The new Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet will debut in 2012, the same year the new Golf 7 is set to be revealed. Despite this, the Golf Cabriolet will still be based on the current Golf generation, the Golf 6. The cabrio marks the third model of its kind and will be a four-seater, with soft roof. The boot capacity will be 300 litres and the central rollbar of previous versions will disappear.

In replacement the Golf Cabriolet will feature two small rollbars under the rear headrests. A new air flow system, similar to the Aircap on the Mercedes E-Class Cabrio, will be implemented to reduce air turbulence for rear passengers. The Golf Cabriolet will have the same engine range as the current Golf 6, will the petrol 1.2-litre TSI with 105 hp, the 1.4 TSI-litre with 122 hp and the 2.0 TSI with 211 hp.

On offer among the diesels will be the 1.6-litre TDI with 105 hp and the 2.0 TDI with 140 hp. All engines will have the DSG gearbox with either six or seven speeds, and the BlueMotion package could be included, too.

Source | Autointernationaal

Continue reading: Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet: to debut with Golf 7 in 2012

Here’s a look at new pics of the Volkswagen Golf R from its official presentation in the snow of Austria, showing off its all-wheel drive 4Motion system. Improvements on this new model include changes to the torque transmission for smooth distribution across the four wheels, but you may be more interested in the incredible performance stats. The Volkswagen Golf R has 270 hp and 350 Nm of torque at 2,500 to 5,000 rpm.

Those figures come from the two-litre, four-cylinder TSI engine with turbocompressor and direct injection. DSG six-speed transmission is used, helping keep fuel consumption and emissions to 8.4 l/100 km and 195 g/km respectively. Top speed is 250 km/hr and the Golf R accelerates to 100 km/hr in 5.5 seconds.

Other features include a lowered body with DCC adjustment, Normal, Sport and Comfort suspension modes and disc brakes measuring 345 mm at the front and 310 mm at the rear. There are also 18-inch wheels, LED day driving lights, sat nav and a five-door oprtion. Look to shell out 39,000 euros for the entry level Golf R, while 41,000 euros will get you the DSG gearbox.

Volkswagen Golf R new pics

Continue reading: Volkswagen Golf R new pics

As you may well imagine, Volkswagen did very nicely in the European market for 2009, as did Opel and Ford (and there’s no prizes for guessing for which models). There are a couple of surprises though, with Fiat doing very well, but not with the Fiat 500, which makes a nice change, and Peugeot and Renault put in appearances as well. Check out Europe’s top ten cars for 2009 after the jump.

Continue reading: Europe's top ten cars for 2009

Some car trivia for the weekend was required as we get down to the business of Christmas cheer, and in this gallery we take a look at all the Car of the Year models from 1964 to today. This year, the humble Volkswagen Polo took out the title, marking the 47th since the award was incepted. The Car of the Year award is judged by seven European car magazine titles: Autocar in the UK, Stern in Germany, Vi Bilägare in Sweden, Autovisie in the Netherlands, L’Automobile Magazine in France, Auto in Italy, and Autopista in Spain.

The first Car of the Year back in 1964 was the Rover 2000, and things have come a long way since then. The Car of the Year must be a new vehicle that is available to at least five European markets in the year in question. Criteria such as design, comfort, performance, safety, practicality, ecology and economy, price and overall driveability are considered.

Perhaps surprisingly, the brand that has received the most awards in the history of the Car of the Year is Fiat, with a total of nine models, and that’s not including other Fiat Group brands such as Alfa Romeo or Lancia. Following Fiat, the company with the most success has been Renault, winning six times. The Volkswagen Polo for 2010 marks only the second time that Volkswagen has won the prize. After the jump is the full list of Car of the Year models from 1964 to 2010.

Car of the Year 1964 to 2010

Continue reading: Pics: Car of the Year 1964 to 2010

The new Alfa Giulietta has been released and first impressions from the world’s press are starting to come through. We’ve gathered some of those impressions in one place so we can check out just what the Giulietta promises and whether it might deliver.

As is the fate of many an Alfa Romeo, the focus is on style - how good does it look? I don’t know whether that means there’s nothing special to bother about under the bonnet, or whether the presence of the best Fiat technology is taken for granted. To be fair, the new Giulietta will get Fiat’s Multiair engines, Alfa DNA and dual-clutch transmission so it’s no slack on the technology front. And it will have between 120 and 170 hp, before the Quadrifoglio Verde version turns up with 230 hp.

So far, the new Giulietta is a very nice looking car. Yesterday I said I appreciated the sloping, elegant rear and overall there is plenty of classic Alfa sports style. It’s managed to keep its Alfa Romeo class without falling into mediocrity or appearing like just another, bigger 147. Given the brand image and style of Alfa, I also think it stands apart from other offerings in the Fiat Group range.

Continue reading: Alfa Giulietta first impressions: lining up the Giulietta competitors

The Auto Trophy 2009 awards have been given by Auto Zeitung after reader surveys of about 105,000 participants. Obviously the local German cars were very successful, with Audi taking home a total of 40 percent of votes across all categories, but there have been a couple of surprises, too.

A special mention goes to the Opel Astra for its quality-price ratio, while the new BMW 1 Series won the best advertising campaign award. Across the categories, readers voted on 370 different models in total. In the small car category, the Volkswagen Polo won with 32.9 percent, while for imported small cars the Fiat 500 won with 20.6 percent. Among the mid-size range was the Volkswagen Golf 6, and for imported cars in this category, the Skoda Octavia won a divided contest, with 18.5 percent of votes.

The mid-size, top range cars featured some of the larger German models, with the Audi A5 Sportback winning with 27.2 percent of votes, and the Volvo V70 winning in the imported category. The luxury category was dominated by the Mercedes E-Class with 42.7 percent of votes, while the Jaguar XF took the title for imported vehicles. Among the flagship models, the Porsche Panamera won and the Aston Martin Rapide won in the imported category with 33.7 percent.

Continue reading: Auto Zeitung Auto Trophy: SLS AMG top supercar

These renderings of the Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI have been produced by the guys at Infomotori getting there photoshop out and making something to compete with the likes of the Megane RS or Ford Focus RS. They’ve designed to be a halfway point between the Volkswagen Scirocco and the Golf with a long, pointy nose and a bulky “Golf-like” rear end.

The new Golf 7 will replace the Golf 6 at the end of its production run in 2011, being a short-lived version of this model. The Golf 7 should be a new chapter for the popular Golf, with a greater focus on environmental solutions and the possibility of a Golf hybrid being developed.

Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI renderings

Continue reading: Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI renderings

Volkswagen has released the official pricing of the new Golf R and Scirocco R, which are both now available to order. The Golf R is equipped with two-litre, four-cylinder TSI engines, and its price starts at 36,400 euros on the German market.

The Scirocco R is a front-wheel drive model with a 2.0 TSI engine and 195 kW. It has a top speed of 250 km/hr and costs 33,475 euros in Germany. Both models have a less powerful option in the form of the Golf R Line and Scirocco R Line, which has the same bodywork and interior design, but with lower-spec engines.

Continue reading: Volkswagen Golf R and Scirocco R pricing

Happy news for the US with the Volkswagen Golf 6 coming to America, getting rid of the “Rabbit” name (did we say thank God??) and being available in both three-door and five-door versions. The Golf 6 US version will come with the five-cylinder, 2.5-litre engine from the Golf 5 with 170 hp and a newer, 2.0-litre TDI Clean Diesel with 140 hp that had originally appeared on the Volkswagen Jetta.

The TDI version comes with DSG twin-clutch transmission and paddle shift, while the petrol unit has a tiptronic automatic transmission for the US market. The petrol 2.5-litre starts at 17,490 US dollars while the TDI starts from 21,990 US dollars and a few extra gadgets, including touch-screen audio system and a lowered body kit.

Source | Autoblog

Continue reading: Volkswagen Golf 6 in the US

In this pic we can see the Volkswagen Golf R German pricing, starting at 36,400 euros. It’s quite a jump from the standard Golf, which starts at 16,650 euros, although we should bear in mind that it’s equipped with the 2.0-litre TFSI with 270hp, a DSG six-speed dual clutch gearbox and a touch of racing in the interior with sport bucket seats. It has 350 Nm of torque and can reach 100 km/hr in just 5.7 seconds. See the Golf R with the Scirocco R to take your pick.

Volkswagen Golf R

Source | Rocco3

Continue reading: Volkswagen Golf R pricing details

This pic could be of the new Volkswagen Golf 7, which may have been revealed in a promotional video filmed in the Volkswagen design centre premises. The director of the video, in doing a “making of” video of the L1 Concept, seems to have also inadvertently filmed work on the next generation Golf.

Let’s say it isn’t a commercial ploy on the part of Volkswagen and take a look at the background on the right where a new car is being worked on. It is characterised by narrower headlights elongating the look of the bonnet. Could this oversight have just given the world its first preview of the Golf 7….? The video is after the jump.

Continue reading: New Volkswagen Golf 7 spied in video

Here’s a look at the new Golf VII or Golf 7 with a test mule doing the rounds in Germany. While still very similar in style, the new Golf will have a wider wheelbase than the current Golf 6, but more technical details are likely to emerge in the future.

The Golf 6 seems to be a transition model for the brand, and its production end has been earmarked for December 2011, giving it a very short life span. According to leaked reports from Volkswagen, less than 1.6 million Golf models are expected to be sold.

The new Golf 7 will have a new engine line-up and will adopt more environmental solutions, with the possibility even, of alternative fuels being used. Hybrid and highly efficient diesel models are also planned, and the Golf 7 will share the same MQB platform as Audi’s new A3.

Continue reading: Volkswagen Golf 7 spy shots