2013 Volkswagen CC to first launch in Germany in February 2012

Set to make its world debut at the upcoming 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show later this month, the 2013 Volkswagen Passat packs some select visual scrub ups to bring it up to date with the German brand's more recent offerings.

2013 Volkswagen CC

You can spot the new model by the redesigned front that gets a new chrome-trimmed grille, reshaped headlamps that incorporate a ring of LEDs and a reworked bumper.

Similar changes can be found at the back with the new LED tail lamp, bumper and boot lid designs. A fresh choice of colors and alloy wheel options round off the exterior updates.
Inside, VW's designers tinkered around with the air-conditioning controls and trim options while the company says it has improved the standard features across the range with the addition of a fatigue detection system, new audio, stainless steel door sills and safety head restraints with additional longitudinal adjustment for the front seats.

2013 Volkswagen CC back view

For the 2013 model year, there is also a new batch of available assistance systems such as the Side Assist Plus with integrated Lane Assist that warns of vehicles in blind spots and assists driver in avoiding an accident by steering intervention, Dynamic Light Assist and a camera-based traffic sign detection system.
In the USA, the CC will launch with the same engine lineup as before, including a 200HP 2.0-liter TSI petrol and a 280HP 3.6-liter V FSI petrols (FSI).
There are no changes to the European lineup either, with the CC being offered with several TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines ranging in output from 140HP to 300HP. The most fuel-efficient version is powered by the 140HP 2.0 TDI that delivers a combined fuel consumption of 4.7lt/100km (equal to 50mpg US).
The refreshed Volkswagen CC will first launch in Germany in February 2012, then gradually across Europe, America, Russia, China (local version starting in 2013) and other sales regions

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Special Cars/2013 Volkswagen CC

It's not a full bore re-imagining — more of a face lift, really — but that doesn't make the 2013 Volkswagen CC ($TBA) any less desirable. Details on the refreshed "four-door coupe" are scarce, but we know it will sport new front and rear fascias, Bi-Xenon headlights with an Adaptive Front Lighting System and LED taillights standard, all of which bring it in line with the updated Jetta and Passat. It should be headed your way next Spring.

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2012 Volkswagen GTI/Review

Pricing  $23,695 to $30,535 MSRP/$22,747 to $29,313 Invoice Price
EPA Fuel Economy (MPG): 21 City/31 Highway

Overview

The Volkswagen GTI is a high-performance sibling of the Golf. It comes as a two- or four-door hatchback, both with an optional Autobahn Package that consists mostly of interior upgrades. The GTI seats five and competitors include the Mazdaspeed3, Subaru Impreza WRX and Mini Cooper S.

New for 2012

LED daytime running lights are newly available for 2012, but little else of significance has changed.
Exterior
The GTI is based on the VW Golf, and both received new exterior styling a few years ago that made them more angular and menacing. The GTI has some unique features, including a thin, blackened honeycomb grille with two red outlining stripes; different front and rear bumpers; side skirts; and GTI badging. It also rides slightly lower than the Golf. Exterior features include:

•    Standard 18-inch alloy wheels
•    Dual tailpipes
•    Optional xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights

Interior

The GTI can seat up to five. Bolstered, ribbed sport seats are standard in front, and there's a 60/40-split bench in the rear. Seating surfaces have a retro plaid design — VW calls it "Interlagos" — on the cloth trim; both front seats employ seat heaters and seat-height adjusters. Leather upholstery is optional.

Interior features include:
•    Standard leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift
•    Standard power windows, locks and side mirrors with keyless entry
•    Standard air conditioning and cruise control
•    Standard height-adjustable, heated front seats
•    Standard USB/iPod-compatible stereo
•    Optional steering-wheel audio controls, upgraded touch-screen stereo, navigation system and moonroof
•    Autobahn Package adds all above options and a Dynaudio premium stereo, leather upholstery and a keyless access system with remote start

Under the Hood

A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is standard. With either the manual or automatic transmission, the front-wheel-drive GTI can hit 60 mph in less than 7 seconds, Volkswagen says. Mechanical features include:
•    200 horsepower and 207 pounds-feet of torque
•    Six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automatic
•    Electronic limited-slip control system helps control wheelspin during sharp turns

Safety
Standard safety features include:
•    Antilock brakes
•    Traction control and electronic stability system
•    Front-seat side-impact and side curtain airbags

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2012 Volkswagen Jetta /Review

Pricing $15,365 to $26,445 MSRP /$14,750 to $25,387 Invoice Price
EPA Fuel Economy (MPG): 22 - 30 City/31 - 42 Highway:

Overview

The Volkswagen Jetta has long been a premium offering in the compact-sedan segment, but with its redesign last year, VW aimed to make it a more mainstream model by including a new low-priced version in the lineup. Available with a gas or diesel engine, the five-seat Jetta is offered in sedan and wagon body styles. Competitors include the Honda Civic, Mazda3 and Ford Focus.
New for 2012
The Jetta lineup expands for 2012 with the addition of a high-performance GLI model that's powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter gas four-cylinder. In addition, the SEL trim adds a Fender premium stereo.

Exterior
The Jetta’s styling is conservative but handsome, and the car forgoes rounded design elements in favor of more angular, creased sheet metal. Rectangular headlights flank the grille. The sedan's profile is clean-looking but not particularly memorable, and Audi-esque taillights finish off the car’s rear. Exterior features include:
•    Standard 15-inch steel wheels
•    Standard power-operated heated side mirrors
•    Available 16- or 17-inch wheels
•    Available body-colored side mirrors with turn-signal indicators
•    Available moonroof, fog lights and chrome accents

Interior
The Jetta has seating for five. The 60/40-split backseat folds if you need to carry large items that won't fit in the 15.5-cubic-foot trunk. Overall, the sedan's interior isn't as upscale as previous Volkswagens, and that may disappoint some current VW owners who are accustomed to the brand's use of premium materials and its attention to detail. Standard S trim level features include air conditioning, a four-speaker CD stereo with an auxiliary jack and power windows that have a one-touch up/down feature. Interior features include:
•    SE models include simulated leather upholstery, cruise control, floormats, center console storage, a center armrest for backseat passengers, a trunk pass-through and illuminated visor mirrors
•    Available SE features include heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity and satellite radio
•    SEL models include a touch-screen navigation system, trip computer and driver-side lumbar adjustment

Under the Hood
A 115-horsepower, 2.0-liter gas four-cylinder is the base engine. A 170-hp, 2.5-liter inline-five-cylinder gas engine is available, as is a diesel four-cylinder. Mechanical feature include:
•    TDI version's turbocharged 2.0-liter diesel four-cylinder makes 140 hp and 236 pounds-feet of torque
•    Gas engines drive a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission
•    Diesel engine pairs with a six-speed manual or a six-speed dual-clutch transmission

Safety
Standard safety features include:
•    Antilock brakes
•    Electronic stability system
•    Side-impact airbags for the front seats
•    Side curtain airbags for both rows
•    Active front head restraints

GLI
True to the GLI moniker's heritage, the Jetta's uplevel trim packs higher performance and premium features. Under the hood is the automaker's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which makes the same 200 hp and 207 pounds-feet of torque that it did in the prior-generation Jetta GLI. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic optional.
Other enhancements include a sport-tuned four-wheel independent suspension; lesser Jettas employ a semi-independent rear suspension. Bolstered sport seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel and a touch-screen stereo are standard. Dual-zone automatic climate control, heated faux leather upholstery and a Fender premium stereo are optional.
Exterior styling changes include a honeycomb grille, vertical fog lamps that mimic those on VW's turbocharged GTI hatchback, smoked taillights and dual exhaust tips. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are standard, with 18-inch alloys optional.

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VW Hovercraft Bring Us One Step Closer to the Jetsons

volkswagen aqua hovercraft

Zhang Yuan, a 21-year-old Chinese designer, has plans for a vehicle called the Volkswagen Aqua that can hover and thereby negotiate all kinds of terrain, including road, sand, ice, snow and water! The design for the invention has been shortlisted in the annual Car Design Awards competition, sponsored in part by Volkswagen.

Yuan's design calls for four powerful fans in conjunction with airbags to give the vehicle its hover power. The ultra smooth and futuristic design also includes an expansive panoramic windshield and a hatch entrance from the back.

Yuan wanted the machine to be futuristic through and through and so she has designed it to run on two motors powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The first motor controls the hovering action of the vehicle while the second one directs its motion. Fuel cell technology, which is already available, will ensure that the vehicle has no carbon emissions.

The vehicle was designed in response to Volkswagen’s call for a ‘Chinese off-road vehicle,’ but it's obvious that it could have a very widespread appeal. Yuan describes her aspirations for the hovercraft to the The Nation: ‘I hope Aqua will become an affordable supercar that is available to the general public one day.’

The current design will allow the vehicle to travel at speeds of up to 62 mph and to transition seamlessly between different surfaces. The combination of the futuristic design, high-tech hovercraft system and low environmental impact of the Aqua is sure to gain a lot of attention and could could pave the way for the personal vehicle of the future.

Credit: Zhan Yuan/Volkwagen, Car Design Awards

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