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VW to unveil diesel-electric Twin-Up! in Tokyo

We've received multiple reports that Volkswagen will be bringing a diesel-electric concept to the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, set to take place later this month. The car, called the Twin-Up!, is based on the Up! city car, with some sources claiming this is a thinly veiled concept that will eventually enter production.
According to Automotive News Europe, the Twin-Up! will reportedly return 214 miles per gallon on the US cycle by combining an 800-cc, two-cylinder diesel and an electric motor. It will also boast plug-in capabilities, and will be able to cover 30 miles on electric power alone.
Autocar has a more complete picture of the Twin-Up!'s powertrain, though, claiming it's a modified version of the hybrid system found in the Volkswagen XL1. The Twin-Up! will get a more potent, 47-horsepower electric motor to the XL1's 27-hp unit, but will retain that car's 47-hp turbodiesel. The battery pack will also grow, from 5.5 kilowatt hours to 8.6 kWh. Both of these increases are necessary due to the increased weight of the Twin-Up! - it's some 900 pounds heavier than an XL1.

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.

Volkswagen Multivan Alltrack Concept takes the luxury van life off road

Volkswagen dug into its commercial vehicle fleet for its latest Geneva Motor Show concept, blending the versatile body of the T5 MultiVan with a luxuriously appointed interior, 4Motion all-wheel drive and a thrifty diesel powertrain.
That 177-horsepower diesel engine routes its power to the AWD system through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Based on that alone, we'd expect the Multivan Alltrack's behind-the-wheel experience to be somewhat familiar. That all-wheel-drive system and van body contribute to the 21-degree approach and 15-degree departure angles of this soft-roading MultiVan.
What wouldn't be familiar is its exquisite cabin. Volkswagen opted for a nautical theme for the concept's interior, featuring grey-blue leather seats from Poltrona Frau and a floor finished in real wood. The dark wood trim can also be found throughout the interior, running below the windows and on the dash.