The third-generation Volkswagen Atlas made its debut at the New York International Auto Show, built on an all-new MQB evo platform that adds about an inch of length to the three-row SUV and brings the most substantial interior redesign the Atlas has seen since its 2017 launch.

Exterior Design

The new Atlas adopts a sharper, more geometric front end. Double-stacked LED headlights run the full width of the nose, and an illuminated VW badge is standard on all trims except the base. Three new exterior colors join the Atlas palette for 2027: Blackberry, Sacramento Green, and Sandstone.

A Completely Redesigned Interior

Volkswagen describes the cabin architecture as a "bold loop" cockpit design, a sweeping dashboard structure that creates a visual separation between the driver-focused zone and the passenger side. Real wood trim is now standard across the lineup, and a column-mounted shift lever replaces the previous floor-mounted unit, freeing up the front center console. Three interior color palettes are available.

Technology

The base trim receives a 12.9-inch touchscreen; every other trim steps up to a 15-inch display. A 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro instrument cluster is standard across the range. Qi2 dual wireless charging accommodates two devices simultaneously, and a new Driver Experience Dial puts drive mode selection within easy reach. Volkswagen's Premium Speech AI is included with a one-year trial subscription. Rear sunshades and a power liftgate are standard on all trims, and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system is available on the top trim.

Safety

The 2027 Atlas adds a front center airbag, bringing the total to seven. Volkswagen has upgraded IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist, and a new Emergency Assist feature can guide the vehicle to a controlled stop and alert emergency services if it detects an unresponsive driver.

Powertrain and Capability

Under the hood sits an updated 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (the EA888 evo5), now producing 282 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, a gain of 13 horsepower over the outgoing engine. Volkswagen expects improved fuel economy, though EPA figures are not yet available. 4Motion all-wheel drive remains available, towing capacity is rated at 5,000 pounds, and a hybrid powertrain is planned for a midcycle update.

The 2027 Atlas will be assembled at Volkswagen's Chattanooga, Tennessee plant, with sales expected to begin in fall 2026. Pricing has not been announced. The Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport combined accounted for roughly 30% of Volkswagen's U.S. sales in 2025. Volkswagen also showed the updated 2026 Tiguan SEL R-Line at the 2026 New York International Auto Show.

Ferdinand Porsche, a German engineer had an idea, an auto for everyone. His engineering design team conceived of this idea in the early 1930's. In 1938 Volkswagen officially brought to market the Volkswagen Type 1 car, a small family car designed for the masses with a distinct shape and officially sold as the Beetle. In production for over 65 years, it is the longest produced car by any auto company.

Today, Volkswagen (VW) has presented the ID.EVERY1 Concept. An EV for the masses in the 21st Century.

VW had a World premier for their new EV for the masses. The ID.EVERY1 concept is to be the true EV that will serve the global market as VW has stated they will deliver on the following:

• En EV that will start at $20,000 Euro.
• Smart, Flexible, and Stylish: a sporty design, versatile interior, digital features, produced for private and commercial use.
• Cutting Edge: a powerful software architecture that enables lifelong updates, and upgrades on the production model.

VW has announced that they will deliver nine new models by 2027, four electric models based on a new modular electric drive (MEB) platform with front-wheel drive. This all-new Electric Urban Car Family with front-wheel drive will be a developed as a cross-brand portfolio for use under the umbrella of the VW Brand Group Core.

Click images to Enlarge

Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars:

“The ID. EVERY1 is the last piece of the puzzle on our journey to having the widest model selection in the volume segment. We will then offer every customer the right car with the right drive system – including affordable entry-level all-electric mobility,” says Schäfer. “Our goal: We will expand our position as the world’s leading volume manufacturer in terms of technology by 2030. And as a brand for everyone – just as you would expect from Volkswagen.”

VW all-electric global Urban Car Family will incorporate the following:

• Focus on people: This means the future entry-level Volkswagen can be equipped with new functions throughout its entire life cycle. Even after purchase of a new car, the small Volkswagen can still be individually adapted to customer needs.
• Characteristic design with charisma and identity: Creating something bold and accessible. The details in this car from the dynamic front lights to the 'smiling' rear, the car for everyone with character that people can relate to is the focus here from VW.
• New MEB with electric front-wheel drive:
  • Electric front-wheel drive for optimal space utilization and efficiency
  • Top speed of 130 km/h (81 mph)
  • 70 kW electric motor (94 hp)
  • Range of 250 kilometers (155 miles)
  • Length of 3,880 mm or 153 inches
  • Interior space for four people and 305 liters or 11 cubic feet
• Future Volkswagen: vision of combined economic stability, employment, and technological leadership on sustainable mobility
  • Advance: Strengthen competitiveness and expand the existing model range in a targeted manner. Coming next, the Volkswagen brand will give a further preview of the new Electric Urban Car Family in autumn 2025.
  • Attack: there will be nine new models by 2027 including the production version of the ID.2all for less than €25,000 and the ID. EVERY1 for about €20,000.
  • Achieve: Volkswagen aims to become the technologically leading high-volume manufacturer with the safest, most innovative and best-selling cars by 2030.

VW believes that today's modern plan for global auto's will have this new interpretation of VW DNA as a Clear, Charismatic, and Powerful design language that will deliver stability, likability, and VW's secret sauce which they call 'Flying Roof Concept' with tablet integration and multitool center console.

Interior of the ID.EVERY1 concept is a revolutionary space as the ID.EVERY1 is positioned between the VW up! and the current Polo. The interior space is equal to the larger Polo. The fabric and soft touch materials used are all from recycled materials. They are warm, friendly and pleasant to the touch. The days of hard cold plastic are history according to VW.

Attention has been given from the smallest detail in regard to interior lighting, switches, heating, audio to the multi-variable usability of the interior space. VW says that the interior space is to be a perfect companion for everyday life, intuitive to use and extremely adaptable.

The ID-EVERY1 is the final filled out portfolio of the ID series. The product reveal also showed the all-new ID.2 that goes on sale at the start of 2026 with a starting price of $25,000. The portfolio was shown during this VW Global Reveal of the ID portfolio and the video below is worth the watch.

New York - The updated 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan hasn't quite reached the U.S. yet, but at the New York International Auto Show today, Volkswagen took the wraps off a higher performance version of their small crossover.

More Power, Less Weight

Volkswagen is calling this the 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo, quite a mouthful and somewhat confusing with the Turbo moniker as all Tiguans come equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. In standard form, the turbocharged engine in the regular Tiguan produces 184 horsepower and 224 lb-ft of torque. For the "Turbo" model, VW pulls technology from the GTI in the form of a larger turbocharger and some upgraded strength engine internals. For the Tiguan R-Line Turbo, power jumps 67 horsepower and 51 lb-ft of torque, bringing the grand total to 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. This makes it a higher output than VW's own hot hatch, the GTI which clocks in at 241 horsepower. That 258 lb-ft is available over a broad rpm range of 1900 - 5400 rpm. The Tiguan Turbo sends this extra power through an 8-speed automatic to the standard 4Motion all-wheel drive.

While more power is great, the new Tiguan also drops 170 lbs of weight benefiting both performance and fuel economy.

A More Luxurious Interior

Sitting at the top of the Tiguan lineup, Volkswagen adds more luxury touches to the interior as well. Enhancements, such as premium materials like genuine American walnut wood décor, a wrapped and double-stitched center console, and upgraded Varenna leather seating surfaces. The gear shifter has now been moved onto the steering column, freeing up space for a large center console that enhances storage in the cabin. The Tiguan is offered exclusively in a two-row configuration for the North American region.

Next-Gen Tech Throughout

The third-generation Tiguan benefits from a next-gen infotainment system and user interface for a tech-forward experience. The next generation of Volkswagen's 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro system is standard, and a new central infotainment system with MIB4 technology features a standard 15.0-inch display on this top trim. A Driving Experience Dial located in the center console allows for easy adjustment of volume along with Drive Mode Select and the new Atmospheres feature, which combines synchronized ambient lighting and audio settings.

The top-trim Tiguan features an impressive array of standard comfort and convenience features. Wireless charging and App-Connect ensure seamless connectivity, while 3-zone Climatronic® Touch automatic climate keeps occupants comfortable. Other standard upscale features include a head-up display, 30-color ambient lighting, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon™ sound system, a power Easy/Open Close tailgate, 12-way power front seats with quilted leather seating surfaces and 10-point full-back massage and ventilation, heated rear outboard seats, and a heated steering wheel.

Safety measures increase as well with the addition of 4 more airbags over the previous model.

Pricing and Availability

Availability and pricing of the all-new 2026 Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo will be announced closer to launch this Fall.

More Volkswagen Coverage

• VW 2025 Golf GTI and R Refresh Announced
• 2024 Volkswagen GTI Gains Power, Loses Manual
• Volkswagen ID.EVERY1: 21st Century Mobility for Everyone

VW has announced the eight-generation of the Golf model with the most powerful Golf ever built for the North American market.

The 2025 Golf GTI and Golf R offer a compelling blend of performance, technology and driver engagement and will be offered in the following trims per model:

• 2025 Golf GTI
  • S trim
  • SE trim
  • Autobahn trim
• 2025 Golf R
  • Black edition

The Golf GTI has a fresh look with enhanced technology. The exterior has new headlights, front bumper, illuminated logo and a standard lightbar. The interior gets significant upgrades with a new freestanding 12.9-inch touchscreen. This system has the latest operating functions as shared in the ID.Buzz and ID4 offering faster, better software with a more intuitive layout. Physical buttons replace the haptic switchgear on the steering wheel for improved functionality. The mid-level GTI SE trim gets upgraded seats as standard, these black ArtVelours seats from the EU market high-performance GTI Clubsport.

The engine is a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 241 horsepower mated to a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Standard features available across all trim lines:

• standard navigation
• Dynamic Road Sign Display
• Wireless App-Connect on the base S trim
• IQ.DRIVE driver assistance technology remains standard across the board consists of the following:
  • Travel Assist (semi-automated driving assistance)
  • Front Assist (Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring)
  • Active Side Assist (Blind Spot Monitor)
  • Rear Traffic Alert
  • Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Stop and Go
  • Lane Assist (Lane Keeping System)
  • Emergency Assist (semi-automated vehicle assistance in a medical emergency)

The 2025 Golf R is more exciting than ever, featuring a 13-horsepower increase delivering a total of 328 hp for the 2025 model year. Paired with the dependable 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission this moves the Golf R quickly delivering the power to new 19-inch forged alloy wheels that are 20% lighter than previous wheels.

The driving purist can get the 2025 Golf R with the Euro Style Package that offers a sunroof delete, fabric seats and Akrapovic titanium exhaust for enhanced engine acoustics. This package reduces the Golf R's weight over the standard Golf R.

Pricing and availability for the 2025 Golf GTI and R models will be announced closer to launch.

On Tuesday, Volkswagen debuted the refreshed 2024 Golf. This renowned hatchback receives an updated exterior and revised interior. The GTI also receives mild styling changes and a more powerful engine.

European GTIs have an updated 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 261 horsepower, an increase of 20 horsepower. GTIs will still be front-wheel-drive, but Volkswagen killed off their six-speed manual. This leaves VW's seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic. 

Exterior changes include different headlights, a lower grille opening with upward-slanted accents, and taillights. Other changes include a thinner reverse light, a C-shaped bracket, and six internal markers.  The GTI can be optioned with a contrasting black roof option along with 15 exterior colors. S and SE trim levels get 18-inch wheels, while the Autobahn gets 19-inch wheels. 

Volkswagen revised the interior of the GTI with the needed changes. The GTI's steering wheel reverts from capacitive buttons to regular buttons. Its infotainment touchscreen is larger and improved. There are now illuminated touch sliders for the air conditioning and volume controls. 

For now, the American 2024 Golf GTI makes 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft. Although Volkswagen has not shared information about the US-bound GTI, there are expectations that these updates will be found in 2025 models. Unfortunately, that means this is the last year a GTI with a manual will be available. If you want a GTI with a manual,  act now before they become extinct. 

Volkswagen has been teasing us with the I.D. Buzz for 6-years when they made the announcement back in 2017 that they would bring the I.D. Buzz to market.

The standard wheelbase model has been on sale in Europe since May of last year, and today, Volkswagen is officially announcing the long-wheelbase version for sale in the U.S. starting next year. The ID.Buzz will not, as previously reported, be built at VW's Chatanooga plant alongside the ID.4, instead being built in VW's Hanover Germany plant.

Powering the LWB ID.Buzz is a new 210 kW (286 hp) electric drive motor and a newer, larger 85 kWh battery, an increase over the standard length model of 201 kW and 81 kWh, respectively.

Later, there will be an all-wheel drive model called the ID.Buzz GXT with 250 kW (339 hp) that can get to 60 in 6.4 seconds. Helping to keep the range up is a new heat pump HVAC system in all versions.

While the photos make it look small, at 195 inches long, it is two inches longer than a standard wheelbase Jeep Grand Cherokee and the same length as a VW Atlas Cross Sport.  But with no internal combustion equipment to take up space, the ID.Buzz offers seating for up to seven people and a cavernous interior. It is likely that the ID.Buzz will offer more room than even full-size mini-vans from Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota.

A panoramic smart-roof is offered that can adjust from transparent to opaque with the touch of a slider or a voice command. North American versions will also offer air-conditioned seats.

The official reveal with more details will come later today.

Volkswagen ID.7 is the brands first upper mid-size electric sedan. This is their first EV with the companies' new display and operating system. The ID.7 also delivers an excellent aerodynamics with a more efficient powertrain that ensures long range operation. The ID.7 offers exceptional comfort through features such as new AC system, seat Climatronic with massage function and a panoramic sunroof with switchable smart glass. The ID.7 will launch autumn 2023 in Europe and China and North America in 2024.

The superior powertrain, spacious interior and premium technologies make the ID.7 a comfortable limousine like EV for long distance travel with a battery range of up to 700 kilometers (WLTP) or 435 miles (EPA). 

The following was stated by the executive leadership at VW.

Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars: “With the ID.7 we are taking the next step in our electric offensive. The limousine offers a high level of comfort and long ranges. Already by 2026, we will offer the widest electric range of all manufacturers in Europe – from the entry-level model for less than 25,000 euros up to the ID.7 as the new top model within the ID. family. Our goal is to achieve an electric car share of 80 per cent in Europe by 2030. As from 2033, Volkswagen will produce only electric vehicles in Europe.”

Kai Grünitz, Member of the Brand Board of Management responsible for Development: “The ID.7 sets new efficiency standards on the basis of the modular electric drive matrix (MEB). We are aiming for a range of up to 700 kilometres in accordance with WLTP. This is made possible by very good aerodynamics and by significantly increased efficiency in the areas of the powertrain and thermal management.” 

The ID.7 is the first MEB model with an all new, highly efficient powertrain. This powertrain produces 210 kW or 282 HP, making this the most powerful and highest torque electric motor in the VW ID family.

The ID.7 has a drag coefficient of .23 made possible by the coupe style rear of the EV. The long wheelbase with short overhangs contributes to class leading interior space front and rear.

VW is very excited to share the new operating and central display system with new operating system that is based on the SnapDragon Auto system. This system features the following:

• a 38-centimetre (15-inch) infotainment system screen
• the augmented reality head-up display
• a new air conditioning operating concept integrated on the top level of the infotainment system as well as freely assignable favorites buttons
• a backlit touch slider

The interior will launch with two options that we know of:

With the new massage seats and the electronically dimmable panoramic sunroof, the ID.7 offers equipment options that are otherwise present only in the higher classes of premium competitors. The new panoramic sunroof with smart glass can be switched between opaque and transparent settings by touch control. Like many other functions in the ID.7, the roof can also be operated by means of natural voice commands – this takes place using the new IDA voice assistant. The optional front seats are also a new development: for the first time in a Volkswagen, they optionally offer adaptive seat Climatronic – with cooling or heating as required and also a drying function. A massage function with a seal of approval from the German Campaign for Healthier Backs (AGR) is also available. The range of options is rounded off by a 700-watt sound system from Harman Kardon: 14 high-end loudspeakers, including center speaker at the front and subwoofer in the luggage compartment, provide an impressive sound experience with the new Volkswagen limousine.

Enhanced best-in-class assistance systems
The Travel Assist with swarm data can take over lateral and longitudinal control of the ID.7 as needed. Volkswagen developed this feature together with CARIAD, the software company of the VW Group. If desired, the ID.7 can also use Travel Assist to support assisted lane changing on the multi-lane motorway at speeds above 90 km/h or 56 mph. The driver monitors this, but the strain of driving is significantly reduced. When it comes to parking, the electric Volkswagen can independently perform assisted maneuvers in different ways. One of these is parking with memory function over a distance of up to 50 meters or 164 feet. For this, the driver either remains sitting in the ID.7 or monitors the parking procedure from outside the vehicle using the smartphone app.

VW is accelerating their EV offensive committing to 10 new global models by 2026. The ID.7 is the first of these 10 new electric models that will join the ID family. Later this year, VW will introduce a compact SUV EV. The ID.7 will be produced locally in China, but production for Europe and North America will be done in Emden Germany.

For more views of the all new ID.7 check our the media gallery here:

German based Volkswagen revealed their global EV the ID.2all that is expected to be the cost leading EV beating Tesla their biggest EV competitor to offering a coming entry level EV for the masses.

The company has stated that the ID.2all is spacious like a Golf and affordable like the Polo with a range of 450 KM or 280 Miles of range on a single charge. This newest addition to the ID family will be built on the new MEB platform. This EV will go into production in 2024 with an on-sale date of European Market 2025 and other markets to follow.

Per Kai Grunitz, member of the Brand Board of Management responsible for technical development: “The ID. 2all will be the first MEB vehicle with front-wheel drive. We are exploiting the great flexibility offered by our modular electric drive (MEB) platform and will set new standards in terms of technology and everyday usability with the MEB Entry platform.”

ID.2 Specifications released so far:

• MEB Platform, FWD
• 166 kW or 223 HP
• Range 450 km or 280 miles
• Charging time to 80% is approximately 20 min.
• 0-100 km/h (0-62mph) = 7second
• Top speed = 160 km/h or 99.5 mph
• Length = 4,050mm or 159.5 inches
• Width = 1,812mm or 71.4 inches
• Height = 1,530mm or 60.2 inches
• Wheelbase = 2,600 or 102.4 inches
• Wheels = 225/40R20

Volkswagen has indicated that this interior is class leading as a spacious, high-quality appearance with a self-explanatory operating system. The ID.2all depending on rear seats up or down offers a generous interior cargo hauling space, 490 to 1,330 litres of space or 17.3 cubic feet to 47 cubic feet of space.

The FWD MEB system is of the following look:

For the full press release images check out the gallery here:

Official Press Release: EN_ID2all_presspack.pdf

The Chicago Auto show has started off on a busy streak of reveals and announcements and Volkswagen is no exception. VW was proud to announce their refreshed seven and five-seater SUVs, offering enhanced technology, upgraded interiors designs and materials and a livelier powertrain.

President and CEO of Volkswagen of America, Pablo Di Si had this to say:

“The Atlas was the first modern Volkswagen designed, engineered and produced specifically for American buyers, and since its debut, it has become a major player in the U.S. market,” “The refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport continue to build on that success, with an elegant new interior and a sophisticated turbocharged engine that improves both performance and the driving experience.”

Lets clearly state the 4 key points in this release by VW:

• Major refresh of Atlas family boasts significant interior upgrade with premium materials and standard high-end comfort features, including three-zone Climatronic®, ventilated front seats, and heated steering wheel
• Enhanced technology with standard 12-inch display, Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro, IQ. DRIVE® driver assistance, wireless charging and App-Connect
• Front and rear treatment benefits from premium lighting on most trims
• New 2.0-liter turbo powertrain replaces previous four-cylinder and VR6®, brings better performance and improved fuel economy

VW made it clear that while the underpinning of these autos are the same as the outgoing models, they did focus on a spacious interior as a major upgrade to compete in the American market. As such, the rather long press release is best summed up with a bullet list of all the changes and new additions to this SUV family.

• Premium materials throughout with a leatherette-trimmed soft-touch dash and center console
• An upscale cockpit for the driver and all passengers from door trim to the dash panels with 30 color choices paired with innovative backlit dash specific to each model
  • 
• Quilted leather seats with diamond pattern on top-of-range models
  • Leather seating surfaces and heated rear seats available on lower trim models.
• Heated steering wheel with paddle shifters
• Ventilated front seats and Height-adjustable passenger seats are now standard
• Automatic climate control and Voice control
• 12" floating infotainment display & 10.25 customizable VW Digital Cockpit Pro Display
  • Atlas CrossSport interior
  • 
  • Atlas interior
  • 
• Standard Wireless App-Connect, wireless charging, six USB-C ports with 45-watt fast charging (eight total)
• IQ DRIVE driver assistance technology is standard
  • Hands on semi-automatic capable
  • Lane centering
  • Capacitive steering wheel
  • Heads up display
  • Predictive Adaptive Cruise control
  • 360 alert monitoring for surprise obstacles
• Standard New Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS) LED Headlights
• Daytime Running Lights (DRLs)
• New front fascia
• New wheel designs for all trims
  • 18" to 20" machined alloy rims
  • Black finish available
• R-line trims
  • Gloss-black grille
  • 21-inch aluminum-alloy wheels
  • R-line badging
• All trims are now powered by a all-new four-cylinder turbocharged, direct-injection TSI engine with 269 HP and 273 lb-ft of torque. Power is simular to the outgoing VR6, but has a bump in torque that is available over a broader rev range, improving drivability and acceleration and VW is anticipating improved fuel economy.
  • 
• Towing capacity of 5,000 lbs
• 8-speed automatic transmission
• FWD is standard, 4Motion AWD system is available across the model lineup 

Volkswagen (VW) premiered the global ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz cargo in Hamburg today providing yet another solution to sustainable and CO2-free mobility. The ID.Buzz comes with the latest ID. software and sets new standards in its segments with the latest systems and functions for safety, comfort and charging. VW gave us the quick punch list of the ID.Buzz as follows:

• Design: The ID.Buzz transfers seven decades of Bulli know-how into the era of software and digitalisation
• Charging: Plug & Charge technology enables the ID.Buzz to be easily charged while out and about with up to 170 kW
• Interior Space: The ID.Buzz provides space for five persons and 1,121 liters of Luggage - and, as the Cargo, for two-euro pallets
• Software: Latest version brings state-of-the-art assist systems such as 'Travel Assist with swarm data' and automated parking to the range
• Energy Storage: Bidirectional charging (Vehicle-to-Home) enables the integration of ID.Buzz into the home energy system
• Market Launch: This autumn in Europe. Advanced orders can already be placed in some countries in May, U.S. market is slated for 2023 as a 2024 model

Chairman of the Board of Management of VW Passenger cars stated, the Bulli stood for a new feeling of automotive freedom, independence and great emotion when it came to market in the 1950's. Today's ID.Buzz picks up this lifestyle and transfers it into the 21st century, emission-free, sustainable, fully networked and now ready for the next big chapter: autonomous driving. The ID.Buzz is bringing together the core themes of VWs ACCELERATE strategy in one product for the first time according to Ralf Brandstatter.

Additional stories, videos and a ton more pictures can be seen here: The new ID. Buzz | Volkswagen Newsroom (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

Today's ID.Buzz is built on the fully electric modular platform called MEB. The ID.Buzz is a pioneer in terms of sustainability: their manufacturing and shipping has a carbon-neutral footprint. The auto's heavily use recycled synthetic materials and the interior is completely free of any real leather. Over-the-air updates is standard on all ID. autos. The ID.Buzz family is built in Hanover.

The latest ID. software has Car2X local warning system, which utilizes signals from other vehicles and the transport infrastructure to spot hazards in real time. Front Assist emergency braking function and in the MPV, the Lane Assist lane-keeping assistant. Travel Assist with swarm data is an option which partially facilitates automated driving across the entire speed range and assisted lane-changing on the freeway. There is also Memory Function for automated parking on a previously saved route.

For the European Launch, the ID. twins will have an 82 kWh battery with a usable 77 kWh supply providing power to the 150 kW (201 hp) electric motor driving the rear axle as did the flat engine in the original Bulli keeping a reliable distribution of weight and low vehicle center of gravity optimizing the handling and agility. From 11 kW to 170 kW charging allowing you to go from 5% to 80% charged in up to 30 minutes depending on the charger. This all follows the ISO 15118 standard.

The ID.Buzz is the first MPV that has the drag coefficient of a car, 0.285, thus reducing drag, reducing energy consumption, increasing range.

The ID.Buzz Cargo is the perfect last mile delivery, service van with the ability to hold two-euro pallets of items.

Efficient form with total German function is built into the auto. Long wheel base, low loading floor, maximizing freight hauling.

Welcome to the 21st century of emission free relaxed driving the ID.Buzz way.

PM_A_Bulli_for_the_all-electric_future_World_premiere_of_the_new_ID_Buzz.pdf

A Bulli for the all-electric future: World premiere of the new ID. Buzz | Volkswagen Newsroom (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

Volkswagen or VW to the bulk of society launched their e-Mobility site with links to 6 BEVs that are launched or near launch and their largest assembly plant.

E-mobility | Volkswagen Newsroom (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

What is e-mobility? At a Glance, this is what it is:

• E-offensive: Volkswagen has launched the world's largest e-offensive. The Group is investing 35 billion euros.
• Models: By 2030, Volkswagen will have launched about 70 all-electric models across the Group.
• ID. Family: The newly developed, all-electric model family has started in 2020.
• Big goals: In 2025, the Volkswagen brand intends to sell more than 1 million electric cars per year worldwide.
• MEB: The modular electric drive system (MEB) is the technical and economic backbone of the E offensive.
• E-production: The new e-cars will be built at eight MEB locations in Europe, China and the USA.

The portfolio of BEV consists of the following:

• ID.3 - Read
• ID.4 - Read
• ID.4 GTX - Read
• ID.5 & ID5 GTX - Read
• ID.Buzz - Read
• Zwickau - VW largest Assembly plant for BEVs

This e-mobility is the start of VW major change over from ICE auto's to BEVs and making up for the deceit that was caused by the Diesel Gate mess.

Part of this e-mobility is the excitement around the upcoming launch of the ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargo. 

EN_ID_Buzz_CoveredDrive.pdf

Yes, you're reading this correctly, there actually will be two versions, the traditional people van and a Cargo version that VW also had back in the day.

VW says that the ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo incorporates seven decades of Bulli know-how into these 21st century MEB platform based BEVs. The World premiere of the ID. Buzz autos will take place on March 9th, 2022.

The ID. Buzz made a sensational splash at the Detroit Motor Show in 2017. Five intensive engineering years of development has followed with an electric motoring game-changer. The ID. Buzz is a 5-seater van and the Buzz Cargo is just that, a cargo delivery van.

While a colorful semi design is covering the ID. Buzz, one can clearly see that the bulk of the 2017 Concept made it to production. The stylistic elements of the legendary T1, the original Bulli have survived. Some may wonder what these stylistic elements might be and here is the list:

• Extremely short vehicle body overhangs
• Maximum utilization of space on a minimal footprint
• Classic division of the vehicle body design into an upper and lower level
• Unmistakable face with its V-shape
• Rear-wheel drive

The MEB platform allows both ID.Buzz versions to launch this year with the following features:

• Lithium-ion battery with a Gross energy content of 82 kWh (net: 77 kWh)
• 150 kW (201 hp) electric motor integrated into the rear axle
• 310 Nm of torque (229 lb-ft of torque) from a standing start
• 145 km/h (90 mph) top speed
• Low center of gravity
• ID. Buzz turning circle of 11 meters (36 feet)

Additional features of the ID. Buzz are as follows:

• Standard wheelbase 2,988 mm or 118 inches
• Overall length of 4,712 mm or 185 inches
• Width is 1,985 mm or 78 inches wide
• Rim size of 18 to 21 inches
• Van height of 1,937 mm people / 1,938 mm cargo which is 76 inches or 77 or 77 1/2 inches tall
• Interior space with all seats occupied has 1,121 liters of luggage space or 68408 cubic inches of space
• Bidirectional charging and DC charging capable
• Over the air updates
• Trained parking and Travel assist

The original emission free Bulli was shown in 1972 when the dream was born and could only travel 85 kilometers or 53 miles. The dream of an emission free Bulli was born and in 2022 that dream is becoming a reality.

Data Sheet

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E-mobility | Volkswagen Newsroom (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

Rebirth of an icon: Countdown launched for the electric ID. Buzz! | Volkswagen Newsroom (volkswagen-newsroom.com)

According to the sources, Citi is representing Volkswagen as they shop for a co-investor willing to inject at least $1 billion dollars  in Electrify America. This is being shopped among infrastructure groups, electrical companies and other energy companies such as big oil.

Volkswagen, Electrify America and Citi have all declined to comment. Yet as various oil companies buy up electrical charging companies and manufactures of charging equipment, Volkswagen is now in the aftermath of their emissions cheating scandal that forced them to spend $2 billion in building out EV charging stations across America from 2017 to 2026 has now looked to join the long term energy supply chain for BEVs.

Electrify America has signed long term contracts with Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai and Ford who offer either unlimited charging for up to 3 years or a yearly credit amount for the first few years using EA charging network.

Audi BEV owners not only get 3 years of unlimited charging at EA stations, they also get a 220V home charger installed by EA with each BEV purchase.

Last year EA rebooted their pricing system to charge by the kilowatt-hour where allowed. This revamp resulted in higher costs to charge for many EV drivers and set the company up as a fuel dispenser with margins that are maintained by state or region according to their agreement that were signed.

As of last month, June 2021 EA had 635 charging stations across the United States with 2,850 charging spots that were up and running allowing Ultra-Fast high-speed charging up to 350 kilowatt allowing for BEVs that support it to fully charge in under 20 minutes.

EA has stated they expect to have 800 charging stations with 3,500 charging spots by end of December 2021 covering 45 states with two cross-country routes. CEO Giovanni Palazzo stated in March at Volkswagen Power Day event that Electrify America has plans to expand further beyond their original charter from the diesel emission settlement and now this seems to be what he might have been hinting at as EA pushes to court more auto companies to sign onto using the EA charging network and be one of the top competitors right up there with the Tesla Supercharging network that has just announced it will open to everyone as they retrofit the stations with standard charging plugs and Ionity, Europe's largest charging network co-owned by BMW, Daimler, Ford and Hyundai. Ionity also according to sources has Renault and Shell Oil who have both offered investment capital for a percentage.

Volkswagen is presenting on July 13th 2021 their new strategy as they consolidate all their various global charging efforts under a single new Charging & Energy business division led by Elke Temme a long time executive in the energy utility area.

Seems the Charging infrastructure is the next big expansion of competition that will decide who wins and looses in the wake of a global EV rollout.

Volkswagen to sell stake in charging unit Electrify America -sources | Reuters

21% overall sales increase is nothing to ignore and while the sales numbers for themselves are impressive across the whole VW family as is shown by this chart, the focus is on VW moving forward into an EV world of sales as they delivered 474 during the Month of March to customers.

The VW ID.4 is an all new electric SUV for 2021 and kicks off the start of the EV onslaught for North America. Already the ID.4 is getting critical praise from the press. The ID.4 made Autotrader's 10 Best Car Interiors under $50,000 for 2021. 

The ID.4 delivers on the following:

• MSRP starts at $39,995 for ID.4 Pro before potential $7,500 Federal tax credit
• Compact SUV will launch with rear-wheel drive 201-hp 82 kWh models; all-wheel-drive 82 kWh configuration available later this year
• EPA-estimated 250 miles of range on Pro S and 1^st Edition RWD models
• Three years of fast charging with Electrify America at no additional cost
• Modern design pairs with high-tech features, like IQ.DRIVE® advanced driver assistance technology and a smart infotainment system, using voice and touch

 The ID.4 1st Edition model which has sold out was priced at $43,995 before Federal tax credit. There are additional models coming from the base RWD Pro starting at $39.995 to the Pro S @ $44,995 and the AWD Pro S starting at $48,175 available later this year.

VW is offering a lease option on the ID.4 EV @ $379.00 a month with 10,000 miles a year for 36 months with an EPA certified range of 250 miles. This gives you 104 MPGe city, 89 MPGe highway, combined 97 MPGe. The ID.4 has a .28 drag coefficient, sits squarely in the middle of the Compact SUV segment with all types of tech features from the Dash to the rear seats with modern USB-C ports for charging portable electric devices including a 30 color ambient lighting system with pre-set mood lighting.

Warranty is 4yrs / 50,000 miles bumper to bumper with a 8 years / 100,000 mile battery warranty and includes a 2yr / 20,000 mile scheduled maintenance and a 3yr / 36,000 mile roadside assistance program.

VW has stated this will compete against the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4.

Additional details of the ID.4 can be read at the Volkswagen US Media Site, link below.

Volkswagen of America reports Q1 2021 sales results - Volkswagen US Media Site (vw.com)

Volkswagen US Media Site (vw.com)

Volkswagen ID.4 EV named to Autotrader list of 10 Best Car Interiors under $50,000 for 2021 - Volkswagen US Media Site (vw.com)

The Volkswagen brand is on track to introduce 34 models globally in 2020.  While some, like the ID.3, will be new to the portfolio, others are variants of familiar faces with many of those being electrified. Much stricter emissions rules come into effect in Europe starting January 1st and will force every company that sells on the continent to rethink their lineups.

For Volkswagen, that means that most of their internal combustion powered vehicles will gain an available hybrid powertrain. Volkswagen says they will be introducing hybrid versions from the Golf to the Tiguan, to the Touareg. There will also be a number of cars coming that aren't hybrids or EVs. The next generation Golf is coming to Europe in 2020 with GTI, GTD, R, and Wagon variants to follow, though not all will make it to the U.S.. The Atlas will receive a refresh and the Atlas Cross Sport goes into production soon. Over in Europe, VW will be launching the T-Roc Cabriolet, the Arteon Shooting Brake, and Tiguan R.  Plus there will be other announcements coming for the brand.  With that in mind, these 34 vehicles are just for the VW brand and don't count what Audi, SEAT, Skoda, are up to. So there is likely to be even more in the pipeline.

This whole push is to help get the Volkswagen brand to a 4 percent to 5 percent operating profit for 2020. 

Volkswagen is working both ends of the SUV size spectrum lately.  Their Atlas model has become an excellent seller, moving 74,108 copies as of November 2019. That an increase of 40% over the prior year to date figures.  Though it's first model year was 2018, Volkswagen feels that it is nearly time for a refresh for 2021. The update will be mostly visual with new head and tail lights, new front and rear bumpers, and a revised grille. Volkswagen says it will also have updated and new driver-assistance features on top of the suits of technology the Atlas already sports.  The changes will bring the full-size Atlas more into visual alignment with the new Atlas Cross Sport  just hitting the market now.

Also coming will be a new crossover slotted below the Tiguan that will compete more directly with the Jeep Compass, Nissan Rogue Sport, and others in that class. While details are scarce, we do know what it won't be, it won't be the European T-Roc currently on sale overseas.  The new model will be designed specifically for North America and built in Mexico.  It should launch in the U.S. sometime in the Summer of 2021. 

For those of you lamenting the demise of the sedan, Volkswagen did manage to take a shot at the U.S. manufacturers by saying, "While some brands have walked away from car sales, we are focused on making smart decisions in this segment which is still a big part of the market."

One of the safety issues surrounding electric vehicles is that they are nearly silent at low speeds with only limited tire noise emanating from them. This is a hazardous situation for pedestrians who may not hear an EV creeping up being them.  

Volkswagen is working on a solution to the issue by hiring composer and music producer Leslie Mandoki to produce a sound for the upcoming ID series of cars to make when operating at low speeds.  One advantage of this is that brands, including Volkswagen, can craft their own voice for their cars to have. The Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System operates both inside and outside of the car and fades away when the car reaches cruising speeds where wind and road noise are sufficient. 

“An electric vehicle’s sound defines its identity. The sound should be confident and likable. It may well sound futuristic and must also impress with its unique character”, Dr. Frank Welsch explains as the Chief Development Officer of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

To hear the sound of the upcoming Volkswagen ID series, click below.

AVAS_EU_VW-ID3_Start_Fahrt_ueber30kmh_Bremsen.wav

Volkswagen has broken ground on an $800 million expansion of their plant in Chattanooga, TN.  The expansion is for additional capacity to build electric vehicles for North America. The body shop will increase by 564,000 square feet and a new 198,000 square foot battery assembly center will be constructed. Overall the expansion will add about 1,000 permanent jobs. Production of a long range vehicle, the ID. Crozz / ID. 4 is expected to begin in the expanded plant in 2022.

Chattanooga currently builds the Passat, Atlas, and Atlas Cross Sport. 

Volkswagen has release the pricing on the redesigned 2020 Passat and now it is roughly $2300 cheaper than the 2019 model.  It also becomes one of the least expensive midsize sedans you can buy, clocking in just $250 more expensive than the least expensive 2020 Subaru Legacy. 

Some of that cost savings comes from carrying over a bunch of the bones of the car from 2019.  The platform is the same, not updated to the new MQB platform like China is getting with their version.  The 2.0-liter Turbo carries over as well, albeit with some improvement to the torque. Horsepower remains the same at 174 hp, while torque jumps 22 lb.-ft to 206.  The transmission remains a 6-speed automatic driving only the front wheels. 

The 2020 Passat gets and exterior and interior refresh with new materials in the cabin and an updated instrument cluster. 

The trims will be S, SE, R-Line, and SEL.  The cheapest S model still comes with forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert. The SE, which starts at $26,765, gets additional chrome trim, keyless entry, push-button ignition, leather wrapped steering wheel, leatherette over the headed front seats, dual zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise, and lane keep assist.  The R-Line, which starts at $29,565, comes with all of the above, plus a standard sunroof, alarm, 19-inch alloy wheels, a body kit, and paddle shifter.  The top of the line SEL, at $32,015, comes with high beam assist, leather seats, heated rear seats, navigation, parking sensors, and a Fender audio system. 

The 2020 Passat will continue to be manufactured in Chattanooga, TN and arrives in dealers in the next few weeks. 

Volkswagen unveiled one of the loosest kept secrets in the automotive industry, the Atlas Cross Sport.  The 5-seater mid-size features a more rakish back glass to give a coupe like appearance. 

While the Atlas Cross Sport is 2.8 inches shorter, it still rides on the same 117.3 inch wheelbase and boasts almost as much cargo space (77.8 cu. ft.) as the bigger Atlas (96.8 cu. ft.) with the seats folded.  The Cross Sport is also 2.3 inches lower to the ground adding to its racier profile.

Inside there are a few upgrades over the Atlas with a new steering wheel with more intuitive controls, available stitching accents on the doors and seats, and available wireless charging for mobile devices. The Atlas already comes with a suite of safety technology including Forward Collision Warning with Autonomous Braking, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Rear Traffic alert. Available on upper trims are Adaptive Cruise control and Park Distance Control.  The Cross Sport also adds available Traffic Jam Assist that helps maintain distances front and back, and on Cross Sports with Navigation, the system will display relevant traffic signs like speed limits, no passing zones, school zones, and work zones. 

Powering the Cross Sport will be a selection of two engines. The 267 horsepower V6 and a 235 horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder.  Either engine routes power to the wheels through an 8-speed automatic and available 4-motion All-Wheel Drive. When equipped with the V6, the Cross Sport can tow up to a rated 5,000 lbs when equipped with the towing package.

There will be eight trim levels: S, SE, SE w/Tech, SE w/Tech R-Line, SEL, SEL R-Line, SEL Premium, and SEL Premium R-Line. More details and pricing will be announced ahead of the launch in the Spring of 2020.

Johan De Nysschen has landed on his feet after being abruptly fired as President of Cadillac in April of 2018. 

JDN will take over as Chief Operating Officer of Volkswagen of America starting October 1st. This is not JDN's first experience with Volkswagen Automotive Grou (VAG), he was once a star executive in the Audi organization.  He later moved on to Infiniti where he moved the headquarters to Hong Kong and renamed all the vehicles to the Q or QX designation. Infiniti has since moved back to Japan. Once his time at Infiniti was up, he moved on to become President of Cadillac. There, he moved Cadillac's headquarters to New York City for a time before being abruptly fired in April 2018. Cadillac has since moved their headquarters back to Detroit. During his first full year as Cadillac boss, 2015, Cadillac sales fell over 11%.

"Johan will help make us faster, better and smarter. He'll speed our decision-making and dive deep into our day-to-day business so we can continue to make this brand matter again," Scott Keogh, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said about the new hire.

When the Volkswagen ID.3 debuted this week at the Frankfurt Auto Show we reported that the ID.3 would not be coming to the U.S.. That is still true, however we got a tease of the ID.4, which will be the next iteration of the ID family from Volkswagen during the ID.3 intro.

The ID.4 is based on the ID Crozz concept from the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show and it is this model that will be VW's first ID model in the US.  While no details have been released, expect the ID.4 to follow the ID.3 mechanical specs pretty closely with 3 different battery options available and a rear axle mounted electric motor.  There is the possibility of a dual motor variant coming as well as the concept was powered that way with 302 total system horsepower.  

After the ID.4 launch, VW is expected to release an EV version of the ID Buzz concept, a modern take on the Microbus. The ID Buzz, or whatever it will be named, is expected in 2022.

Volkswagen is introducing a new generation of diesel engines with the 2.0 TDI Evo. This new engine is said to greatly undercut the limits of the tough new Euro 6d-Temp emissions standards. Volkwagen posted an interview with Sebastian Willmann, the Head of Diesel Engine Development at Volkswagen. In that interview he says that VW was able to reduce fuel consumption by 0.4 L/100km compared to the previous engine and reduce CO2 emissions by 10g/km.  They did both of these things while also increasing power output. 

He further went on to explain that while there is a stigma surrounding diesel engines because of dieselgate, the diesel is still quite popular for its efficiency, range, and torque. Now, with this new engine, it is also substantially cleaner compared to prior engines.  He says that diesels will remain especially effective for vehicles that require a longer range or extra torque for towing.

These statements are in contrast to the direction that VW as a whole is taking in the segment of electric vehicles.  VW has committed billions of euros to the development of an entire EV range.  The first EV, the ID.3 is expected in Europe in early 2020 with top line models having a range of 342 miles on a charge. Reservations of the Volkswagen ID.3 topped 10,000 in its first 24 hours it was available. 

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off the 2020 T-Roc Cabriolet ahead of the Frankfurt International Auto Show in September. Volkswagen says the T-Roc Cabriolet offers just the right combination of SUV flexibility and the open air experience of a convertible. The soft top opens in just 9 seconds, can open or close while the car is in motion up to 18.6 mph (30 km/h), and locks or unlocks electrically. 

On the safety front, the T-Roc Cabrio has roll-over protection. The system can detect a roll-over and the system springs upwards just behind the rear headrests. The windshield frame is also reinforced.

It comes with an optional digital cockpit that has an "Always-On" connectivity to the internet and Volkswagen services.

Two engines are available, a 1.0 three-cylinder engine with 113 horsepower or a 148 horsepower 1.5 liter four-cylinder. A 6-speed manual is standard on both engines while the more powerful engine also has a 7-speed DCT available as an option. 

Launching in Spring of 2020, the T-Roc Cabriolet remains Forbidden Fruit in the U.S. like its hard top brother. Volkswagen calls the vehicle in the pictures a "near-production" concept car, so expect some changes between now and launch. 

Related:
Volkswagen: No T-Roc For America, But We're Working On Something

As we reported in May, Volkswagen is making big cuts to the Golf lineup in the US.  Already announced for end of production in 2019 are the Golf Sportwagen and Golf Alltrack. 

For 2020, the current base Mk7 Golf returns and will be offered in just one trim, called the Value Edition that includes features like Keyless entry, Wifi, heated seats, and 16-Inch alloy wheels while the GTI will come in S and SE trims. Missing from the 2020 lineup is the Golf R.  Volkswagen has confirmed to Motor Authority that the Golf R has reached end of production for the current generation. 

The Mk8 generation will likely see the base Golf removed from the US lineup and the GTI and Golf R will be the only entries.  We'll see the Mk8 generation Golf introduced in the fall of this year for European production in 2020, but the U.S. won't see the new version of the Golf/GTI at dealerships until the 2021 model year. 

The march towards majority SUVs continues on and the two newest casualties are the Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen and the Golf Alltrack. As we predicted a month ago, Volkswagen will end production of the two vehicles in the 2019 model year, though in the case of the Alltrack, production will be extended to December. 

Volkswagen says that with 50 percent of their sales being SUVs, consumer tastes have shifted strongly to SUVs, and VW is responding by releasing three new SUVs over the next 2 years.  First up, will be a 5-seater Atlas Cross Sport being unveiled later this year, then the ID.CROZZ electric SUV early next year, and a just announced SUV to slot below the Tiguan is planned for 2021.  While Volkswagen says their new ID EV platform can be used for bodystyles of the past, apparently the station wagon is not one planned. 

Drivers in Europe can now place deposits for Volkswagen's new ID.3 all electric vehicle.  This is the car that Volkswagen expects to compete with the Tesla Model 3 in the compact EV space. The target starting price for the ID.3 is under €30,000 which translates to $33,585 at the time of this writing. Initial vehicles offered will be special edition ID.3 1st. With an initial run of 30,000 vehicles, the ID.3 1st starts around €40,000 ($44.803) and comes equipped with voice control, navigation system, larger wheels.  There is also an ID.3 1st Plus that ads IQ Light and bi-color design while a Max adds a panoramic glass roof and an advanced heads-up display. 

The 3 in the name ID.3 marks the vehicle's importance to Volkswagen's history as the most important vehicle after the Beetle and Golf, and also signifies the ability for VW to expand the ID brand in either direction.

The entry level ID.3 can travel up to 205 miles on a single charge while mid-grade can go 261 miles and top-line models get as far as 342 miles. 

Volkswagen expect production to start in late 2019 with initial deliveries happening in mid-2020. No word yet on when the model will hit US shores.

Rumors are swirling that Volkswagen may be cutting most of the Golf lineup from the US market with the next generation of Golf.  The standard version of the Golf, e-Golf, Golf SportWagen, and Golf Alltrack would be dropped in the US while the GTI and Golf R continue on.  The e-Golf will be replaced by something in the ID lineup.

Looking at the sales numbers, it is easy to see why Volkswagen may make this move. Sales of the base Golf in 2018 numbered just 6,642, down 51% from the year prior.  GTI and Golf R combined sold more than triple that amount (20,152).  The one head-scratcher is the Golf Sportwagon, which sold nearly as many units (14,123) as the GTI (16,684), but if Volkswagen is looking to shed the econo-car image of the Golf and stick with just the hot-hatch image, then dropping the Sportwagen may make sense.

As the next generation of Golf hasn't actually been released yet, Volkswagen is declining to comment. 

The Volkswagen Arteon is taking the scenic route to the US with a delayed launch brought on by some delays in getting its engine certified for the US.  The US version of the Arteon debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in 2018 and we recently reported that the Arteon would finally go on sale sometime in early summer.

Volkswagen has announced pricing for the U.S. model will start at $35,845 plus $995 destination charge for the base SE front-wheel-drive model and $37,645 for all-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available on all trims, generally costing about $2,000 for the upgrade. 

Arteon SE comes with heated 12-way power seats with faux leather, three-zone automatic climate control, rain sensing wipers, and an 8.0 inch diagonal infotainment screen including Android Auto and Apple Car Play. 18" alloy wheels and LED headlights are standard.

Arteon SEL starts at $39,995 for FWD and $41,795 for 4Motion AWD. It adds adaptive front lighting, panoramic sunroof, remote start, Napa leather seats, driver seat memory, ambient lighting, navigation, a 12.3 inch digital cockpit systems, and adaptive cruise control.

Arteon SEL Premium starts at $44,945 and features standard 4motion, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, ventilated front seats, massaging driver’s seat, heated rear seats, brushed aluminum, tri-color ambient lighting, and a 700-watt premium audio system with 12 speakers.

The R-Line Package is available on any trim level and includes 19-inch alloy wheels for $1,265 or 20-inch alloy wheels for $1,765

The U.S. Security and Exchange Commission has filed suit in San Francisco on Thursday alleging that from April 2014 through May 2015, Volkswagen fraudulently issued more than $13 Billion in bonds and securities in the U.S. market.  During that time, the SEC alleges that Winterkorn and other senior management knew about the problem with over 500,000 diesel vehicles that exceeded legal emissions limits. 

The suit says:

Quote

[VW] "reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in benefit by issuing the securities at more attractive rates for the company," the SEC said, adding VW "repeatedly lied to and misled U.S. investors, consumers, and regulators as part of an illegal scheme to sell its purportedly 'clean diesel' cars and billions of dollars of corporate bonds and other securities in the United States."

Winterkorn resigned within days of the scandal braking in 2015. 

Volkswagen said in a statement that the lawsuit is "legally and facturally flawed" and "the company will contest it vigorously".

Volkswagen has already agreed to pay more than $25 billion in a settlement over the dieselgate scandal to buy back defective vehicles, paying fines, and setting up funds to help build out electric vehicle infrastructure. Winterkorn has already been charged in the US.

Volkswagen has announced it will cut between 5,000 to 7,000 jobs through attrition and early retirement at its headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany.  Most of the job cuts will be administrative staff.  While cutting those job, VW will be creating 2,000 new software and electronics jobs.  The cuts are part of a cost savings plan to drive 3€ Billion in annual savings by 2020 and 5.9€ billion  by 2023. 

The move comes the day after the company announced it will increase its EV plans to build 22 million units over the next decade.  Electric vehicles are less complex to build and require fewer workers.

Volkswagen is building a new EV platform and the first vehicle to arrive on the market will be the I.D. Neo, expected sometime in 2020.  The I.D. Neo will be built at a plant in Zwickau, Germany.  Future electric vehicles will be built in 7 additional factories including Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Volkswagen has announced they are increasing their goal to build fully electric vehicles from 15 million to 22 million over the next decade. The company is moving to electric vehicles after a disastrous diesel emissions cheating scandal hit sales and resulted in record breaking government fines, and European and Asian government impose new restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions.

The core Volkswagen brand saw profits fall, while the overall company profits rose 6% to 12.2€ Billion. 

The delayed launch of the Volkswagen Arteon may be nearing its end. MotorTrend is reporting that the Chairman of Volkswagen has said that the Arteon will hit U.S. shores this year. 

The original cause of the delay was a backlog of certifying vehicles under the World Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).  The Arteon in the U.S. will use a 268 hp 2.0 liter Turbo from Audi that had yet to be certified.  VW sells the Arteon in Europe using a different engine.

The Arteon debuted at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show and is priced above the Passat in the Volkswagen lineup. 

Related:

In Europe, Volkswagen offers a couple of plug-in hybrid models such as the Golf GTE. But don't expect any those plug-in hybrids to come to the U.S.

"It's a bridging technology," between internal-combustion and full-electric cars, said Matthew Renna, Volkswagen North America Region's vice president of e-mobility yesterday at the Chicago Auto Show.

"It's very cost-prohibitive to have two different powertrains on one platform."

Volkswagen has made no secret about their electric car ambitions, with plans to launch a full lineup within the next few years. While Europe will get a small hatchback based on I.D. Concept, the U.S. will get a production version of the Crozz concept. Volkswagen is also planning on selling their upcoming EVs in all 50 states, not only in those that require automakers to sell certain number of EVs.

"The plan is to sell nationwide. The goal is a nationwide roll-out ASAP," said Renna.

Source: Roadshow

Next year will see Volkswagen unveil the next-generation Golf GTI. It was reported that the model would utilize a mild-hybrid setup to boost fuel economy and improve low-end response. This decision was made under the leadership of former Volkswagen chairman Matthias Müller and would have become the flagship model for a new range of mild-hybrid models badged as IQ. But a new report from Autocar says the new chairman, Herbert Diess has canned the powertrain.

No reason was given as to why this decision was reversed. Volkswagen is still planning to do mild-hybrid versions of the standard Golf that will utilize a 48-Volt electrical system.

Autocar says the next-generation GTI will use an updated version of the turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder producing either 252 or 286 horsepower. The current model in the U.S. punches out 227 horsepower. A six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch will be the available transmissions.

Source: Autocar

Volkswagen has released some sketches of the upcoming 2020 Passat that will be debuting next month at the Detroit Auto Show. It is clear that the automaker is addressing one of the biggest complaints about the current model, the boring exterior. Volkswagen is taking some ideas from the smaller Jetta with a larger, upright grille; creasing along the side, and new trunk lid design. Aside from the roof, Volkswagen says all of the body panels are new or modified.

According to media who got the chance to see the car in person during a preview event, the 2020 Passat's interior features a new center stack with an updated infotainment system. Overall interior space is still expansive.

We were hoping that the next Passat would transition over to the MQB platform, but the model will remain on the PQ46 platform that underpins the current model. Why is that?

“This segment is shrinking, and we figured that we can give the customers all they need with the current platform instead of spending to switch to a new one,” said Kai Oltmanns, product manager for the Passat to Motor1.

Automotive News reports that the 2020 Passat will retain the turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder and six-speed automatic.

Pricing for the 2020 Passat will be announced near to its release date, expected to sometime next summer.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Motor1, Volkswagen

We have been talking about the next-generation Jetta GLI for almost a year. The next-generation model is expected to get some infusion from the GTI with the same turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder producing 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It will also swap the torsion-beam rear suspension for a multi-link setup. The one item we have been wondering is where Volkswagen is planning on debuting it. For some time, we thought the Detroit Auto Show in January would be the place. But Autoblog reports that the Windy City will be the place for the GLI.

A Volkswagen representative told the outlet the next GLI would be premiering during the Chicago Auto Show's Press Days - February 7th and 8th. 

Source: Autoblog

Volkswagen has announced their next-generation of gas and diesel engines, launching in 2026 will be its last.

“Our colleagues are working on the last platform for vehicles that aren’t CO2 neutral. We’re gradually fading out combustion engines to the absolute minimum,” said Michael Jost, strategy chief for Volkswagen.

The German automaker has set aside $50 billion over the next five years to begin transforming itself into an electric car builder. The first rollout is beginning very soon with the Audi e-tron SUV and Porsche Taycan. By 2030, Volkswagen is planning to have more than 300 electric versions of cars, vans, trucks, and motorbikes.

But the fading out of gas and diesel engines isn't going to be a quick thing. Jost said that Volkswagen would continue to "modify its combustion engine technology," in the coming years after the new platform for "vehicles that aren’t CO2 neutral". After 2050, Volkswagen may still be offering some gas and diesel models in places "where there is insufficient charging infrastructure."

Source: Bloomberg

Volkswagen is planning a lineup of electric vehicles which include a hatchback, crossover, and small van. But a new report says the German automaker has ambitions to launch an electric vehicle with a pricetag of about 18,000 euros (about $21,000).

Sources tell Bloomberg the model in question will be a subcompact crossover and begin selling sometime after 2020. According to Reuters, the model is currently known as "MEB entry". Volkswagen is planning a production volume of 200,000 vehicles that will take place at three factories. This vehicle hasn't been approved by Volkswagen's supervisory board. According to sources, a discussion on the vehicle is expected to take place during their next meeting on November 16th - the same meeting that is reportedly where a discussion on possible expanding their partnership with Ford is expected to take place.

Sources also mentioned another electric model, the I.D. Aero. The midsize sedan and wagon would be built at Volkswagen's Emden plant in Germany. Emden is currently home to the production of the European Passat sedan and wagon, but sources say production of the model would move to the Czech Republic in 2022. Having the Aero take the Passat's place would help keep jobs at Emden.

Volkswagen declined to comment.

Source: Bloomberg (Subscription Required), Reuters

When we drove the Volkswagen Atlas back in the summer, we liked the base turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder for the most part. Aside from noticeable turbo-lag, the engine provided decent oomph. But for 2019, Volkswagen is quietly reducing the number of models you can order with the turbo 2.0L.

CarsDirect recently obtained the order guide for the 2019 Atlas and reports that the base S trim will be the only model available with the 2.0T. Previously, the SE and SEL could be ordered with the 2.0T. Volkswagen has also decided to drop V6 FWD configuration for the S. This means the mid-level SE is now the cheapest way to get the V6 FWD configuration - $36,490 vs. $35,090 for the S V6 AWD.

Why is Volkswagen doing this? The most likely reason comes down to the four-cylinder version of the Atlas not really being available at dealers. If you wanted one, you had to order it straight from the factory. 

Source: CarsDirect

Volkswagen was originally planning to roll out the Arteon in the U.S. towards the end of this year. But complications stemming from the European Union's Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) has caused the German automaker to push back the launch to early 2019.

Automotive News reports that the first hint of the delay came when Volkswagen cancelled a media drive event in California that was scheduled for next month. A spokesman told the outlet the delay comes down to delays in the certification process caused by a backlog in meeting [new] WLTP worldwide emissions testing."

Beginning this month, all new vehicles sold in the European Union must meet the new WLTP emissions parameters. But long delays in testing have meant that automakers only started receiving certification recently. This in turn has meant automakers are under immense pressure to keep an adequate supply of WLTP-compliant vehicles to dealers. The Arteon is one of those models and Volkswagen has made the decision to prioritize production for Europe for the time being.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Volkswagen put forth an ambitious plan to offer an electric version of each model it sells. The automaker set aside about 20 billion euros ($23 billion), but that will not be enough according CEO Herbert Diess.

“The burden for our company, such as the cost of bringing to market electric cars, will be higher than expected,” Diess said in a interview with Volkswagen's internal newsletter, obtained by Bloomberg.

“This is particularly so since some of our competitors have been making more progress.”

Diess didn't give a new figure in the interview, but did say the company needs to "reduce expenses more to be able to invest in future technology and weather crises".

Volkswagen has been working on improving its profitability since a 2016 labor pact and massive reorganization of its 12 brands. The Volkswagen brand has seen its profitability increase from 1.8 to 4.1 percent last year. But Diess said they need higher profits.

“We need higher profits to finance our future. Four percent is a minimum, 5 percent to 6 percent allow for some future investments and with 7 percent to 8 percent we’re crisis-ready.”

Source: Bloomberg (Subscription Required)

If you're planning on picking up a 2019 Volkswagen Passat, then you might be disappointed by the limited amount on configurations on offer.

The Car Connection reports that Volkswagen will be cutting down the 2019 Passat lineup to just two models - the Wolfsburg Edition and SE R-Line.

Wolfsburg Edition: 17-inch alloy wheels, push-button start, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring as standard. A sunroof and 18-inch wheels are optional.
SE R-Line: LED lighting, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, lane keep assist, navigation, and Fender audio system.

Along with the drop in trims, the 280 horsepower V6 will be going away in 2019. This leaves the turbo 2.0L four-cylinder and six-speed automatic as the sole powertrain choice.

We're not sure as to why Volkswagen is slicing up the Passat lineup. Our two possible guesses is the declining sales of midsize sedans or Volkswagen readying a next-generation Passat that could arrive as early as 2020.

No word on pricing or on-sale date.

Source: The Car Connection

For 2019, Volkswagen is swapping engines on certain Golf models to help boost fuel economy.

The Car Connection reports that the Golf and Golf SportWagen will swap the turbocharged 1.8L four for the Jetta's turbo 1.4. The smaller engine produces 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Volkswagen is also adding more gears to the transmissions - six-speeds for the manual and eight for the automatic. EPA fuel economy estimates are not available at the moment.

All-wheel drive variants (Golf SportWagen S AWD and Alltrack) will keep the turbo 1.8. Its unclear from TCC's story whether it will get the updated transmissions - Alltrack already gets the six-speed manual.

There's also some feature changes for the 2019 Golf,

• Golf: Base S models add automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring as standard. SE models will now come equipped with adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and automatic high-beam headlights.
• Golf SportWagen: Mirrors the Golf, along with the top-line SEL model being dropped.
• Golf Alltrack: S models get automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring. SE adds LED headlights as an option. SEL models get a six-speed manual as an option.

Source: The Car Connection

In a month's time, Europe will be switching from much maligned New European Drive Cycle (NEDC) to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Duty Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). Automakers are scrambling to get models certified under this new procedure. This presents a big problem for Volkswagen as they don't have enough engineers to make sure their vehicles to meet the new standards.

According to Reuters, Volkswagen lost a number of engineers that specialized in engine calibration ever since the company revealed they were using illegal software on their diesel vehicles to cheat emission tests.

“Engine development expertise has been lost,” said Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess.

It is so bad, that Volkswagen believes it will affect their financial results for the second half of this year as they might not be able to get a number of vehicles out on the road. The company said there would a bottleneck of certain model variants between now and October.

Volkswagen is working hard to try and overcome this problem. They have plucked BMW engine development expert Markus Duesmann last week to try and get through this mess.

Source: Reuters

Volkswagen's Chattanooga, TN plant will soon have two more vehicles rolling off the line.

Hinrich Woebcken, VW's North American CEO told Autocar that the upcoming I.D. Buzz and Crozz EVs for the region will be built at Chattanooga.

“For strong product momentum, they need to be produced in the USA. It’s not possible to come into a high-volume scenario with imported cars. We want to localise electric mobility in the US,” said Woebcken.

Woebcken also revealed that the models would be 'Americanized'.

Source: Autocar

We know that the current Volkswagen Beetle will soon be heading off to the great parking lot in the sky sometime next year, and that a direct replacement will not happen. But there is talk about bringing back the Beetle as an electric vehicle.

Volkswagen's design chief Klaus Bischoff revealed to Autocar that he has already made a sketch of a possible Beetle EV, but it will be some time before the automaker makes a decision whether to move forward with this or not. Some of this comes down Volkswagen wanting to get the bigger-selling electric cars into production first (see I.D. hatchback and  I.D. Crozz) before moving onto the 'emotional' models.

“Our duty is to get the volume [ID] models under way. These cars have super-complicated technology and if you do too much, it’s an overload. Then we [can] move into more exotic cars and the field of emotion,” said Bischoff.

If Volkswagen does give the green light for a Beetle EV, what could it look like? According to Autocar, the model could grow in size and get two extra doors.

“The Beetle of today is a very attractive two-door coupé or convertible, but it is limited in the amount of cars that it can sell because it’s a niche. If you look at MEB, the shortest wheelbase [possible] is the ID [hatchback]. If you took that and did the Beetle on it, you have plenty of room so there’s no compromise in functionality any more. So it could be a very attractive car,” explained Bischoff.

We know there is a fan of an electric Beetle, Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess.

“We could [build an electric Beetle], because it is rear-wheel drive, no grille. If we wanted to do a Beetle electrically, it would be much better than the current car. Much closer to the history of the Beetle," Diess told Car and Driver back in October.

Source: Autocar

We're coming up on three years since the Volkswagen diesel scandal came to light. It caused the German automaker to spiral downward with various fines, lawsuits, people either stepping down or being arrested, and sales tanking. By now, you would think that the pain is done and over. But you would be wrong.

Reuters reports today that prosecutors in Germany have fined Volkswagen a billion euros ($1.18 billion) over diesel emission cheating. In a statement, Volkswagen will accept the fine, therefore admitting responsibility for the cheating.

"Following thorough examination, Volkswagen AG accepted the fine and it will not lodge an appeal against it. Volkswagen AG, by doing so, admits its responsibility for the diesel crisis and considers this as a further major step towards the latter being overcome," the company said.

By accepting the fine, Volkswagen hopes "the active regulatory offence proceedings" being conducted will come to an end. It will unlikely end the various criminal cases that German prosecutors are working on against various Volkswagen executives.

Source: Reuters

Since 2014, there have been numerous rumors about Apple's self-driving project known as Titan. At one time, the project had a 1,000 workers with the goal of designing and building a self-driving electric vehicle. But numerous issues and changes in vision has caused the project to be majorly behind scheduled. A new report from the New York Times shines a light at the current circumstances.

According to sources with knowledge of the project, Apple signed a deal with Volkswagen late last year that would see the automaker provide less than two dozen of T6 Transporter vans to the technology company. Apple will equip the vans with their self-driving tech and be used as shuttles around their Cupertino base. The sources say the vans are "consuming nearly all of the Apple car team’s attention". A number of former Apple employees added that the project "lacked a clear plan beyond the vans, including any near-term commercial goals."

Volkswagen wasn't Apple's first choice for an automaker partner. BMW and Mercedes-Benz were the tech company's first and second choices. Various discussions would be held with both German automakers, but would ultimately go no-where as they balked at Apple's request "to hand over control of the data and design." Other automakers were spoken to, but wouldn't go far as automakers were not ready to give up control or Apple wanted " a more attractive partner." Volkswagen, however, jumped at the chance, as it was seen as a way to help improve their reputation after the diesel emission mess.

It's unclear whether this deal will only be for the vans or extend further. 

Source: New York Times

Automakers have been bailing out of various auto shows for the past few years. Case in point, a number of German automakers pulling out of the Detroit show for 2019. Volkswagen is the latest one to announce that it will not be showing up to a major auto show.

Reuters reports that the German automaker will be skipping this year's Paris Motor Show. 

“The Volkswagen brand is continually reviewing its participation in international motor shows,” the company said in a statement. Instead, Volkswagen could host “various communications activities” in the city, including test drives.

Volkswagen joins other automakers including Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Opel, and Volvo that are skipping Paris.

Part of Volkswagen's decision comes down to cost-cutting due to the fallout of the diesel emission scandal. But the move is part of a larger trend of Automakers being more considerate of how they spend their marketing budgets. Declining numbers of attendees and competing shows such as CES in Las Vegas are the key reasons for this.

Volkswagen's other divisions such as Audi, Seat, and Skoda will be appearing in Paris according to a spokesman for Volkswagen's French operations.

Source: Reuters

Yesterday, we reported that Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess got a safe-passage deal from the U.S. Justice Department. This type of deal is very unusual and it was speculated that U.S. wasn't planning to charge Diess over the diesel emission scandal, or that he provided some sort of testimony. We might have an answer to how Diess got this deal.

German tabloid Bild reports that Diess traveled to the U.S. last week to testify about the diesel emission scandal. Representatives from the FBI and Justice Department were present, as was Larry Thompson, the U.S. monitor appointed last year to oversee reforms at the company. Unfortunately, Bild doesn't mention any sources.

Reuters did some investigating and got conflicting stories. One source told the news service that Diess and Thompson recently traveled to the U.S. recently with "relevant authorities", without going into further detail. Another source denied that a meeting took place last week, saying Diess met with spoke with authorities a few months ago.

Volkswagen declined to comment.

Our guess is that Diess was given a safe-passage deal from the U.S. Justice Department if he would provide testimony on the diesel emission scandal. We'll keep you posted if anything breaks on this story.

Source: Bild (Subscription Required), Reuters

Back in March, prosecutors in the U.S. filed sealed charges against former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn. But during that same time, Volkswagen's current CEO got a rare safe-passage deal from the U.S.

Bloomberg has learned from a couple of sources that the Justice Department has given Herbert Diess a safe-passage deal - basically allows him to travel without the worry of being arrested in connection to the diesel emission scandal. Diess also got a spoken assurance that he would be notified if prosecutors seek to charge him in the diesel emission mess.

Being the CEO of a major automaker, Diess needs to travel to various events around the world. By giving him this deal, Diess will be able to travel without the fear of being detained.

According to former prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers, the safe-passage deal for Diess is very unusual. They could only think of two reasons as to why Diess was given this deal - U.S. doesn't believe it will charge Diess or he is proving key information into the investigation.

That doesn't mean Diess is free from the scandal. He is still under investigation in Germany for possible market manipulation.

Source: Bloomberg (Subscription Required)

Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has been indicted for his involvement in the diesel emission scandal. The indictment, which was filed under seal at the U.S. District Court in Detroit back in March, was unsealed yesterday. U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said in court filings the reason for unsealing is "because there is no longer a belief that unsealing these documents will compromise an ongoing investigation."

Winterkorn has been charged with four felony counts, including wire fraud and violating the clean air act. In the indictment, it is alleged that Winterkorn was told about the efforts to manipulate U.S. emission tests with their TDI vehicles in May 2014 and July 2015. Winterkorn has previously stated that he only found out about the cheating in August 2015.

The indictment also mentions a meeting that took place on July 27, 2015 at Volkswagen's Wolfsburg headquarters. It is reported that a Powerpoint presentation was shown to various executives, including Winterkorn, that laid out the process of deception that Volkswagen was doing to regulators. Allegedly at the meeting, Volkswagen employees recommended that the company work on getting the approval of 2016 model year diesel vehicles without revealing the existence of the cheat software. Various executives including Winterkorn agreed to the plan.

"If you try to deceive the United States, then you will pay a heavy price," said U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a statement.

So, when should expect Winterkorn to appear in a U.S. courtroom? The answer is never and Automotive News explains why,

Quote

The U.S. indictment of Winterkorn is likely to be largely symbolic. He is unlikely to face trial in the U.S. because Germany doesn’t extradite its citizens to countries outside the European Union so Winterkorn won’t be arrested unless he leaves the country.

Emphasis mine. A source told Reuters that Winterkorn is in Germany and will be staying there. He is likely aware of what happened Oliver Schmidt, who pleaded guilty for his participation in the scandal. Schmidt was arrested in late 2016 when he was traveling in the U.S.

German prosecutors will continue their investigation into Winterkorn's involvement in the diesel emission scandal.

"Our investigation strategy does not change just because the Americans have filed charges against Winterkorn," said a spokesman for the Lower Saxony prosecutors' office.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), 2, Reuters

Ford's decision to drop most of their passenger car lineup last week is still sending shockwaves, and likely causing various automakers to have discussions about if they should follow in their footsteps. One automaker that will not be following Ford is Volkswagen.

“We are intending to be a full line car manufacturer,” said Volkswagen of America CEO Hinrich Woebcken.

The reason as to why? Electric Vehicles.

“The question of whether electric mobility will favor sedans or SUVs hasn’t been answered yet. When you’re talking about electric cars, sedans have more advantages. The shape and the [drag coefficient] has a high effect on range. Therefore, we’ll maybe see a higher sedan share on full electric cars than with conventional cars,” said Woebcken.

Aside from EVs, Volkswagen still sees sedans as an important key to their U.S. plans. The new Jetta and Arteon will be arriving in dealers very soon, and a new Passat is expected to debut next year.

That said, Woebcken says crossovers will become a big part of Volkswagen's U.S. Current plans have the automaker launching at least two new crossovers over the next few years.

“The shift from sedans to SUVs is a permanent one. In former times, when gas prices went up people moved back to sedans. We believe this will not happen anymore for two reasons. First, the difference in fuel economy between SUVs and sedans is not so big anymore. Second, customers do not want to give up the high seating position. I believe that trend will not reverse.”

Source: Digital Trends

The Volkswagen emblem is easily one of the most recognizable emblems in the auto world, next to Chevrolet's bowtie and Mercedes-Benz's three-pointed star. But the German automaker is planning to make some tweaks for a new future.

At a press briefing in Berlin, Volkswagen's chief marketing officer Jochen Sengpiehl said the new logo would debut next year. Details about what the emblem will look like are being kept close to the chest, but Sengpiehl did say it would be updated to look good on their vehicles and smartphone screens.

“The brand is not in good shape compared to previous years,” as the marque lost some of its emotional appeal by trying to be “too German. It’s not only because of the diesel scandal,” said Sengpiehl.

The goal is to try to and make Volkswagen more approachable and less stiff consumers and "highlight innovations to justify a higher price tag" on their vehicles. 

Sengpiehl is also planning to change up the company's marketing. To this end, Volkswagen is inviting advertising agencies to pitch ideas in the coming months. Volkswagen is also planning on setting up 'marketing hubs' in key markets that will tailor messages to their respective markets.

Source: Bloomberg

We know that Volkswagen is planning a high-performance GLI variant of the new Jetta that is expected in the near future. Thanks to Autoblog, we have gotten some interesting information about what we should expect.

Speaking to a Volkswagen representative, Autoblog learned that the new GLI will feature a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder. It is expected to be the same engine found in the GTI which produces 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. There will be a choice of either a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch. The representative also said the GLI would swap the torsion-beam rear suspension found on the standard Jetta for a multi-link independent setup.

Expect to see the Jetta GLI make its debut during the next auto show season, possibly at LA or Chicago.

Source: Autoblog

The past few years at Volkswagen haven't been smooth sailing with the diesel scandal coming to light with various executives being fired or stepping down, sales taking a nosedive, and various fines. Matthias Müller who has been Volkswagen AG CEO since the scandal broke has been trying his best to get the company back on track. But that might not be enough for him to keep his job.

Bloomberg and German paper Handelsblatt have learned from sources that Müller will be stepping down as CEO on Friday. Possibly taking his place is Herbert Diess, head of the Volkswagen brand. According to Reuters, the decision will take place during a meeting of Volkswagen's supervisory board.

"Volkswagen is considering a further development of the management structure of the group which would also be associated with personnel changes in the board of management," said Volkswagen in a statement.

Reportedly, the Porsche and Piech families - the biggest shareholders of Volkswagen - were in agreement to replace Müller.

We'll keep you posted if any new developments pop up.

Source: Bloomberg, Handelsblatt Global, Reuters

Despite it being outed only a few days before its reveal, the debut of the Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak concept was quite the surprise at New York. But many of us are wondering the same thing: Why?

"We really showed this as a concept without a clear production plan behind it. Our intention [is] to demonstrate that we very seriously look into the American needs. ... Volkswagen wants to be part of this market much more seriously than in the past," said Volkswagen's North American CEO, Hinrich J. Woebcken during a media briefing.

Volkswagen's North America office wants to take more control as how the brand is run over the home office. We already saw some inkling of this when the main office in Wolfsburg allowed them to change the name of their three-row crossover from Teramont to Atlas.

The Tanoak also shows how far Volkswagen can take their MQB modular platform. It already underpins a number of models from the Jetta all the way to the Atlas.

Of course, the question arises whether or not Volkswagen plans on making the Tanoak a reality. Woebcken said the company has "definitely not decided," partly due to a number of factors.

"It all depends now if this market will appreciate more unibody pickup trucks. The C segment ... is a very high commercial use segment. Almost 70 percent of those vehicles are used in a commercial environment," explained Woebcken.

He could see a production version having "a higher chance on the lifestyle side," but even then, "we still have to study how that would work."

Source: Roadshow

When Volkswagen introduced the new T-Roc crossover last year, there were some who were hoping it would come to the U.S. But that would not be the case as would learn. Still, Volkswagen is planning a separate compact crossover that will be aimed at various global markets such as the U.S. and China.

According to Automotive News, the new crossover known internally as Volks-SUV will sit underneath the Tiguan and be first built in China by the SAIC-Volkwagen joint venture with sales beginning in August. Production will expand to Argentina, Mexico, and Russia in 2020.

"We will supply the U.S. from Mexico," said Volkswagen brand CEO Herbert Diess. 

No timeframe was given as to when the U.S. will see the new SUV.

Automotive News reports the new crossover will be underpinned by the MQB modular platform and the final design was approved last week.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

For a number of years, people have been saying the biggest problem with Volkswagen is they haven't “figured out the American market yet.” Even the automaker admits that it's the reason that its market share has dropped. Volkswagen has tried again and again to make some inroads into the market to no avail. But the German automaker is giving it another go.

Automotive News had the chance to do a deep dive into Volkswagen's new plan by speaking with Volkswagen Group of America CEO Hinrich Woebcken. His plan involves turning this division into an American car company - in spirit. It should be noted that Woebcken came to the U.S. as an exchange student in the seventies, something he credits for getting him interested in industrial engineering.

"I owe America, I owe Rochester, N.Y., and I owe this metal shop for how I basically went to start my adult life. We want to get more Americanized not only in our product but in our business. It's not that we're giving up on the genes of the Volkswagen brand. Volkswagens are Volkswagens. But what we recognized over the years is ... that we were too much a small-car company, too much a sedan company," said Woebcken.

This plan was sparked only a couple months into his position as Volkswagen America's CEO. During a meeting with dealers, Woebcken was introducing the three-row crossover that is now known as the Atlas. But at the time of the meeting, it was wearing the Teramont name. Dealers hated the name and wanted to have Atlas as the name. Woebcken agreed to talk with his bosses about changing the name.

"Everybody said there was no chance to convince headquarters to change the name of a regional product. It's not a big thing, I know, but it's a symbolic statement that Wolfsburg said, 'OK, the region is independent. They want to make sure the brand is getting successful in this country. Let them decide for themselves the name,' " explained Woebcken.

"It was, in terms of Volkswagen, a pretty big thing that demonstrates ... that this is really an independent company here in America, that the factories report to us, the engineering centers in California and Detroit report to us, the purchasing organization — which is a big leverage for the cost situation — is reporting into the North American region, plus, of course, all the sales and marketing. So we really have all the levers in our hand now, not only to listen to the demands of the market, but really also to implement them."

Some of the parts of Woebcken's plan have come to fruition including cutting the prices on various models like the Tiguan and introducing a new 6 Year/72,000 Mile warranty.

Other parts of Woebcken's plan include,

• Shortening Volkswagen's long product cycles with plans to “introduce two new cars every year” to North America
• Localize part sourcing for their two North American plans in Chattanooga, TN and Puebla, Mexico
• Roll out Volkswagen's electrification strategy beginning in 2020 with the I.D. Crozz

It is an ambitious plan but it seems to be paying off somewhat. Sales in 2017 rose 5.2 percent. In 2018, sales are up 5.8 percent.

We highly recommend checking out this piece by Automotive News as we are only scratching the surface.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Rumors about the demise of the Volkswagen Beetle have been flying around for the past few years, but we finally have confirmation that it is ending.

Volkswagen's R&D boss, Frank Welsch tells Autocar that there will not be a replacement for the Beetle. Welsch said "two or three generations is enough now" for the model and that the upcoming I.D. Buzz will take the place of the Beetle. No timeframe was given as to when Beetle production would end.

The news isn't so shocking when you take a look at the Beetle's sales numbers which have been in freefall since 2013,

• 2013: 43,134
• 2014: 29,182
• 2015: 22,667
• 2016: 15,667
• 2017: 15,166

It should be mentioned that Volkswagen brand boss Herbert Diess hinted back in October that the Beetle could go full electric, but we're not holding our breath on that.

Source: Autocar

Volkswagen has been gung-ho on electric vehicles ever since it was revealed that it used illegal software on diesel vehicles to pass emission tests. The company recently unveiled plans to invest $82.5 billion into electric vehicles over the next five years. So it seems bizarre for Volkswagen's CEO to make this comment at the Geneva Motor Show.

“Diesel will see a renaissance in the not-too-distant future because people who drove diesels will realize that it was a very comfortable drive concept. Once the knowledge that diesels are eco-friendly firms up in people’s minds, then for me there’s no reason not to buy one,” said Matthias Mueller.

*record scratch*

Yes, Volkswagen's CEO sees diesel making a comeback. This is somewhat hard to believe as stronger CO2 emission regulations from the European Union start to go into effect. Various countries and cities are planning to ban diesel vehicles in an effort to cut down on pollution.

But Muller sees diesel as a way to meet emission standards until electric vehicles are more viable. 

“The rules of the game in the EU in relation to climate protection and emissions goals on CO2 are so challenging that governments cannot do without diesel. We’re doing everything to avoid” coming up short, but “if there’s less diesel, then getting to that goal just gets tougher.”

But ultimately, it will come down to consumers. Already, sales of diesel vehicles in Germany have dropped by a third. With bans looming and resale values taking a dive, consumers may look elsewhere.

“At the end of the day, consumers have the final world. We have a very clear strategy in terms of multi-energy platforms, which means we can assemble on the same assembly line petrol cars, diesel cars, electric-powered cars,” said Carlos Tavares, CEO of PSA Group.

Source: Bloomberg

Some interesting news came out of Chicago concerning Volkswagen.

First up, Autoblog reports that the next-generation Passat will be coming out next year. Volkswagen's North American CEO Hinrich Woebcken revealed this during a roundtable with journalists at the show. Not many details are known about the Passat. It is hinted that it could grow in size and feature styling similar to the new Jetta. One detail that is certain is that Passat will continue to be built at Volkswagen's Chattanooga, TN plant.

Volkswagen's first electric model for the U.S., the I.D. Crozz is expected to launch in 2020. According to Car and Driver, the Crozz will come in two body styles - the coupe-like crossover we've seen as a concept and a traditional SUV. Volkswagen’s head of design, Klaus Bischoff revealed that the traditional SUV would be first, followed by the coupe-like crossover at a later date.

Source: Autoblog, Car and Driver

The compact crossover arena has become highly competitive in the past couple of years and automakers are pulling all of the stops to draw customers into their showroom. Volkswagen is no exception.

According to Automotive News, Volkswagen told its dealers that it would be cutting the price on several trims of Tiguan effective immediately. The price cuts are as followed,

• Tiguan S: $600
• Tiguan SE: $2,180
• Tiguan SEL: $1,460

This brings the base prices down to $25,495 for the S, $27,650 for the SE, and $31,990 for the SEL. Note: These prices are for the FWD models, AWD models will see the same price cut.

Hinrich Woebcken, CEO of Volkswagen of America told Automotive News that he wants to see Volkswagen become "more of a mass-market automaker in the U.S." To do this, Volkswagen needed to price their vehicles more competitively. Hence why the Tiguan saw a price cut.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

There has been a small number of people wanting Volkswagen to bring the Amarok over to the U.S. There are numerous issues to this, the big one being the 25 percent Chicken Tax on trucks, But some recent news has brought hope to this small group.

Motor Authority reports that Volkswagen filed a trademark application for Amarok last November. This could mean one of two things; either Volkswagen is planning on introducing the Amarok to the U.S., or the German automaker is covering all bases. As Motor Authority notes, Volkswagen has trademarked the name before.

Aside from the Chicken Tax problem, the Amarok would run into the problem that other midsize trucks are facing at the moment, a slowdown in sales. Despite the massive rise in full-size truck sales, midsize trucks aren't seeing the same trend. A lot of this comes down to truck manufacturers offering generous incentives for their full-size trucks, bringing the price down to the same level as midsize trucks and causing buyers to go with the larger ones.

Source: Motor Authority

Volkswagen recently held an event for journalists and investors to talk about the upcoming Jetta. But the company also gave a preview of their product plans for the near future. According to Autoblog, those plans include two new crossovers.

The first will be a five-seat model that will slot between the Tiguan and Atlas. Volkswagen North America CEO President and CEO Hinrich Woebcken described it as 'coupe-like'. We're assuming this model will compete with the likes of the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano. The second will slot below the long-wheelbase Tiguan (what we get in the U.S.). This could either be the short-wheelbase Tiguan or a new model that was hinted by Volkswagen's director of development, Dr. Frank Welsch back in September.

It comes as no surprise that Volkswagen is planning to expand their crossover offerings. During his presentation, Woebcken showed that light truck sales increased a whopping 51 percent year-to-date, compared to 1 percent for car sales.

Still, Volkswagen is planning to walk away from sedans just yet. 2018 will see the new Jetta and launches of the Arteon and Passat GT. Down the road, Volkswagen will introduce a new Jetta GLI and redesigned Passat.

Source: Autoblog

Diesel is quite popular in Europe partly due to subsidies provided by governments - in this case, a lower tax rate on diesel fuel than gasoline. The thinking at the time was diesel engines burn their fuel more efficiently than gas engines, thus they contribute less to global warming. But as the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal would reveal, diesel vehicles aren't that much cleaner, producing more nitrogen oxide emissions than their gas counterparts. Now, one CEO from a German automaker is saying that maybe it is time to end the subsidies.

“We should question the logic and purpose of diesel subsidies. The money can be invested more sensibly to promote more environmentally friendly technologies,” said Volkswagen CEO Matthias Müller to German paper Handelsblatt.

This is quite the surprise as Volkswagen along with other German automakers said diesel still had a future due to new pollution reduction technologies. Also, Volkswagen did very well with the sales of diesel models. But with the dark cloud of the diesel emission scandal, Müller likely sees the writing on the wall and wants to get out ahead.

Müller went on to say that he was in favor of banning older diesel vehicles from city centers. But he said that newer diesel vehicles should be exempt from the bans as they meet "stricter standards on nitrogen oxide emissions".

Source: Handelsblatt via New York Times

Volkswagen's Canadian site has dropped a teaser for the upcoming 2019 Jetta. The single gif reveals a couple of details about the design. One is that the side profile features some sculpting and a character line that possibly runs the whole length of the vehicle. Second is the Jetta's grille is similar to the T-Roc crossover with a pentagonal design.

Last month, Volkswagen North America CEO Hinrich Woebcken told journalists that the next-generation Jetta "would have coupe-like form and promises to be "great-looking"." We can't see the coupe-like form in this teaser.

At least we won't be waiting too long for the reveal. Volkswagen will show off the 2019 Jetta next month at the Detroit auto show.

Source: Volkswagen Canada

Do you remember the Volkswagen Kübelwagen? You might know it better as the Thing sold in 1970s. Volkswagen could be bringing it back as an electric vehicle.

Speaking with Car and Driver, Volkswagen brand boss Herbert Diess said the upcoming MEB (Modular Electrification Toolkit) architecture might be the perfect platform to bring back some of the company's iconic vehicles like the Thing.

“MEB is flexible—rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive—and we have so many emotional concepts. I don’t know if you remember the Kübelwagen. This Thing is a nice car. Then there are all the buggies, the kit cars. We have the bus. We have the various derivatives of the bus. We have so many exciting concepts in our history that we don’t have to do a Beetle,” said Diess.

This possible idea isn't that all surprising as Volkswagen as the I.D. Buzz was inspired by the Microbus.

Speaking of the Beetle, Car and Driver asked if there will be a replacement for this model. As we have reported previously, the Beetle could be canned due to poor sales.

“No decision yet. The next decision on the electric cars will be, ‘What kind of emotional concepts do we need?’ [A decision] might happen next year. This Beetle won’t go electric; the next one might, if there is a next one. We have a good chance on the electric side to do derivatives and emotional derivatives. It’s probably more efficient to do so than in [internal combustion] cars,” said Diess.

“We could [build an electric Beetle], because it is rear-wheel drive, no grille. If we wanted to do a Beetle electrically, it would be much better than the current car. Much closer to the history of the Beetle. [But] I think the Microbus is a much better emotional concept for the brand than the Beetle. If you go to California, everybody would say it’s the bus.”

Source: Car and Driver

Last summer, Skoda CEO Bernhard Maier said a decision on whether or not the brand would come to the U.S. would be made sometime next year. But it seems that decision has been put on the back burner.

Autocar reports that Skoda is taking the lead on developing a new low-cost vehicle for emerging markets. Earlier this year, Volkswagen had entered a partnership with Indian automaker Tata Motors to do the same. However, this would be dissolved as cost targets were not met.

“We will need more time to work on the US plans now. The Group has asked us to lead development of a platform with a strong focus on India and to investigate building that business sustainably and in a predictable manner," said Maier.

“That is a huge task, and we must always approach projects one step at a time. There is no hurry to rush into the US and no deadline to even decide if we should be looking to go there. There’s no need to make a decision right away.”

The last two lines are very interesting, considering that Maier was gung-ho on entering the the U.S. last year. As we reported back in December, an anonymous Volkswagen board member said it would be mad for Skoda to enter the U.S., hinting that plans were scrapped.

We'll keep you posted if anything changes.

Source: Autocar

The Volkswagen Jetta is an important model for the North American market and a new model is just over the horizon. Volkswagen North America CEO Hinrich Woebcken recently spoke with journalists at the Redbull Global Rallycross Championship in Los Angeles and dropped some interesting details about the next-generation Jetta.

The new Jetta will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Design-wise, Woebcken said it would have coupe-like form and promises to be "great-looking". Dealers were shown the vehicle back in April and were “extremely excited” about it. Woebcken also said the new Jetta will be given the "North American touch, not always in terms of lower costs or less content, but in specific needs for the market.”

A few other bits of information about the next Jetta

• An R-Line model will be available within three months of the launch - possibly spring
• A manual transmission will be available at launch. Concerns about the manual going away stem from the 2018 GLI not having this option.
• As for the GLI itself, the new version will launch a year after the regular Jetta

The next-generation Passat was also briefly mentioned. Woebcken said the model would launch sometime in 2019 and described the design as “not evolutionary, but really exciting exterior design.”

Source: Motor Trend
Pic Credit: William Maley for Cheers & Gears

Volkswagen's decision to use illegal software on their diesel vehicles has been costing them dearly. Reuters reports that Volkswagen is setting aside an additional 2.5 billion Euros (about $2.95 billion) due to difficulties with fixing the affected diesel models, particularly with the hardware.

"The reason is an increase in provisions relating to the buyback/retrofit program for 2.0l TDI vehicles, which is part of the settlements in North America that is proving to be far more technically complex and time consuming," the company said in a statement.

This pushes the total bill to $30 billion.

The news comes a day after German prosecutors arrested Wolfgang Hatz, former r&d head of Porsche and head of powertrain development for Audi and Volkswagen. Hatz is being questioned by prosecutors for his involvement in the diesel emission scandal.

“Investors will understandably worry what else may be next,” said BNP Paribas analyst Stuart Pearson.

This news brought the share price of Volkswagen down three percent.

Source: Reuters

A few weeks ago, we reported that Volkswagen wasn't planning to bring the T-Roc over to the U.S. No reason was given, but we suspected price was a key reason. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Volkswagen's director of development, Dr. Frank Welsch confirmed the T-Roc isn't coming.

"Let's be very clear: The T-Roc will not go to the U.S. I don't believe it's too expensive, but it's because it's a very small car. They tell us people in the U.S. expect more size for that money. It is too small. We are going to have an SUV that is even smaller than a T-Roc [the T-Cross] and it will also not go to the U.S., but will go to South America. We have the new Polo and the T-Cross in Brazil, but for North America, this car is also too small," he told Autoblog.

That doesn't mean Volkswagen isn't planning something smaller than the Tiguan for the U.S. Welsch explained the company is working on a new model for China that will launch late next year. The model will around the size of the Tiguan Limited and feature gas and plug-in hybrid powertrains. There is talk about this vehicle coming to the U.S.

"We are checking the feasibility of a car which is right between T-Roc and Tiguan, and this could be interesting for America," Welsch said.

"In the U.S., you have Tiguan long wheelbase, and the other [new] one is close to what we have here in Europe as the Tiguan SWB. It's a little bit smaller than that, about the size of the old Tiguan, but new and it's off the MQB. This is the idea behind it. In China, we will have this car next year, and we are thinking whether this could be a good idea for America and Russia."

Source: Autoblog

Volkswagen has gotten the approval on a fix for their older first-generation 2.0L TDI models involved in the diesel emission scandal. Now they're waiting for Federal officials to give the go ahead for the automaker to begin selling these vehicles. When that approval comes, Volkswagen's head of North America Hinrich Woebcken says they have a plan to get them to dealers.

Speaking with Automotive News, Woebcken said the company would slowly release the 2.0L TDI vehicles to their 652 dealers in the U.S. Dealers will get a "right of first refusal" for models that were returned through their dealerships. The slow release is to try and keep the residual values somewhat stable. Dealers are excited to start selling these fixed vehicles according to Woebcken.

"There is, of course, a community of customers who would like to take a look at these cars, once they fulfill the regulations, and that's why we are pretty optimistic that we will have a successful remarketing of those cars," said Woebcken.

The first-generation 2.0L TDI models require a more extensive fix than the second-generation 2.0 TDI with new hardware and software. 

However, not all of the first-generation 2.0L TDI models will be fixed. Herbert Diess, global head of the Volkswagen brand said some of the higher-mileage models would be scrapped.

"If the mileage is too high and the residual value is too low, it doesn't make sense anymore" to fix them. But the majority of the cars are going to be resold," said Diess.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Late last week, Volkswagen unveiled the production T-Roc crossover. The subcompact crossover is based on the MQB platform and stands out with a stylish look and range of gas and diesel engines. Previously, we have reported that the T-Roc was under consideration for the U.S.. But a new report says the model is off the table for the time being.

“The car is meant for Europe and China. The most compact model of the Volkswagen range for the U.S. remains Tiguan,” a Volkswagen source tells Automobile Magazine.

No reason was given as to why the T-Roc would skip the U.S. But if we were to hazard a guess, it might be due to Volkswagen not being able to get the price low enough for the U.S. Only a couple of months ago , we reported that Volkswagen wasn't planning to bring over the Polo subcompact for the same reason.

There was a rumor floating around a month or two ago that Volkswagen might do a different subcompact crossover for the U.S. Whether this happens or if Volkswagen decides to send the T-Roc to the U.S., we'll let you know.

Source: Automobile Magazine

Volkswagen has shown three different I.D. concepts - I.D. hatchback, I.D. Buzz, and the I.D. Crozz. We know that Volkswagen is working on making the hatchback production ready by 2020 and the Buzz has been given the green light. What about the Crozz? According to a report from Autoblog, the Crozz will follow the hatchback in production - arriving in either late 2020 or 2021 - and will be the first I.D. model to arrive on our shores.

The I.D. Crozz which made its debut earlier this year at the Shanghai Motor Show is Volkswagen's vision of an electric crossover. Using Volkswagen's MEB platform, the I.D. Crozz produces 302 horsepower from two electric motors. On-demand all-wheel drive is done through single-speed, fixed-ratio gearboxes fitted between each electric motor and its respective axle.

Volkswagen's decision on sending the I.D. Crozz to the U.S. first makes a lot of sense as buyers are crossover hungry.

The two sources also dropped some information on the I.D. Buzz which conflicts with earlier reports. First, the sources said the Buzz been confirmed for production - the opposite of what reported back in June where Volkswagen's Herbert Diess slyly dropped that it would go into production. If approved, the model would likely go into production in 2025.

We recommend checking out Autoblog's report as there are more details on what to possibly expect with the Crozz.

Source: Autoblog

The Volkswagen Passat isn't the most exciting sedan to look at. But the German automaker injected some style and sport with the Passat GT Concept at last year's LA Auto Show. It took some design ideas from the Golf GTI -  black grille with red accent lines and a more aggressive body kit - along with new wheels. Volkswagen also lowered the suspension and added a sport exhaust system. Volkswagen didn't go crazy with the engine - it is the same 3.6L VR6 found in the standard Passat.

According to a new report from Digital Trends, Volkswagen is bringing the Passat GT into production. A spokesperson tells the outlet the production GT will closely resemble the 2016 concept. This will likely mean it will also come with the sports tuned suspension and VR6 engine. 

No timeframe was given as to when Volkswagen will show off the Passat GT.

Source: Digital Trends

There were concerns that Volkswagen would not be able to come up with a fix for their 1st-generation 2.0L TDI models that would meet the approval of various U.S. regulators. But never say never as the Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board have given their approval for Volkswagen's proposed fix for 326,000 vehicles with this engine.

Reuters reports the fix will involve Volkswagen making numerous upgrades to the hardware and software, including a new emissions catalyst. This will make these vehicles legal, but drop average fuel economy figures by 2 mpg.

“To obtain this approval, VW submitted test data and technical information that demonstrates that the modification will reduce emissions without negatively affecting vehicle reliability or durability. VW will thoroughly identify any differences in vehicle attributes (such as fuel economy) so owners may make an informed choice,” said the EPA in a statement.

Volkswagen still needs to come up with a resale plan for 2009-2014 TDI models that were bought back as part of their settlement. Reuters says a plan is due in the coming weeks.

Source: Reuters

2017 will be the last year Volkswagen sells the Touareg in the U.S., according to Motor Trend.

While a reason as to why wasn't given, we have to think declining sales played a key role. The past few years have seen sales fall at a steady rate - 2016 saw a 40 percent drop to 4,223 units. 2017 isn't faring any better with 1,630 Touaregs sold through June. There is also the model being squeezed by the larger Atlas crossover and the upcoming Tiguan, which is slightly longer than the Touareg.

Volkswagen will continue to sell the Touareg in other markets, with the next-generation model due out later this year.

Source: Motor Trend

Weeks before the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal came to light, several executives were reportedly warned about the possible costs during a meeting.

German tabloid Bild am Sonntag reports that Oliver Schmidt, a Volkswagen executive that was arrested earlier this year in U.S., said the costs of diesel emission cheating could cost the company up to $18.5 billion during a presentation held on August 25, 2015. Those that attended the presentation included former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, VW's development chief at the time Heinz-Jakob Neusser, and Volkswagen brand chief Herbert Diess. This information comes from U.S. investigation documents obtained by the paper.

The issue at hand is that German law requires a company publish any news dealing with the stock in a timely fashion. Volkswagen notified investors about the cheating on September 18, almost a month after this reported meeting. 

A number of Volkswagen investors have filed suit against the company due to the losses from the diesel emission scandal. German prosecutors are also investigating Volkswagen into possible market manipulation.

Source: Bild am Sonntag via Reuters

There was talk a few years back about Volkswagen possibly sending over the next-generation Polo over to the U.S. But it seems those plans have been scrapped.

Speaking with Automotive News at the launch of the sixth-generation Polo, Volkswagen global sales boss, Juergen Stackmann said it doesn't make sense for the automaker to bring it over.

"It doesn't make too much sense for us to bring a car like this, which has the substance of a class higher, into a segment that is so price driven in America," said Stackmann.

Subcompacts are sold in North America mostly on price and high fuel economy figures. In Europe, it is a different story. While price is one key factor for buyers of subcompacts, they are also looking for something that is easy to maneuver in cities and doesn't hurt the wallet when it comes to registering. Buyers in Europe also tend to buy features you would find in bigger vehicles such as adaptive cruise control.

If Volkswagen was to bring the Polo over, it would cost significantly more than its key rivals.  

For the timebeing, Volkswagen will focus on two segments in the U.S. - SUVs and sedans.

"Our strategy for the U.S. will be SUV driven with the Atlas and Tiguan and there are two more coming. And we will also have sedans. That means we will compete in the segments that really make volume and business sense in the U.S."

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

It seems Volkswagen is going forward with sending the I.D. Buzz concept into production.

"Emotional cars are very important for the brand. We are selling loads of Beetles still, particularly in US markets. But we will also have the Microbus that we showed, which we have recently decided we will build," said Herbert Diess, head of Volkswagen to Auto Express.

It confirms a report back in February where a source revealed that the I.D. Buzz would go into production in 2022. Diess was a big fan of the concept in part due to the design being similar to the Microbus. As we reported, the I.D. Buzz "is a feel-good throwback to the days when VW stood for flower power, not toxic pollutants."

Diess did not say when the production version of the I.D. Buzz would go into production.

Source: Auto Express

You might think the vehicle caught by a spy photographer is a Volkswagen Tiguan mule. But you would be incorrect. What you're looking at is the next-generation Volkswagen Touareg.

While Volkswagen has been clever with applying camouflage strategic points, the longer length and taller body give away its true identity. Is it expected that the Touareg will be similar in design to the Tiguan. Car and Driver reports the next Touareg will transition to the MLB Evo platform that currently underpins the Audi Q7. Unlike the Q7, the Touareg will cut a few inches out of the wheelbase as it will only come with two rows of seating.

V6 power is expected, though it is unclear whether it will be the 3.6L VR6 found in the Atlas or Audi's 3.0L supercharged V6. An eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive will come standard. Expect a plug-in hybrid down the road.

Expect to see the Touareg to debut sometime later this year in Europe, followed by the U.S. next year. 

Source: Car and Driver

Volkswagen was planning to publish the final report on the external investigation done by U.S. law firm Jones Day. But in a move that surprised no one, Volkswagen has decided not to publish it.

"I’m aware that some of you wish for greater transparency. Often the publishing of a full report is demanded. To be clear: there is no written final report from Jones Day, nor will there be. I ask for your understanding that for legal reasons Volkswagen is prevented from publishing any such report," said VW Chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch at the company's annual general meeting.

Poetsch said Volkswagen would risk “massive fines" if the report was published. While Volkswagen has settled with the U.S. over the scandal, there are a number of civil cases against the company and other investigations ongoing.

It should be noted Volkswagen used this same excuse last April when it announced that it would not publish the preliminary findings of its internal investigation.

Unsurprisingly, this move has gotten a lot of heat from investors and government officials. 

Christian Strenger, a shareholder rights advocate, and German corporate governance expert said Volkswagen's management and directors need to "put all their cards on the table," as there is a legal back door that allows the company to publish new information.

"Under the plea agreement, the U.S. has a right to see any findings and agree to them in advance," said Strenger.

"Your reference to the statement of facts agreed in the U.S. is completely insufficient and almost insulting to all those who are interested in complete clarification of responsibilities."

Louise Ellman, who led the UK Transport Select Committee in the investigation of the diesel emission scandal called Poetsch's comments "not credible".

“We were told very clearly by VW  that the report would be published in due course. Saying there is no report is not credible, it stretches the imagination too far and lets down consumers,” said Ellman to British paper, The Telegraph.

But there might be more to Volkswagen's decision as to not wanting to publish this report. Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that Poetsch and Volkswagen CEO Matthias Müller are under investigation by Stuttgart prosecutors for market manipulation relating to the diesel emission mess. Then today, a source revealed to Bloomberg that Müller is under investigation for possibly withholding information about the scandal to Porsche SE shareholders. German weekly WirtschaftsWoche says the investigation stems from a complaint filed last July by BaFin, Germany’s Financial Supervisory Authority that linked several Porsche SE executives to possible market manipulation. 

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), The Telegraph, Bloomberg, WirtschaftsWoche

You would think the stigma of the diesel emission scandal would keep people away from picking up a fixed Volkswagen TDI model, but you would be wrong.

Reuters notes that in April, 12 percent of Volkswagen's sales were for TDI models (about 3,196 vehicles). This is quite impressive when you take into consideration that Volkswagen was only given the go-ahead to sell TDI models with the fix back in mid-April.

But we have to wonder if this percentage would be the same if Volkswagen didn't put some enticing incentives on TDI vehicles. As we reported last month, Volkswagen is offering either 0% APR for up to 72 months and $5,000 cash bonus if you decide to buy or an $8,500 cash bonus if you lease. 

Source: Reuters

One question that we have found ourselves wondering is who blew the whistle on the software cheat Volkswagen was using on their TDI models. A new book says it was someone at Volkswagen of America.

Automotive News got their hands on Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal by New York Times reporter Jack Ewing. In the book, Ewing reveals that the head of VW’s Engineering and Environmental Office in the U.S., Stuart Johnson revealed the existence of the cheat to federal authorities. Johnson was the primary contact for the various regulation agencies in the U.S. and would be one of the people on the front lines when the scandal unfolded.

In the book, CARB deputy executive director Alberto Ayala named Johnson as the person who revealed the existence of Volkswagen's illegal software. This revelation took place prior to a key meeting between CARB and Volkswagen on August 19, 2015. By revealing this information, Johnson was violating orders given by VW's higher ups. This meeting is mentioned in the federal indictment of Oliver Schmidt, a former VW executive who is facing 11 federal charges dealing with the scandal. Johnson is mentioned in the indictment as “Cooperating Witness 1.”

The indictment also states the witness “has agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigation in exchange for an agreement that the government will not prosecute CW1 in the United States.”

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

If the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal hasn't swayed you from wanting one, then you'll be happy to hear Volkswagen will once again be able to sell brand-new 2015 model year TDI models. Green Car Reports says near 11,000 TDI models will soon be back up for sale once they are updated with new software, making them legal.

Volkswagen does caution those interested in picking up a new TDI to call their nearest dealership to see if they have any in stock.

But that's not all. Volkswagen is offering some massive discounts on these models. CarsDirect reports that Volkswagen is offering 0% APR for up to 72 months and $5,000 cash bonus if you decide to buy. Interested in leasing one? Volkswagen will offer a cash bonus of $8,500. 

There are a couple of caveats to this offer. First, you need to have an excellent credit history to qualify for either offer. Second is that Volkswagen isn't advertising this offer.

"We will not be advertising the available incentives from our financing arm as they [sic] vehicle availability will vary per dealership," said Volkswagen spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan.

Source: Green Car Reports, CarsDirect

The new Volkswagen Tiguan looks to solve some of the pressing issues of the current model such as its size that puts it between subcompact and compact crossovers. But that doesn't mean the current Tiguan is leaving anytime soon.

Hendrik Muth, VW’s senior vice president for product marketing tells Car and Driver that the current Tiguan will stick around for 2018 and 2019, wearing the Tiguan Limited nameplate. Muth explained this model will be aimed at more budget-minded buyers and those who don't want the bigger footprint of the new Tiguan. Another reason mentioned in Car and Driver's story is the current Tiguan saw its best sales in 2015 and 2016.

One item that could put some people off from buying the Tiguan Limited is will not get the  6-year/72,000-mile warranty announced for the 2018 Atlas and Tiguan crossovers. Expect pricing to be announced sometime in the fall.

Source: Car and Driver
Pic Credit: William Maley for Cheers & Gears

More good news for Volkswagen as the EPA has finally given the ok for the company to start selling repaired TDI vehicles. Bloomberg has learned from Volkswagen Group of America spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan that dealers can sell TDI models from the 2015 model year once they have been updated with new software. The fix will also include new hardware for the diesel engine, but dealers don't have to wait for the parts to come in early next year.

"We are still finalizing the details of this program and will provide more information on its implementation at the appropriate time,” said Ginivan.

It should be noted this is only a symbolic step as only 67,000 vehicles are eligible for this - 12,000 of which are currently sitting on dealer lots. The big question is whether or not anyone is interested in buying a Volkswagen TDI vehicle considering all of the trouble it has brought.

Source: Bloomberg

With Volkswagen buying back a large chunk of the 2.0L TDIs involved the diesel emission scandal, the question arises of where to store them. The answer according to the German automaker is they are storing them at "regional facilities." One of those regional facilities is the parking lot of the Pontiac Silverdome - former home to the Detroit Lions - in Pontiac, MI. However, the vehicles stored there find themselves in a bit of legal trouble.

The Oakland Press reports that the City of Pontiac has filed a lawsuit against the owners of Silverdome, the Triple Investment Group for numerous violations in zoning, safety, and a municipal code dealing with the storage of vehicles; "a special exemption permit is needed for parking and exterior storage of vehicles." A hearing was planned last week, but was adjourned.

“Our client is actively engaged and working with the city. We hope to resolve our differences with the city and we believe we are making good progress and working together. We are still waiting on a schedule for (the hearing) but we are hopeful that we will resolve the differences in the meantime and further hearings won’t be necessary,” said J. Patrick Lennon, a partner at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, the lawfirm representing Triple Investment Group.

A Volkswagen spokeswoman told Automotive News the company is talking with their “service provider” to see if all of the permits that allow vehicles to be stored at the Silverdome are up to date.

Source: The Oakland Press, Automotive News (Subscription Required)
Pic Credit: WXYZ

Last week, we reported on comments made by Volkswagen NA CEO Hinrich Woebcken on wanting to expand the number of crossovers in their lineup. It seems there is another crossover possible destined for the U.S.

According to a source, Volkswagen is planning to launch the T-Roc compact crossover for the U.S. beginning in 2019. First shown as a concept back at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the production model will launch this summer in Europe. The decision was made by Volkswagen once dealers in the U.S. gave a firm commitment to the company they would be able to sell enough T-Rocs to make a profit. It also appears this decision was made only last week judging from a comment made by VW brand chief Herbert Diess.

"It was only yesterday that we decided on an additional SUV for 2019," Diess told reporters when asked about product strategy for the U.S.

There are still a number of items up in the air, however. For one, Volkswagen needs to decide where it will build the T-Roc. It could import the model from Volkswagen's Portugal plant, build it in Puebla, Mexico, or have it in the same assembly plant as the Atlas in Chattanooga, TN.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)
Pic Credit: Newspress