, as far as team spirit and healthy rivalry is concerned. Andreas Mikkelsen enjoyed a fantastic rally, and narrowly missed out on his first win. However, he proved that Jari-Matti Latvala is not the only man the world champion – Sébastien Ogier – must view as a serious threat.”

And then there was ...

... a speedy trip home. Richard Browne, race engineer for Andreas Mikkelsen, will have to make haste after the Rally Poland. He heads straight back to the Volkswagen team headquarters in Hannover, from where he will travel straight to the USA, where he will marry his fiancée Maggy in the state of Delaware this Saturday. We wish both of them all the best!

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Manual transmission lets you take charge and use all the power of the engine for a positive response when you need it.

Our manual gearboxes are highly efficient and designed to add to your driving pleasure. Manual versions of our cars come with either 5 or 6-speed transmissions. 

More gears mean less fuel

Our 5-speed gearbox is positive and easy to use, with the top gear reducing engine revs and therefore improving fuel economy at higher speeds.

Our 6-speed gearbox offers you smoother, quieter motorway driving with reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions, thanks to its extra sixth gear. And the closely matched gear ratios allow you to exploit all the power of the engine when you need it.

Lower revs at higher speed

The 5 and 6-speed manual transmissions, both with their closely matched ratios, are designed to minimise engine noise by reducing engine revs at higher speed. This has the added benefit of saving fuel. Our manual gearboxes are not just highly efficient, but are also easy to use with a positive shift action. Cable operation saves weight and results in short lever movement when changing gear.

6-speed versions feature a magnesium selector housing to save yet more weight, while a three-cone synchromesh on the three lower ratios helps make changing gear as smooth as possible. Low friction bearings further increase efficiency and cut fuel consumption.

Finally, our manual gearboxes are filled with lifetime oil and need no routine maintenance.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk