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VW Sport Coupe Concept GTE 'marks beginning of a new design era' [w/video]

You didn't think that Volkswagen was going to come to Geneva armed only with a bunch of European-market minivans and wagons, did you? Of course not. Last week VW gave us our first glimpse at a new show car for the Swiss auto expo, and here it is in full: the Volkswagen Sport Coupe Concept GTE. Set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this week, the Sport Coupe is envisioned as a successor to the current CC, but beyond previewing a specific model, this concept showcases a new design language that's set to characterize all new VWs to come. And judging by how good it looks from the images in the slideshow above, that could prove to be a very good thing indeed. The concept strikes us as the sleekest iteration yet of the company's flexible MQB architecture that already underpins vehicles as small as the Golf and as large as the new Skoda Superb. It's larger than the current CC in every dimension but height, and pushes the wheels further out on a longer wheelbase. And with a liftgate at the back instead of a trunk, it strikes a form more similar to the Audi A7 than the Passat-based CC. As with recent past concepts, VW has taken the opportunity to showcase its hybrid powertrain technologies, fitting the Sport Coupe with a plug-in hybrid system that couples a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 to a pair of electric motors and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The internal combustion engine drives 295 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, while an electric motor integrated into the gearbox contributes another 54 hp and a second one kicks in 114 hp at the rear. Juiced by a lithium-ion battery housed in the center tunnel and offering all-wheel traction, the combined output of 374 hp is said to be capable of propelling the concept to 62 miles per hour in five seconds flat and on to a top speed of 155 mph. It can travel for 32 miles on electric power alone and on to an overall range of 745 miles, netting the equivalent of 118 miles per gallon on the European cycle. Inside, the four-seat cabin is laden with digital displays: there's a 12.3-inch unit – dominated by the speedo and power meter – in place of a conventional instrument cluster. The center stack incorporates a 10.1-inch infotainment display, and the rear-seat passengers have access to another 12.3-inch display at the back of the center console and another pair of 10.1-inch displays in the seatbacks.

Final Volkswagen Eos to leave the plant in May

Volkswagen has made no secret of its plans to wind down production of the Eos hardtop convertible, and the automaker has already celebrated the model's retirement in the US with the Final Edition (pictured above). However, the company now has an actual time for that end to come. The final Eos rolls off the line from the VW factory in Portugal in May, according to Germany's Automobilwoche, and European customers have until March 27 to get any final orders in. The company has no plans to offer a successor, it previously indicated. After about nine years of production and some 230,000 made, the Eos proved to be a success, at least in its home market of Germany. A VW spokesperson told Automobilwoche it was the country's bestselling hardtop convertible at one point, but customer preferences have changed toward preferring soft-top models. That switch spelled doom for the Eos. Drivers who want some wind in their hair still have some choices in the VW lineup. The Beetle Convertible remains on sale in the US, and Europeans also get the droptop Golf. Featured Gallery 2015 Volkswagen Eos Final Edition: Quick Spin View 18 Photos News Source: AutomobilwocheImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Jonathon Ramsey / AOL Plants/Manufacturing Volkswagen Convertible portugal

UK auto magazine says this is the best car commercial of all time [w/videos]

There have been many great car commercials over the years, but is it possible to define the best? Well, Ad Week recently took a crack at it by rating the top commercials of the year by looking at their view counts on YouTube, but Auto Express took a more democratic approach by putting the decision to a vote. Just after Thanksgiving, Auto Express came up with a list of the 20 popular commercials, and it tasked its readers with choosing the winner for the best car ad of all time. The winner? Honda's 2003 commercial for its then-new European Accord titled "The Cog."
While the ad never aired in the US, most car people have surely seen the impressive Rube Goldberg-style spot. In fact, the only commercial on this list that we saw on US television was the Volkswagen ad "The Force," but many of the others have become viral videos, including transforming and dancing Citroën C4. Of the 19 other commercials that vied for the title of best ad of all time, only the Ford Puma "Steve McQueen" commercial gave Honda a run for its advertising money.
Scroll down to watch Auto Express' top five commercial in order and to check out a press release, then let us know some of your favorite car commercials in Comments.