The ASG is an automated manual transmission that combines excellent fuel economy with driving ease.

Just like with a conventional automatic transmission, gears can be changed automatically by switching the gear lever to the drive (D) position, but it’s also possible to change gears manually by moving the gear to the “+”or “-“ positions.

When the drive position is selected, the gear change timings will depend on driving style and acceleration speed. Because the ASG is a single-clutch gearbox (just like a manual gearbox), torque to the driving wheels must be interrupted during a gear change. This is most noticeable during maximum acceleration: a lighter throttle load produces a smoother shift.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Your child's safety is a priority - for us, as well as for you. That's why we use Isofix child seat fixings in all our cars.

Isofix is being adopted worldwide as a safer way to travel with your children. The Isofix child seat fixes directly into compatible fittings in your Volkswagen, creating a secure link. It's quick, simple and there's no need to use the adult seatbelts.

Studies have shown many child car seats are not fitted properly, putting your children at risk. With Isofix, securing your child's car seat properly is much easier, reducing the risk of injury in an accident.

Why do we use Isofix?

Car manufacturers wanted to create the best, uniform standard for fitting child seats safely, and they came up with Isofix. Isofix child seats can be used in all cars which have compatible factory-fitted fixings. The child seat preparation has two mountings fixed to the body of the car. The compatible child seat fits securely to these mountings by two support arms. They are easy to fit and offer high levels of safety because they are fixed rigidly to the car body. All our cars have Isofix fittings in the back seats.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

You may have seen this advert in the Goodwood Festival of Speed programme and are wondering how we determined that the XL1 was the world’s most fuel-efficient hybrid production vehicle.
 
In order to make this comparison, we referred to an independent, 3rd party information provider for the automotive industry – JATO*.
 
We ran a data set which compared the XL1’s figures for the emissions and combined fuel consumption per gallon against all production cars available between 2010 and 2013 so far. The XL1 has the lowest carbon dioxide emissions levels per km (21g/km) and the lowest combined fuel consumption (313mpg) amongst this data set.
 
This data set looked at excludes purely electric cars, as these are rated on different standards, and also only looks at cars in, or previously in, production across this period.
 
*JATO is an independent, 3rd party information provider for the automotive industry. They pride themselves on delivering “the world’s most accurate and up-to-the minute automotive intelligence”. The data that they test is subject to approval by UK authorities but is taken directly from publications made by manufacturers.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

This year, Volkswagen celebrates 60 years of importing vehicles to the UK, so we’re delighted to celebrate at the 20^th Goodwood Festival of Speed on 12^th-14^th July (dubbed ‘the largest motoring garden party in the world’), where UK motoring fans will get their first chance to see some of the most exciting new Volkswagen models.

Taking pride of place on the Volkswagen stand, and also making its way up the famous hill climb, will be the XL1.  This super-innovative, ultra-frugal model looks like a vision of the future, but it is in fact already in limited production. 

The XL1 is the world’s most fuel-efficient production vehicle, with an official combined fuel consumption figure of 313 mpg and CO₂ emissions of 21 g/km, and it is also one of the most advanced vehicles in the world.  Its body is made largely of carbon-fibre reinforced polymer, while its drivetrain melds a two-cylinder 800 cc diesel engine with an electric motor.  Like any good supercar, it is also low (at 1,282 mm high it is lower than a Porsche Boxster) and features scissor-opening doors (although its 120-litre boot does make it somewhat more practical than supercar enthusiasts may like).

Next to the XL1 on the Volkswagen stand is a rather faster machine, the Polo WRC car.  This bespoilered beast is currently taking the World Rally Championship by storm, and visitors to the Festival of Speed will get to understand just what makes it so special, as it will also be powering up Goodwood’s famous hill.

Among those driving the XL1 will be Formula One legend and six-times Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, and Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, outgoing Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand responsible for development, who will also pilot the Polo WRC.

If all of that seems a little far removed from what you might expect to find in a Volkswagen showroom, visitors to the Festival of Speed will also get the chance to see the latest iterations of two more familiar Volkswagens.

On the Volkswagen stand we’ll be exhibiting the exhilarating new Golf GTI alongside its frugal yet feisty sibling, the Golf GTD.  The GTI needs little introduction; since it first appeared on the market some 37 years ago, it has become an icon, combining accessible performance, sharp design and practicality like no other car.  The latest GTI comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing up to 230 PS, meaning it can sprint from standstill to 62 mph in 6.4 seconds and on to a 155 mph top speed. 

The GTD, meanwhile, proves that parsimony at the pumps need not mean a hair-shirt driving Experience.  Its 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine packs 184 PS and 380 Nm of torque, helping it to reach 62 mph from rest in just 7.5 seconds and hit 142 mph flat out, yet it returns 67.3 mpg while emitting just 109 g/km of CO₂.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk