1963 Volkswagen Double Cab Bus on 2040-cars

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2014 VW Golf brings storied hatchback's seventh generation to US

The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf in US-specification officially debuts at the 2013 New York Auto Show. The new model is the first VW in the States to ride on the company's MQB architecture, and as such, it makes use of plenty of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel to keep weight down. All told, the new shell is 51 pounds lighter than the outgoing generation, despite the fact that the finished car is a full 2.2 inches longer and .5 inches wider than the 2013 model.
Buyers can expect to find a base model powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (blue car above) with 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. That means the powerplant delivers the same horsepower as the old naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder while weighing less and producing seven extra pound-feet of torque. TDI (silver car above) buyers, meanwhile, will enjoy a new 2.0-liter turbo diesel four-cylinder mill. VW says the engine yields 10 more horsepower than the old lump, which means the Golf TDI now boasts 150 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque.
GTI (red car above) buyers will now get their hands on a revised 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with approximately 210 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque - Volkswagen hasn't finalized power numbers for that machine. We're happy to see that the GTI still features its trademark plaid seats. Volkswagen says the new Golf and GTI will go on sale as a 2015 model, but doesn't say when the car will actually hit dealerships.

Autoblog Podcast #406

Episode #406 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Brandon Turkus, and Chris Bruce talk about the Mustang Shelby GT 350, the Los Angeles Auto Show, and the Volkswagen Golf winning Motor Trend Car of the Year honors. We start with what's in the Autoblog Garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #406: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics: Ford Shelby GT350 LA Auto Show Volkswagen Golf wins Motor Trend COTY In The Autoblog Garage: 2015 Ford Fiesta SFE 2015 Honda CR-V 2015 Audi Q3 Hosts: Dan Roth, Brandon Turkus, Chris Bruce Runtime: 01:26:07 Rundown: Intro and Garage - 00:00 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 - 29:21 LA Auto Show - 40:36 Golf is Motor Trend COTY - 53:50 Q&A - 01:00:42 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes

2015 Volkswagen Touran is the Euro MPV exemplified [w/video]

Among the vehicles Volkswagen doesn't sell in the United States, we retain a soft spot for the tiny Touran MPV. Five doors, a reasonably sized trunk, clean sheet metal and an attractive cabin is an appealing combo, after all, regardless of the form factor. For the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, VW updated the popular compact van for European audiences. Like the Golf-inspired styling of the second-generation model, the popular hatchback's looks are clearly evident in the third-generation Touran. The Golf's small upper character line is more dramatic on the van, although the general taillight and headlight shapes are remarkably similar. The grille, meanwhile, is more Passat than anything else, with a conservative three-bar design. The R-Line model gets more dramatic front and rear bumpers, with black accents on the former and a pair of chromed exhaust tips jutting out underneath the latter. The cabin is typical of Volkswagen, with handsome materials throughout. Piano black is the dominant accent material, found on the dash and steering wheel, while the leather-wrapped steering wheel and hide seats both look like nice enough. Check out our full gallery of images of the new, third-generation Touran from the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Volkswagen presents the new Touran - Germany's best-selling MPV completely redeveloped - More room; smart new design - New engines up to 19 per cent more economical Volkswagen presents the new Touran. The completely redesigned MPV was showcased before an audience of international media representatives at the Autostadt in Wolfsburg, not far from the production site where the popular family car is made. The interior of the new model has undergone a significant increase in size and is highly configurable. Refinements have been made all around the vehicle, which boasts a range of six new economical engines and an extensive line-up of assistance and infotainment systems. The public premiere of the new Touran will take place in the coming week at the Geneva motor show. Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, explained: "As one of the most successful family cars in the world with 1.9 million units sold, the Touran is indisputably Germany's top MPV.