1966 Vw 21 Window Samba Bus on 2040-cars

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An inside look at VW's new California R&D center

Less than two months ago, the Volkswagen Group opened a new facility in Oxnard, California (about an hour's drive west of Los Angeles). The $27 million investment, touted as Test Center California (TCC), serves as a research and development lab testing emissions for all brands under Volkswagen's umbrella, including its newest member, Porsche. While still not fully operational, we toured the new 64,000-square-foot building last week and had a first-hand opportunity to see just how much work is involved testing engines and meeting increasingly stringent government emissions standards.
Replacing a similar facility established in 1990 in Westlake Village (about 20-minutes east of the new location), our guide explained how Oxnard was chosen for its temperate climate, varied regional terrain for test drives and low altitude. (The area is only a few feet above sea level - a critical parameter when instrument testing emissions.) The new facility is capable of analyzing hundreds of vehicles, prototypes and customer-owned vehicles, annually.
Most interesting to us was the huge stainless steel climate chamber, with a massive four-wheel dynamometer that allows VW to test running vehicles in both scorching desert and freezing climates without ever leaving the building (an Audi Q7 was running in place during our visit). We were also mesmerized by the countless storage tanks and intricate plumbing of chemicals, stored in both liquid and gas states, needed to perform the variety of tests. Lastly, we took a look at Bugatti's service center on the west coast, located completely within the new center. While there were no supercars on site, the facility is equipped with plenty of spare forged wheels (mounted with expensive Michelin PAX tires) and a Veyron-specific repair jig that allows the vehicle to be completely disassembled, if needed. It is a shame that the facility, which set off all of our automotive geek alerts, is closed to the public.

VW clubs pay it forward to fix elderly woman's vandalized '69 Bus

Not long after Thanksgiving, surveillance cameras caught four boys in Arizona throwing rocks through the windows of a 1969 Volkswagen bus belonging to an elderly woman called Ann. A few nights later they returned to the scene of the first crime and repeated it, smashing windows they missed before. Ann had no other car and no way to make a living, but when Jesus Aguilera – a member of the Arizona Bus Club – came across the incident on a Facebook page, he got to work. When he was finished, the AZ Bus Club and the Tucson Mob Squad had donated thousands of dollars to pay for new glass and get it installed, and now Ann has a magic bus she can drive again. Now, the vandals just need to be caught... Check out the video above for the story. News Source: AZ FamilyTip: Jav Volkswagen Minivan/Van Classics Videos crime vw bus

VW teams up with legendary electronic musicians Kraftwerk for 3D Autobahn concert

Electronic music fans know Kraftwerk. To paraphrase a famous TV anchor, they're kind of a big deal. The band is in the midst of an eight-concert show at Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie, which includes a full 3D accompaniment. Why, you ask, is this on Autoblog, then? Well, Volkswagen is sponsoring it, highlighting the role that its iconic Beetle played on the band's equally iconic fourth album, Autobahn. And besides, it's Friday afternoon, and who doesn't want to listen to the soothing synth notes of early EDM pioneers? Check out the featurette on the connection between VW and Kraftwerk, and then for giggles, scroll down and give the first track of Autobahn a listen. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Volkswagen Group via YouTube Volkswagen Coupe Classics Videos