2003 Volkswagon Passat on 2040-cars

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eBay Find of the Day: Unrestored Herbie Love Bug movie car

Well before Cars ever hit the screens, The Love Bug series of Disney films – starring Herbie the VW Beetle with a mind of its own – was an early introduction to cars and racing for many budding auto fans. Not the modern remake starring Lindsay Lohan mind you, but the originals from the '60s and '70s. Now, a seller in Texas claims to be offering a chance to own one of the Bugs from the films on eBay Motors. According to the auction, this Beetle didn't appear in the original film but was built for the sequel Herbie Rides Again in 1972 and also appeared in the third installment Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. This VW was prepared as the blind-drive car for the movies that attached a low-mounted chair in the back and extended controls to let Herbie look like he was driving himself. Although, some of the photos here show the Bug with regular seats fitted, too. This Herbie was reportedly found in a Florida warehouse a few years ago. It was then made operable, while trying to keep it as original as possible. The exterior underwent a slight restoration with input from former Disney special effects staff, according to the seller. The changes added new graphics and rebuilt the blind drive setup. Judging by these pictures, the rest of the interior was left mostly untouched, though. Of course, anyone interested in buying a movie car is going to want proof of its authenticity. The seller claims to have the original California title showing the buyer as Disney in 1972. The Bug also reportedly has a unique rear decklid that mixes early and later parts to help identify it in the film. As of this writing, bidding for Herbie sits at $55,100 with 82 bids and a reserve not yet met. The sale closes on Saturday, December 13.

2014 Volkswagen GTI to start a new hot hatch era in Geneva

The upcoming Geneva Motor Show is going to be stocked with important new production models and sexy concept cars, but hot hatch enthusiasts will undoubtedly see it as the coming out party of the MkVII Volkswagen GTI. And while we've only got European specifications and pricing to go on for now, we can tell from the get-go that the new GTI will be a proper heir to VW's hot hatch legacy.
This seventh-generation GTI is powered by a turbocharged, direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque in base form. For the first time ever, Volkswagen is also offering a performance pack for the GTI as well, which ups the horsepower to 230 (torque remains unchanged). With a slightly lower curb weight to push around - the new base car weighs 2,978 pounds versus 3,034 for the current three-door GTI - 0-62 miles per hour is now achieved in 6.5 seconds, and top speed is 153 mph. (Cars with the performance pack offer 0-62 mph in 6.4 seconds, and a 155-mph top speed.) Buyers my choose between a six-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed DSG unit.
Visually, the new GTI has obviously adopted the slant-nosed looks of the MkVII Golf, though with plenty of added drama. The exterior is dominated by the 17-inch "Brooklyn" wheels wearing 225-section rubber, and the aggressive front fascia gets black honeycombed inserts in the upper and lower grille sections. At launch, Volkswagen will offer the GTI in three colors: the Pure White seen here, Tornado Red and Black. Tartan patterned seats are of course still an option for the interior, while the GTI-specific steering wheel and shift knob are standard.

Automakers not currently promoting EVs are probably doomed

Okay, let's be honest. The sky isn't falling – gas prices are. In fact, some experts say that prices at the pump will remain depressed for the next decade. Consumers have flocked to SUVs and CUVs, reversing the upward trend in US fuel economy seen over the last several years. A sudden push into electric vehicles seems ridiculous when gas guzzlers are selling so well. Make hay while the sun shines, right? A quick glance at some facts and figures provides evidence that the automakers currently doubling down on internal combustion probably have some rocky years ahead of them. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is a prime example of a volume manufacturer devoted to incremental gains for existing powertrains. Though FCA will kill off some of its more fuel-efficient models, part of its business plan involves replacing four- and five-speed transmissions with eight- and nine-speed units, yielding a fuel efficiency boost in the vicinity of ten percent over the next few years. Recent developments by battery startups have led some to suggest that efficiency and capacity could increase by over 100 percent in the same time. Research and development budgets paint a grim picture for old guard companies like Fiat Chrysler: In 2014, FCA spent about $1,026 per car sold on R&D, compared with about $24,783 per car sold for Tesla. To be fair, FCA can't be expected to match Tesla's efforts when its entry-level cars list for little more than half that much. But even more so than R&D, the area in which newcomers like Tesla have the industry licked is infrastructure. We often forget that our vehicles are mostly useless metal boxes without access to the network of fueling stations that keep them rolling. While EVs can always be plugged in at home, their proliferation depends on a similar network of charging stations that can allow for prolonged travel. Tesla already has 597 of its 480-volt Superchargers installed worldwide, and that figure will continue to rise. Porsche has also proposed a new 800-volt "Turbo Charging Station" to support the production version of its Mission E concept, and perhaps other VW Auto Group vehicles. As EVs grow in popularity, investment in these proprietary networks will pay off — who would buy a Chevy if the gas stations served only Ford owners? If anyone missed the importance of infrastructure, it's Toyota.