volkswagen

Volkswagen announced today it's bought two Super Bowl ad spots for its 2012 Beetle and Passat, and has partnered with Lucasfilm to promote the Passat.

The two 30-second spots will appear during the second and fourth quarters of Super Bowl XLV, according to VW.

"Accompanied by John Williams' iconic 'The Imperial March,' the [Passat] spot features the most infamous villain in the galaxy, a pint-sized Darth Vader who uses the Force when he discovers the all-new 2012 Passat in the driveway," according to Volkswagen.

The other ad for the 2012 Beetle will notably not show the car, … Read more

The time for talk is over; electric cars are hitting the streets. Over the next few years, at least 14 electric car models are slated for mass production. Although Tesla took an early lead with its Roadster in 2008, the risky move by Nissan to put the Leaf on sale late last year appears to have opened the flood gates. Now, names such as Ford, Honda, and Toyota are ready to join the fray.

Many of the electric cars hitting the road in the next couple of years will first find their ways into testing programs, leased to utilities and … Read more

DETROIT--Billing it as its New Midsize Sedan preshow, Volkswagen launched the 2012 Passat at the Detroit auto show this week. The car features similar options and design as we saw on the Jetta update last year, with a more stately appearance suitable to the segment.

Some of the design cues on the new Passat are similar to those of the Jetta, but the car has a more upright grille. From the side, it almost looks like an Audi A4. The interior shows a new plushness that should compete well in the midsize segment, and further Volkwagen's goal of gaining … Read more

Volkswagen dropped the cloth on its new midsize sedan, and although its new in body it retains the same old Passat nameplate.

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat was developed specifically for the North American market, which means it's proportions are bigger and fatter. Riding on a longer wheelbase, its overall length has grown from from 187.6 to 191.7 inches. The longer wheelbase opens up more legroom in the second row and puts the family sedan it more in line with its competitors.

Buyers will have three engines to choose from, starting with the standard 170-hp 2.5-liter five … Read more

Volkswagen will unveil an unnamed new midsize sedan (dubbed NMS) at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week. The carmaker posted a photo of the cloaked NMS on its Web site announcing the January 10 reveal date.

Although VW has teased sketches of the NMS, little is known about the concept except that it will be built in Tennessee. The car is likely to be an update for Volkwagen's Passat model. Automotive News reported that the carmaker will also debut a hybrid concept at the Detroit show.

OEM car stereos and in-dash navigation systems typically deter would-be thieves, because these units usually only work in the vehicle in which they ship. A thief would have a harder time selling, for example, a stolen Honda Civic stereo to anyone other than other Honda Civic owners who likely already have Civic stereos! However, in the European market, the popularity of Volkswagen vehicles combined with the modular nature of the manufacturer's infotainment systems makes VW's optional RNS 310 and RNS 510 navigation units prime targets for getting nicked. In reaction to a rash of thefts, VW has come … Read more

Volkswagen has teamed up with luxury discount site Gilt Groupe to offer a limited number of 2011 Jettas for $5,995.

The purchase price of each car will go to Dress for Success Worldwide, an international nonprofit that helps economically disadvantaged women.

One Jetta is up for grabs each day for three days. Sales started today and will resume tomorrow, December 16, and Friday, December 17 at noon (I'm guessing Eastern time; the site doesn't specify, although there is a really cool countdown clock).

You have to register on the Gilt Web site ahead of time, and it'… Read more

Volkswagen Brazil builds a subcompact car that's smaller than the Golf, smaller even than the Polo. It's called the Gol, and it is the entry-level vehicle for VW's South American offerings. Here is a vehicle that would probably be too small for North American roads, but there exists a buyer for which even the Gol may be too large: little people.

With this in mind, VW Brazil has built the Mini-Gol, a little car for little people. The Mini-Gol has been scaled down by about 30-percent--overall length is down to 7.4 feet from 12.8--to better … Read more

During the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Euro NCAP presented nine awards to automakers for new, advanced safety technologies. The awards covered crash prevention and mitigation technologies as well as emergency telematics services.

Here are the nine winning technologies:

Audi Side Assist A blind-spot detection system, Audi Side Assist shows a warning light when a car is detected on either the right or left rear quarter of the Side Assist-equipped vehicle.

BMW Assist Advanced eCall When onboard sensors show that a BMW has been involved in an accident, this system dials a BMW call center, sending data about the severity of … Read more