2008 Volkswagen R32 Automatic 2-door Hatchback on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Europeans get first crack at new Golf Variant wagon

Just last week, when we brought you news of a new Volkswagen Golf variant out and testing in Europe, we had no idea we were being so literal with out description. For it seems that VW has every intention of calling its new Golf wagon, making its Geneva debut, the "Golf Variant."
Odd/interesting sobriquets taken as read then, there's a lot to like about this new small wagon from VW. The Variant will shed some 232 pounds in this generation, and will come to market with two efficient TDI engines. Volkswagen isn't giving us displacement figures for either yet, but we're told the diesels will come with outputs of 110 and 150 horsepower. The 110-hp TDI BlueMotion Varient will be good for a whopping 71.3 miles per gallon on the European cycle, when mated to the six-speed manual transmission.
The German automaker has brought along an all-wheel-drive 4Motion version of the Gold Variant to bow in Geneva, as well, and a natural gas-burning TGI BlueMotion is said to be "in the pipeline."

2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR is black and yellow, black and yellow

Way back in 1973, Volkswagen decided it was high time to take the loveable air-cooled Bug racing. No, it wasn't painted in Herbie colors - Volkswagen called its sport-tuned machine the Beetle GSR, "Gelb Schwarzer Renner" or "Yellow Black Racer." Hence, the somewhat shocking paint scheme.
VW is bringing its sporty black and yellow Beetle back for 2014, and you can see live photos of it above. It's got a 210-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood (that'd be the hood up front, unlike the car's forebear), and a six-speed manual or DSG automatic transmission sends those ponies to the front wheels. Note that this car's output is up 10 horses on other turbo VWs, and the Jetta GLI and Beetle Turbo for 2013. The 0-60 run takes 6.6 seconds, and top speed is limited to 130 miles per hour.
Besides the in-your-face black and yellow paint, the GSR is outfitted with a large rear spoiler and 19-inch wheels shod with 235/40 tires. The bee-like hue carries over inside, with yellow stitching on black leather. Only 3,500 will be produced, each with its own unique plaque. Pricing has not yet been announced, but you're free to read through the press release below all the same.

Volkswagen hatches hotter GTI in Geneva

The all-new seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf hasn't even launched here in the United States, but over in Geneva, we're already getting our first glimpse at the hotter GTI hatchback. The fancy new Mk VII Golf is already off to a healthy start with positive reviews in Europe, and we have no doubt that this next GTI will work hard to regain its title as king of the hot hatches.
The big news for this generation of GTI is that for the first time ever, Volkswagen is actually offering two different power grades for the model, both relying on the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four. Standard cars pack 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but an optional performance pack ups the horsepower number to 230. Hitting 60 miles per hour takes 6.5 seconds (6.4 with the performance pack) and top speed is quoted at 153 mph (or 155 with the performance kit). Volkswagen will continue to offer the GTI with both six-speed manual and dual-clutch transmissions.
On the visual front, the sub-3,000-pound GTI adds the usual bit of hot hatch aggression over the standard Golf, and those changes carry over to the interior with a flat-bottomed wheel and, of course, plaid seats. She's certainly a looker, and while some of us do find the new Golf's design to be a bit staid and evolutionary, the enhancements for the GTI indeed tug on our enthusiast heart strings.