With the introduction of the newest Volkswagen Golf Variant, we get an early look at what will most likely be the next-generation Jetta SportWagen here in the US. To further whet our appetities, VW is now teasing something a little sportier with the Concept R-Line. Looking the part of a GTI wagon (or a stretched Golf R), the Golf Variant Concept R-Line has a production-ready appearance that has us hoping we'll see this sporty wagon sooner rather than later.

The R-Line starts off with a new fascia that isn't quite as aggressive as the recently introduced GTI, but it gives the new styling some extra punch. Below the fascia is a lower splitter that visually carries back into the rocker panel extensions, and the rear of the car gets some bright exhaust tips and a rear diffuser. The Lapis Blue Metallic paint job probably does enough on its own to add a sporty flair to the Golf wagon, and it's all finished off with 18-inch split-spoke wheels. Inside, the Concept R-Line shows off sport seats wrapped in carbon leather featuring blue nappa inserts in the middle.

Rightfully so, VW brought the Concept R-Line to Geneva with its TDI and 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. A sporty, all-wheel-drive diesel wagon? Yes, please.

Article source: www.autoblog.com

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Rugged-looking Cross up! ready for Geneva show debut

Volkswagen is expanding its range of striking Cross models with the Cross up!, which will go on sale in Europe from late summer.  It will join the CrossPolo, CrossGolf and CrossTouran models, which have been a big success in Europe.

Cross models are individualised Volkswagen models with a particularly rugged design and tough, lifestyle qualities.  Thanks to numerous striking exterior elements, the Cross up! is instantly recognisable as a stand-alone model: sideways on, for example, black mouldings on the wheel arches and sills, plus full-length door protector strips topped with ‘Cross up!’ lettering create a sporty look.  Further unmistakable features of the Cross up! include the silver roof rails, the wing mirrors in a light silver metallic finish and bumpers also incorporating silver elements.  The robust, sporty character is defined above all by the extra ride height and the ‘Cross’ 16-inch alloys with a high-sheen finish and 185/50 tyres.

High-quality details are also to be found in the interior of the Cross up!, from kick-plates with ‘Cross up!’ lettering to seats in a special trim (in a choice of red or anthracite), an instrument panel with high-quality dash-pad (in a choice of red, black or dark silver), and a leather-covered steering wheel and handbrake lever.

The Cross up! is equipped to a high specification: included as standard are remote central locking, electric front windows, fog lights, electrically adjustable heated wing mirrors, an asymmetrically split, folding rear seat with headrests, a variable-height boot floor, a rev counter, a multifunction display and ESC electronic stability programme.

A 55 kW / 75 PS three-cylinder petrol engine combined with a five-speed manual transmission serve as the power train for the lifestyle-oriented Cross up!, which is available in Germany from late summer at a starting price of €13,925.  UK sales are under consideration, but not confirmed.

 
Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Driven: VW Golf GTI Cabriolet

 

Volkswagen's legendary Golf GTI is available as a cabriolet once again. Erin Baker takes it for a spin.

On a freezing but sunny November Saturday, frost-starched pavements and clouds of breath in the clean air, convertible owners are the magicians of the morning. You see them, roofs down, faces wreathed in grins, clad in bobble hats and Puffas, darting about the open roads, and wonder what fresh madness it is that makes them volunteer for extra chilliness.

Then you become one of them, and you understand. No wonder the UK has the highest number of convertible owners in Europe: we have an unquenchable thirst for sunshine. Give us a sniff of it and we’re off, like a greyhound after a hare. Which sums up the new Volkswagen Golf GTI well.

Decades after the MkI, this is still the car to which all other hot hatches aspire. It’s got that perfect mix of responsive chassis, willing 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, direct steering, progressive brakes and supple suspension, together with room for four adults, an adequate boot and user-friendly controls. There are no alternatives: this is it, the Alpha and Omega of hotness and hatchness. the Port and stilton, the bacon and buttie of all GTIs. And now you can have it with a folding fabric roof.

Our test car was lairy red, with a smart black roof, big silver discs for alloys, and tartan-fabric seats that had "GTI" embroidered on them. The only letdown was a measly thin gearknob for the six-speed manual 'box where, as everyone knows, there should be a fat golf ball.

 

On the motorway, with the roof up, there is commendably little noise from outside, and fuel consumption is bearable; zipping around town will see you drop to 19mpg or so, but you’ve got to have a bit of fun in a car with tartan seats, don’t you think?

Article source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Off to the icy cold: Volkswagen looks ahead to the rally Sweden

 

A high-speed adventure on ice and snow: when Volkswagen Motorsport starts out on the Rally Sweden from 7 to 10 February, it will be taking on its second major challenge in the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). At the wheel of the 315-hp (232 kW) Polo R WRC, Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) and Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) will grapple with the only event this season to be held completely on ice and snow. The rally, with its headquarters in Karlstad and Service Park in Hagfors, represents a gruelling test for the drivers and the team’s technology: the rally cars are consistently pushed to their very limits, despite temperatures plummeting to between 10 and 20 degrees below freezing. The icy cold is no obstacle for the enthusiastic fans, however: armed with tents and camp fires, which they erect along the side of the route, they defy the conditions to cheer the wild drifts and huge jumps produced by their rally heroes. Another feature of the event is that the route for this iconic rally also takes the teams over the border from Sweden into Norway.

“After a good start to the season, the entire team now heads to the next challenge, the Rally Sweden, fully motivated and full of confidence. However, everyone in the team is well aware that the good result achieved in Monte Carlo is not yet a true indication of where we lie compared to the opposition,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. “The Rally Sweden is totally unique. The speed on the ice and snow is very high. This is only possible with extreme studded tyres, which are only used once a year. However, every rally is a test for the team. The processes in Monte Carlo recently were top-class. We want to follow on from this in Sweden and to continue developing from rally to rally.”

Snow, ice, bitter cold: the Rally Sweden represents a unique challenge

At the Rally Monte Carlo it was the all-important question: which tyre to use. In Sweden, conditions make the lives of the drivers and engineers significantly easier. The only tyres available to the drivers are studded winter tyres. Rather than tyre selection, the bitter cold around Hagfors and Karlstad will play a crucial role: initial forecasts are predicting temperatures of –10° Celsius for the weekend of 7 to 10 February. This will provide a stern test for the team at the nine scheduled services, and will put man and material through its paces during the 338.91 timed kilometres awaiting the Polo R WRC.

After a spectator stage in Karlstad on Thursday, the rally heads into the Hagfors region on Friday, where Saturday’s special stages are held to the east of the city. Special stages along the border with Norway are scheduled for Saturday. The stages are all similar: largely lined by walls of snow, which the drivers “lean on” every so often, the route takes the competitors at high speeds through forests and past frozen lakes.

2012 winner, 2013 “powered by Volkswagen”: Jari-Matti Latvala

Drivers from northern Europe traditionally have a ‘home’ advantage at the Rally Sweden: in 2004, multiple world champion Sébastien Loeb (Citroën) became the first and only driver to date from outside of Finland, Norway and Sweden to win the rally since it was first held in 1950. 2012 winner: Jari-Matti Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila, who switched to Volkswagen in the winter.

Quotes ahead of the Rally Sweden

Jari-Matti Latvala, Polo R WRC #7

“I really like the Rally Sweden. The event requires a very quick and flowing driving style on Swedish forest roads. There is nothing to criticise about the event – with one exception: it can get very cold there, with temperatures reaching as low as minus 20 or even minus 30 degrees. Up to now I have driven 500 kilometres on snow in the Polo R WRC. However, we will slot in another test day on snow before the Rally Sweden. The car works very well in these conditions. I am already very happy with the way it feels to drive. I have fond memories of the Rally Sweden, such as my very first WRC victory in 2008 and, of course, my win there last year. My goal for this season is to finish in the top five.”

Sébastien Ogier, Polo R WRC #8

“The season could hardly have started better for us. Heading to Sweden with 18 points to our name is a very nice position to be in. This allows us to relax a little. However, we are now faced with a new rally. Let’s see what we are capable of on this surface. It is hard to predict what awaits us there. We will have to wait until after the first few special stages. I really like the Rally Sweden. If the snow conditions are good, it is really good fun driving there. The average speed is pretty high, and the grip on studded tyres is fantastic. I just love pulling off big drifts with a rally car on ice.”

Volkswagen in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC)

In entering the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Volkswagen is adding another chapter to its motorsport success story. Volkswagen claimed overall victory at the Rally Dakar with the Race Touareg in 2009, 2010 and 2011 – celebrating a hat-trick of titles at the toughest marathon rally in the world. The Polo R WRC is the first World Rally Car produced by the Wolfsburg-based company, which now lines up with its own works team in the pinnacle of rallying. The series offers Volkswagen the opportunity to prove itself on a global platform in direct sporting competition. No model is more suited to the challenge than the Polo – one of Volkswagen’s most heavily produced and distributed models in the world.

Did you know ...

... the Rally Sweden was first held in 1950 and will be staged for the 60th time in 2013? Since 1950, only three years have passed, in which the “Sweden” did not form part of the World Rally Championship: in 1974 it was cancelled due to the oil crisis, in 1990 due to poor weather, and in 2009 when the FIA rotation system meant it was not included on the calendar.

... the “poor weather” that prevented the 1990 Rally Sweden from taking place actually refers to it being too mild? Back then, there was too little snow to stage a real “Sweden”.

... the Rally Sweden is a real home event for Scandinavian drivers? Only once has the rally, which is the only race on the calendar that is always held on ice and snow, been won by a man from outside Sweden, Norway and Finland. In 2004, Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena (F/MC, Citroën) were victorious.

... Volkswagen consultant Carlos Sainz boasts a remarkable successful record at the Rally Sweden, with just one thing missing: a win? “El Matador” finished runner-up in Sweden on four occasions between 1996 and 1999, and also stepped onto the podium after finishing third in 2001 and 2002.

... the Volkswagen team is excellently prepared for the icy temperatures at the Rally Sweden? Taking the approach that layers are the best way to combat the cold, the mandatory team attire includes an outdoor jacket with a fur hood, soft-shell jacket, thermal underlayer, pullover, and polo shirt or team shirt. The team’s shoes are also completely suitable for use in wintery conditions.

... the organisers of the Rally Sweden present the “Colin’s Crest Award” for the longest jump over a crest on the Vargåsen stage, in memory of Colin McRae? Previous winners since 2008: Khalid Al Qassimi (UAE), Marius Aasen (N), Ken Block (USA) and Ott Tänak (EST).

... Volkswagen is also the official car of the Rally Sweden?

... the Rally Sweden is the first event of the 2013 season to feature two spectator stages, known as Super Special Stages? The 1.9-kilometre “Färjestadstravet” stage in Karlstad will be held twice on a harness racing track.
 
The number for the Rally Sweden: 1,300

As at all the rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the Volkswagen engineers can expect to be faced with a lot of analysis work at the Rally Sweden. Each car will record about 1,300 megabytes of sensor data at the “Sweden”. For comparison: that is the equivalent of about 230,000 A4 pages of pure text.

FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Standings

Drivers’ Championship

1. Sébastien Loeb, 25 points;

2. Sébastien Ogier, 18;

3. Dani Sordo, 15;

4. Mikko Hirvonen, 12;

5. Bryan Bouffier, 10;

6. Mads Østberg, 8;

7. Martin Prokop, 6;

8. Sepp Wiegand, 4;

9. Olivier Burri, 2;

10. Micha? Kosciuszko, 1.

Manufacturers’ Championship

1. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, 37;

2. Volkswagen Motorsport, 18;

3. Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team, 15;

4. Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team, 10;

5. Lotos WRC Team, 8.

 
Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk