1952 Volkswagen Beetle - Classic on 2040-cars

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VW recalling 38k Jettas, Passats, Golfs and Beetles for fuel leak

Earlier we reported on a recall issued for the 2015 VW Jetta regarding a problem with the headlights, and now Volkswagen and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued another recall for a separate issue affecting not only the Jetta, but several other models as well. The issue revolves around a sealing cap in the fuel rail, which could leak fuel into the engine compartment and potentially cause a fire. The problem affects an estimated 37,979 vehicles in the United States, including the 2014-15 Jetta (manufactured between March 28 and November 24, 2014), the 2014-15 Passat (April 7 to November 18), the 2015 Golf and GTI (July 1 to November 20) and the 2014-15 Beetle and Beetle Convertible (March 31 to November 27). That covers pretty much the entire range offered by Volkswagen of America, short of the Tiguan and Touareg crossovers (and the discontinued Eos convertible). Considering, though, that VW routinely sells around 30,000 vehicles in the US each month, the small number of vehicles being recalled (relative to the quantity out there) tells you this recall really only affects a specific cross-section of models. Owners of the affected vehicles can expect to be contacted by their dealers to have the fuel rails replaced. RECALL Subject : Fuel Leaking Into Engine Compartment Report Receipt Date: DEC 22, 2014 NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V809000 Component(s): FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE Potential Number of Units Affected: 37,979 Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. SUMMARY: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to November 24, 2014, certain 2014-2015 Passat vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to November 18, 2014, certain 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured July 1, 2014, to November 20, 2014, and certain 2014-2015 Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles manufactured March 31, 2014, to November 27, 2014. A sealing cap at the fuel rail may fail, allowing fuel to leak into the engine compartment. CONSEQUENCE: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire. REMEDY: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails with new parts, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24Bi.

Volkswagen scores dominant 1-2-3 finish at Monte Carlo Rally

Racing calendars change from year to year, but most series have that one race they just couldn't do without: the Monaco Grand Prix for F1, Le Mans for endurance racing, Dakar for rally raid, the Indianapolis 500 for Indy, the Daytona 500 for NASCAR... and for the World Rally Championship, it's the Monte Carlo Rally. Winning the Monte brings with it its own measure of bragging rights, but locking out the podium is another story altogether. And that's just what Volkswagen did this weekend on the Cote d'Azur. The hard-fought season-opener saw nine-time world champion (and seven-time Monte Carlo Rally winner) Sebastien Loeb return with Citroen, but ultimately it was the VW team that won – and won big, taking a commanding 1-2-3 finish. Sebastien Ogier (with Julien Ingrassia) finished first, followed by Jari-Matti Latvala (with Miika Anttila) in second and Andreas Mikkelsen (with Ola Floene) in third, all of them in the Volkswagen Polo R WRC that was just updated in time for the start of the season. The rally passed right through the Forest Saint Julien where Ogier was born, and at the end of it all, Mikkelsen walked little more than 50 steps from the Volkswagen garage to his condo at Quai Antoine 1er in Monte Carlo. It was only the second time VW has locked out the podium since hitting the scene two years ago, following the German team's 1-2-3 finish in Australia last season en route to its second consecutive world championship. This also marked the second year in a row that Ogier and VW have won the Monte, after narrowly losing out to Loeb in '03. The achievement in Monaco this weekend made VW only the fifth manufacturer to take the top three spots in the Monegasque capital: Renault-Alpine became the first in 1973, followed by Lancia (with the Stratos) in '76 and then again (with the Delta Integrale) in '89, Audi sandwiched between in '84 and Citroen with the "dream team" of Loeb, Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz in 2003. (Peugeot achieved the same in 2009, but that was when the Monte Carlo Rally had left the WRC and was run as part of the less prominent and lower-spec Intercontinental Rally Challenge.) Not even Subaru, Mitsubishi, Toyota or Ford - all dominant forces in their time - can claim that feat. The victory secures the Polo R WRC's place as the most dominant car in the championship, winning over 85 percent of the rallies in which it has been entered since its debut in 2003. FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rally Monte Carlo One-two-three!

Volkswagen Tiguan and Touareg take the R-Line

Volkswagen's Detroit Auto Show presence is big on utility this year, with the CrossBlue three-row concept vehicle occupying the lion's share of the limelight, both literally and figuratively. But that isn't stopping Volkswagen from lavishing attention on its already established crossover and sport utility vehicles with new R-Line derivatives. The Tiguan and its big brother Touareg are getting a host of look-faster items to increase their sporting appeal.
On the outside, the Tiguan R-Line receives handsome 19-inch alloys peering out from beneath fender extensions, premium lighting (bi-Xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lamps), along with matching side skirts and a liftgate spoiler. On the inside, sportier accommodations include aluminum trim and a flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle shifters. As with other R-Line models, there are no powertrain modifications to go with the more aggressive visuals (that being the province of R standalone performance models like the R32), though the suspension has been firmed up an unspecified amount. The Tiguan R-Line will be available in front- or all-wheel drive configuration.