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2015 VW Golf R ready for your pre-order on January 8

If you want to be the first person on your block with Volkswagen's latest Golf R parked in your garage, you need to clear some time from your schedule on January 8. On that day, VW is opening the pre-order books for the first 500 Stateside examples of the new hot hatch, and they come with some neat accessories, too. Don't worry about specing just the right Golf R because all 500 early models are identical. In addition to the obvious 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 292 horsepower 280 pound-feet of torque and 4Motion all-wheel drive, the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox is the only option here. Every one of these hot hatches comes in Lapiz Blue Metallic paint with 19-inch wheels covered in summer performance tires. Based around the DCC and Nav trim, each of them also has VW's adaptive damper system, bi-xenon headlights with LED running lights, a Fender audio system, parking sensors and navigation. Beyond just being the first ones to own VW's latest hot hatch in the US, the deal for these 500 folks also includes a Volkswagen R watch, carbon fiber and stainless steel keychain and a certificate. All three items are serialized to match the VIN of the buyer's Golf R. The total price for each one of these 500 Golf R's is $39,090, plus $820 destination and delivery. But potential buyers don't have to come up with all of that on January 8. They just need to visit VW's Golf R site and pay a $500 reservation fee to get in line, which goes toward the purchase of the car. The money is refundable for anyone who backs out, and any additional orders are put on a waiting list in case of any cancelations.

VW delivers first XL1 in Germany

Volkswagen has delivered the first XL1 diesel plug-in hybrid to a customer from Berlin, Germany. Dr. Christian Malorny received his Oryx White XL1 with black and grey interior from Volkswagen Germany's director of sales and marketing for passenger cars, Thomas Zahn, at the company's Transparent Factory in Dresden. The super-efficient XL1, which first debuted at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, is powered by a 0.8-liter, two-cylinder TDI engine and electric motor, with electricity supplied by a 5.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a seven-speed DSG transmission. With a curb weight of 1,753 pounds and a drag coefficient of just 0.189, the XL1 is rated at 261 miles per gallon on the lenient European cycle. It is capable of traveling solely on electric power for up to 31 miles. "The XL1 has inspired me from the beginning and I am very pleased to now be driving my own," said Malorny, (translated). "With its visionary design and high-tech appearance, Volkswagen has dared something new and innovative." The futuristic XL1 seats two passengers, and can carry 4.2 cubic feet of cargo. It features a carbon fiber reinforced plastic body, and a low center of gravity. It is diminutive of stature, as you can see in the photo, measuring 153.1 inches long, 65.6 inches wide, and just 45.4 inches tall. It is being billed as the world's most efficient production car, but it's unlikely Dr. Malorny will be making his money back on fuel savings any time soon; despite the first sale and the vehicles appearing on the German VW site, Volkswagen has not officially announced the price tag for the XL1. In the past, we've heard it will cost approximately $145,000. Only 250 are being produced. Check out our drive review of the Volkswagen XL1 here or read on for more information in the Google-translated press release, below. Volkswagen XL1 delivers first from First vehicle goes to Berlin Dr. Christian Malorny (left) took over his Volkswagen XL1 by Thomas Zahn, Director of Sales and Marketing Germany Volkswagen Passenger Cars Dr. Christian Malorny (left) took over his Volkswagen XL1 by Thomas Zahn, Director of Sales and Marketing Germany Volkswagen Passenger Cars Volkswagen has delivered yesterday at the Transparent Factory in Dresden the first XL1 to a customer. Together with his family accepted Dr. Christian Malorny from Berlin's innovative diesel plug-in hybrid.

VW Up Buggy may be headed to showrooms

Volkswagen showed six conceptual takes on its Up at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, one of those being the Up Buggy. Although few will probably remember it, VW has not forgotten it, applying for a patent for the Meyers Manx revival roadster way back in March 2012 and being approved in June of this year, according to a report in Autocar. That will give the automaker a 14-year lock on the design while it decides whether to move forward with a reboot of its past.
A patent doesn't mean the Up Buggy will ever move beyond the sheet-of-paper stage, but Autocar says VW is studying the market to see if a production version is feasible. We can't see North America ever getting it, but even so, we wouldn't complain if they made it - especially if they put an exposed engine in back that was set off by 18-inch-long twin tailpipes jutting straight up into the air. However, for a company that aims to be the world's number-one automaker by 2018, a niche vehicle for its mass-market brand would be a surprising use of resources.