This feed contains the latest All feed items for the VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN model. http://www.motortorque.com/ Copyright 2013 MotorTorque All Rights Reserved. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss Automotive Website Framework Engine (2.9.1208.1803) Volkswagen has revealed the new efficient CrossBlue Coupe SUV concept, fitted with both electric motors and a V6 petrol engine. SUV concepts are a familiar serving at Motor Shows, especially over the last five years or so. For example, this year's Geneva Motor Show displayed the new Ford EcoSport and the Renault Scenic XMOD - both of which are SUV derivatives. This month's Shanghai Motor Show promises to be a similar ordeal as Volkswagen plans to unveil its new CrossBlue Coupe SUV concept. Offering a stance slightly reminiscent of the VW Touareg SUV, the new CrossBlue Coupe concept offers more of a slimmed body design to current VW SUV's. It is also more compact as it measures just 4,889mm in length and 2,015mm across. The Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe SUV concept also features a low sloping windscreen, sharp contours on its flanks, a 'squinted' front-grille design and up to 1,101 litres of storage space. Unlike other sporty concepts, the CrossBlue Coupe aims to bridge the gap between sports credentials and efficiency. It plans to achieve this with the use of two electric motors, offering 40kW in the front and 85 kW in the rear, and a punchy V6. Together these powertrains allow the CrossBlue Coupe concept to produce 409bhp, sprint from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 146mph. According to Volkswagen, this hybrid combination can return a combined economy figure of 94.1mpg. However, before hybrid mode kicks in, the CrossBlue Coupe concept can cover up to 20 miles on pure electric power alone. Alongside this new powertrain set-up is Volkswagen's new Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) components set. This ultimately gives the car more flexibility when it comes to fuel types - accounting for petrol, diesel and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Keep a look out for the new Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe SUV at this year's Shanghai Motor Show. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/vw-reveals-new-frugal-crossblue-coupe-suv-concept-22014.aspx Richard Bush Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT The 2013 Geneva International Motor Show set the stage for the world's first 'one-litre' car to come into the public view: the Volkswagen XL1. Although the design may appear initially strange, the production ready vehicle from Volkswagen is known as the world's first 'one-litre' car, which means that it can travel 100km (62 miles) on just a single litre of fuel. Volkswagen calls the vehicle a 'Super Efficient Vehicle' and they seemingly have good reason too. The XL1 combines a diesel electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain with super slippery aerodynamics and an ultra lightweight design to produce this sleek eco vehicle. In addition, the Volkswagen XL1 can carry two occupants in comfort, as well as some luggage, whilst emitting as little as 21g/km of CO2. At the pre-show event in Geneva, four white XL1's drove eerily into the area, followed by a fifth red, stand-out XL1, driven by none-other than space jumper extraordinaire: Felix Baumgartner. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, head of the powertrain development, remarked: 'The only twin in the whole Group that sounds good is from Ducati. This engine becomes smoother the more load you have, though, as we can put more pre-injection fuel into it - it's all about combustion stability.' Our MotorTorque video team are currently at the Geneva Motor Show, reporting back on all of the cars and concepts from the week. You can watch our day one round-up video below. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show---volkswagen-xl1-21546.aspx Glenn Doyle Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Which is better, the Volkswagen Scirocco or the Vauxhall Astra GTC? Well after weeks of debate, we thought the logical explanation would be to put them head to head and see which one comes out on top. The Scirocco has the popularity of Volkswagen behind it - and yet the GTC has a fresher look. But when it comes to sports coupe's, the balance of style and substance is crucial. Watch as we put the two models head to head in our latest road test. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNnwFcqNRl8 http://www.motortorque.com/videos/new-car-reviews/volkswagen-scirocco-vs-vauxhall-astra-gtc-2013-20809.aspx New Car Reviews Richard Bush Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT Volkswagen has designed a new mini-SUV based on the tiny Up city car but will not sell it unless it gets a positive reaction. VW shunned the Paris Motor Show in September to reveal the new Volkswagen Taigun in Brazil at the Sao Paulo show today, in a country where smaller, budget SUVs are a popular choice. However, if the reaction to the 3.86 metre-long Taigun is positive the brand could consider putting it into production, where it will sit below the sizeable Tiguan and Touareg in the brand's rugged off-road range. The Volkswagen Up has only just arrived in UK dealerships this year but its basic platform has been stretched and raised to house the bulkier SUV design. The Taigun boasts under-body protection, rugged side panels and roof rails like any off-road vehicle but its snug dimensions means there is only 280 litres of space in the boot with the seats up but this expands to a more practical 987 litres with the rear seats folded. And unlike the new Vauxhall Mokka, Nissan Juke and other soft-road mini-SUVs, Volkswagen has promised it will be more than capable over rough surfaces. To help it on its way, the Taigun is expected to offer a turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol engine delivering 110PS and 175Nm of torque. This helps give the car extra grunt off-road and offers impressive performance figures - the Taigun can reach 62mph from standing in 9.2 seconds and go on to hit 115mph. Elsewhere, Volkswagen says the car will come with plenty of modern technology including smart phone connectivity, adjustable air conditioning and more driver feedback in the shape of turbo charge pressure, coolant temperature and oil pressure displays. Will Volkswagen actually build the new Taigun mini-SUV? The success of small crossovers such as the Nissan Juke and downsized SUVs such as the Mini Countryman and Skoda Yeti show there is a market there. Volkswagen's Up is already selling well in the UK and a range of new small cars would interest buyers won over by strong residual values, high build quality and the trust in the VW brand name. Written by Stephen Hurrell. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/new-volkswagen-taigun-build-decision-based-on-public-reaction-20244.aspx Stephen Hurrell Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT Ford is no longer the most searched-for car manufacturer on the internet, with Volkswagen leapfrogging the manufacturer into first place - despite selling 20,000 cars less than its competitor. Ford had a 10.02 per cent market share of search traffic for branded automotive searches between April and June 2012, with Volkswagen's 10.13 per cent share taking them into first position. Volkswagen saw 45,932 of its vehicles registered during the second half of this year, while Ford had registered 67,530. The results are published in Experian Hitwise UK's quarterly UK Automotive Industry Review. Ford has dominated online searches since Experian Hitwise started recording online data for the auto industry. The data is based against results taken in March 2012. Ford's dethroning can be attributed to buyers searching for commercial Volkswagen vehicles, and an increase in interest in the brand's campervans. Volkswagen has also improved its commercial website, which has been named as the third fastest-growing manufacturer website of the quarter, by-and-large due to a fourteen per cent increase for 'Volkswagen T5' searches. Campervan searches were up thirty-three per cent in the second quarter of 2012. The runners up Despite Volkswagen moving to first position for number of branded registrations, year-on-year registrations for the brand were actually down by four per cent during the second quarter. Nissan was the brand that saw the biggest upward search leap, with the Japanese manufacturer jumping three places from eleventh to eighth. Nissan had 3.67 per cent of all automotive brand searches over those three months. Audi and BMW are still neck-and-neck with each other for third position for search market share. Audi currently sits in third, but less than 0.5 per cent market share separates the two giants. Kia was the biggest loser, dropping to thirteenth position. Kia was ranked ninth in March. When comparing official SMMT figures for new car registrations for the period, Ford, Vauxhall, Nissan and Peugeot all have sold a higher number of cars than people who have searched for the brand. Ford's biggest competitors - Volkswagen, BMW and Audi - all have a stronger online presence than the amount of cars registered. Written by John Meadowcroft http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/volkswagen-beats-ford-in-online-search-battle-19417.aspx John Meadowcroft Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT Volkswagen has launched a new 'Volkswagen Value' ad campaign to promote its low price tags and new found deposit price cuts of its Golf hatchback and Up city car. The new TV campaign includes a series of adverts where it sees people visit the supermarket, newsagents and grocery market; they then decide to leisurely buy a Volkswagen car as if it is just an everyday item - thus promoting its low price. For example, in one of the adverts a woman visits a grocer and says, 'can I have some of those, are they Pippins? Four of those please'. She then casually ads, 'have you got any of those Golf's, you had some the other day, the Volkswagen ones?' It ends with the grocer saying, '£1,500 off the deposit, just the one?' The woman says 'Yeh just the one I think...Actually maybe I will have two.' This advert not only sells the fact that VW are giving £1,500 off the deposit on a Golf, but also promotes the fun-to-drive nature that has always echoed through the VW brand with the likes of its Beetle model, via the use of comedy. There is also a similar advert with a woman in a newsagent, where after hearing the VW Up's £7,995 price tag, decides on the spot, 'I will have one of those too please'. This campaign is particularly significant for the VW Up which not only has to compete with the likes of the Fiat 500 and Ford Ka, but also with the Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii, which are all near identical models. With the fun appeal of this advert, VW should be able to better target the young driver demographic, which is one of the most lucrative for city car manufacturers. On top of the TV adverts, there is also a radio ad, which includes the voice of Stephen Hawking as he tries to understand the value of the VW Up. 'There are still many mysteries out there, for instance, did you know that it is actually possible to own a brand new Volkswagen, for only £7,995. It does my head in.' I'm not quite sure if this is in bad taste myself, but still, it goes alongside the fun appeal of the other adverts, which in turn attracts younger buyers. Another fine example that comedy sells. http://www.motortorque.com/motoring-blog/uncategorised/adtorque---volkswagen-value-ad-campaign-19344.aspx Richard Bush Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT Volkswagen is looking to increase production of selected models for the UK market due to high demand, which is causing 'serious shortages' in stock. The German car giant reports that current demand for models including the Up, the Golf and Passat are currently exceeding its expectations in the UK market. This is pushing the amount of stock to a very low level. According to the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders, Volkswagen sold 17,121 cars in the UK market in June 2012 alone. That marks an increase from 16,447 sales in the same month last year. In 2012 to date Volkswagen has sold 95,805 cars on the UK market, up from 94,332 sales achieved at this point last year. This reality contrasts with VW's performance in other European countries like Italy and Spain, where sales have been hit by the ongoing Eurozone crisis. Volkswagen explained that it not only underestimated UK demand but increasing production for right-hand-drive models for the region is complicated. The issues lie in certain components, such as dashboard and steering racks which have to be completely replaced from left-hand-drive models more commonly sold outside the UK. Nevertheless Volkswagen has announced it will ramp up production of right-hand-drive models for its in-demand cars starting from the beginning of September. Presently Volkswagen reports that there is a two-month waiting time for any UK motorist that orders an Up city car, which was launched back in March 2012. The Volkswagen Up is currently available from a starting price of £7,995 for the entry-level Take Up trim model. The Passat range and the latest Volkswagen Golf hatchback, which is due to be replaced in six months time, are both also starting to come in short supply, particularly the Golf GT specification model. Pricing for the Volksagen Golf hatchback currently starts at £16,425, while the Passat is available from £19,290 for the saloon model or £20,930 for the family estate version. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/volkswagen-boosts-production-for-uk-demand-18929.aspx Stephen Goldasz Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT Volkswagen has debuted a number of sporty new models at the annual Worthersee event, including the much-anticipated VW Polo WRC Street concept, which is set to launch in late 2013. The Worthersee event has become famous for new performance-orientated Volkswagen Group models and attracts VW fans from all over the world, being billed as the largest GTI event in the world. The street-legal Polo WRC Street concept features a powerful 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine delivering 217bhp, which makes it more powerful than the Golf GTI. The WRC Street also features sports suspension and a small rear spoiler. Alongside the Polo WRC Street is its grittier rally sibling, the Polo R-WRC. The Polo R-WRC is ready to race, packing a meatier 296bhp from a 1.6-litre TSI petrol powertrain and sprinting to 62mph in 4.1 seconds. The WRC Street's release will coincide with the Volkswagen's Polo's World Rally Championship entry, meaning it will be appearing at WRC numerous races. Volkswagen also previewed its Golf GTI Cabriolet, Golf GTI Black Dynamic and Golf GTI White Concept. The Golf GTI Cabriolet was first unveiled in Geneva back in March. The GTI Cabriolet uses a 2.0-litre petrol, a first for a VW Cabriolet, which delivers 207bhp. It comes available with both six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. The GTI Black Dynamic and Golf GTI White Concept are essentially aesthetic upgrades and add a new black or white paint job, plus some other interior extras including a nine-speaker sound system. Upon release the Volkswagen Polo WRC Street may present the acclaimed Citroen DS3 Racing with stiff competition as they are both road versions of powerful rally cars. In terms of power the WRC Street has a 10bhp edge over the DS3 Racing. However, the WRC Street will still have to compete with the DS3 Racing's £24,300 price tag. Pricing for the Polo WRC Street is yet to be announced. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/volkswagen-previews-rally-ready-polo-r-wrc-18509.aspx Richard Bush Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Volkswagen has announced it will be offering DAB radio as standard on its 2013 models. The switchover from FM radio to digital radio as standard will cover all of its models ranging from the Polo to the Phaethon. The move follows action by other manufacturers, including Ford and Vauxhall, to equip their ranges with DAB by 2015, a crunch date recently set by the government that requires digital radio be made mandatory across a manufacturer's range. Digital radio switchover DAB popularity is outgrowing FM, due to better quality sound and accessibility, rendering analogue radio signals obsolete. By 2015, government plans to switch off analogue radio signals in the UK. The Consumer Expert Group, a group who advises the government when consumer issues arise, has recently voiced concern over the switchover as it fails to see the advantages it offers for consumers. These concerns included DAB radio coverage issues and the lack of proof that the switch needs to be made. The issue of cost is also a factor as the switchover will mean that millions of older cars will not be able to receive radio signals, unless motorists purchase a new DAB radio. As concerns continue to flood in the 2015 switchover may be set back to 2017, with some rumours proposing it may even be as late as 2019. However, the 2015 switch is still not completely out of the question, requiring car manufacturers to prepare their car ranges for digital radios. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/volkswagen-joins-the-dab-radio-ranks-18482.aspx Richard Bush Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Volkswagen Tiguan is a crossover SUV from the German car giant Volkswagen. http://www.motortorque.com/gallery/volkswagen-tiguan-17507-images.aspx New cars Robin Brown Sat, 17 Mar 2012 09:27:47 GMT