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2015 Volkswagen e-Golf

Until now, the only way you could get the words "electric" and "Golf" so close together was the put the word "cart" after them. Knowing that the e-Golf would be the next step in Volkswagen's tilt at electrification, the automaker designed the MkVII platform to fit a myriad of drivetrains, none of which would require purchasers to sacrifice the Golf-ness that makes the best-selling car in Europe, not to mention a huge hit here in the States. In the e-Golf that means power electronics underhood and an amoeba-shaped battery that fits in the floorpan, between the axles, where it won't ooze into the interior space. We look at the e-Golf as another kind of crossover: traditional cars that just happen to be electric, offering a taste of the new EV religion in soothing, recognizable garb. We had one for a week in its natural habitat, Los Angeles and the surrounding area. We really like the fact that, powertrain aside, it maintains everything we dig about the Golf. The caveat is that this is an EV first and a Golf second – you must first address the EV challenges and live within EV constraints, then you can enjoy the Golf bits. Even so, it's the electric car this writer would buy once we acquired the lifestyle to make proper use of it. The most noticeable exterior change to the e-Golf are 16-inch Astana wheels wrapped in 205-series tires that reduce rolling resistance by ten percent. Once you've cottoned on to that, the other alterations become apparent: the blue trim strip underlining the radiator grille, the redesigned bumper with the C-shaped decoration LED lights and the full-LED headlamps above them, the little blue "e" in the model name on the rear hatch. You won't notice the underbody paneling, that the frontal area of the e-Golf is ten percent smaller than that of a traditional Golf, that the radiator is closed off, or the reshaped rear spoiler and vanes on the C-pillars. Volkswagen says this results in a ten-percent drop in drag, getting the coefficient down to 0.281, but the standard Golf is also listed at 0.28. The TSI and TDI are 0.29. No matter those numbers, the point is the e-Golf looks just like... a Golf. The 12,000-rpm, 85-kW electric motor equates to 115 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, which compares to 146 hp and 236 lb-ft from the 2.0-liter diesel Golf. It takes 4.2 seconds to get to 37 miles per hour, 10.4 seconds to hit 62 mph, and the little guy tops out at 87 mph.

Car and Driver shows off awesome 1960s ads

Someone must have recently rediscovered the keys to the archives at Car and Driver, and the access has been put to good use. Following last month's fantastic look at automotive ads from the '50s, there's now a new gallery running from March 1960 through December 1969. This collection provides a great overview of a decade full of iconic cars. If you're a fan of Carroll Shelby, particularly his Mustangs, then there's a lot to love among this group. One ad from July 1965 aimed to sell the GT350, but with an ocean of text and a tiny picture, it probably could've used a once-over by Don Draper's team. By December '65, the copywriters ironed out the problems with a spot proclaiming boldly "Shelby GT350 is 'Son of Cobra.'" The company offered some great accessories, too. For those into European motoring, there's a humorous attempt to sell the Alfa Romeo Giulia as both a racecar and family hauler. Toyota also boasts about the winning record for the 2000GT. Among the best text comes from BMW for lines like: "What's BMW got? The most advanced high-performance engine in any production car, for a cruising speed of 100 mph." Of course, Volkswagen's famous "Lemon" ad for the Beetle also gets its due here. Separately, each of these ads is fascinating, but taken together they tell the story of a great decade of motoring. Go give them all a read at Car and Driver. Related Video: News Source: Car and DriverImage Credit: GM Heritage Center Marketing/Advertising Read This Alfa Romeo BMW Ford Toyota Volkswagen shelby alfa romeo giulia shelby gt350 toyota 2000gt

The VW Sport Coupe GTE Concept promises exciting things for brand's future [w/video]

In recent years, it seems as though the Audi allotment of design talent from the Volkswagen Group has gotten braver, while the VW designers have become more conservative. One look at the current Volkswagen range reveals a lot of tidy sheet metal, but hardly any that rank as evocative or emotionally compelling. If the rhetoric around this Sport Coupe GTE Concept turns to action, however, VW's mass-marketed cars could become a lot more interesting to look at. Sharp creases and bold graphics can be found on just about every inch of the concept, and the large wheels at either extreme corner help to sell this as a "four-door coupe" more than most executions of that now hackneyed styling term. And, if you like what you see, then you might want to hold out for quickly approaching versions of this look on production models. Design head Walter de Silva says this language will be "shaping the immediate future" for VW product. Mechanically, the Coupe also previews more hybridization for the VW line. The concept has a plug-in hybrid powertrain, with a turbo 3.0-liter V6 driving the front wheels, and an electric motor sending yet more power to the rear. You can read up on the details in our official post from a few days ago, or just click through the pretty pictures in the gallery above. SPORT COUPE CONCEPT GTE MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT THE GENEVA AUTO SHOW Four-door coupe marks beginning of a new design era at Volkswagen Wolfsburg/Geneva, March 2015 -Volkswagen will debut the Sport Coupe Concept GTE at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show, heralding a new and progressive Volkswagen design language. "Evolution and revolution come together in the Sport Coupe Concept GTE. This concept is based on Volkswagen design DNA, which has been visibly sharpened even more. It shows how the highest-volume brand of our Group is shaping the immediate future," says Walter de Silva, Head of Design of Volkswagen AG. Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser, Volkswagen Brand Board Member for Development, elaborates: "This breathtakingly dynamic coupe is unlike any other to appear in this class. The design of the Sport Coupe Concept GTE is an impressive alternative to the classic sedans of the B and C segments-it has the style of a sport coupe that is enriched by the functionality of a large hatchback and the interior space of a sedan." Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design of the Volkswagen Brand, adds: "The Sport Coupe Concept GTE is another milestone of expressive design.