Volkswagen Paris Motor Show Cars

It hasn’t even been a week since Opel announced it would skip the Paris Motor Show, and here we are telling you that Volkswagen has withdrawn its interest in the show as well. That brings the number of manufacturers skipping this year’s show in Paris to nine. Volkswagen joins Ford, Volvo, Nissan, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Opel, Mazda, and Subaru. It’s a surprising blow to the show considering Volkswagen is the top-selling car brand in Europe, but the brand believes it has justification.

Volkswagen got caught red handed cheating on emissions tests and lying to consumers worse than any other automaker and history. Since then, it has done its best to make us forget about it while it hemorrhages money at the speed of light. As such, VW has had to shift its focus completely and, instead of fighting the death of the diesel, the brand has decided to embrace our inevitable electrified future. Promising a range of 248 to 372 miles, the I.D. concept that you see here is slated to become a real production model by the turn of the decade. The all-electric and “zero-emission” powertrain isn’t the only big news here, though. This car also showcases VW’s future in the autonomous car market, with the plan to offer fully automated driving by 2025.

According to VW, the I.D. will definitely be hitting dealerships by 2020, but I’m sure it will be toned down a bit for production. It does feature certain things like a retractable steering wheel (for autonomous driving) and is said to be the first of many new electric vehicles that will be introduced to Volkswagen’s fleet. The car is built on Volkswagens MEB platform that is also known as the Modular Electric Drive Kit. All of this sounds pretty promising, but there is so much skepticism surrounding VW right now, that It’s probably best to take the brunt of this car with a grain of salt.

Either way, the car is unique in its own right, but it also features a look that we’ve seen before. We’ll talk about that a little later, though. For now, let’s dive on in and talk more VW’s latest electric concept.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volkswagen I.D. Concept.

Volkswagen has been building electric vehicles for quite a few years now, but the recent "Dieselgate" scandal prompted the German manufacturer to focus even more on all-electric drivetrains. Having set a daring goal to sell a million EVs a year by 2025, Volkswagen is previewing its electric future with the I.D. concept at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.

Described as "the first Volkswagen in a completely new fleet of highly innovative electric vehicles," the I.D. also sports a new design DNA that will become the norm for future VW-badged EVs. And by "future" I mean 2020, because that’s when the I.D. is scheduled to arrive in dealerships.

The pictures reveal a compact hatchback which seems to be about the size of a Golf. Its styling is also somewhat similar to the popular model, and this probably has to do with the fact that Volkswagen plans to launch the I.D. "parallel to the Golf," which could mean it will hit the market as the new e-Golf. The outer design is fairly simple yet sporty, with bright-blue accents contrasting the white paint. The small headlamps with LED strips as surrounds, the grille-free front fascia, and the slender taillights give it the futuristic look you’d expect from a next-generation electric model.

The interior of the I.D. also showcases VW’s view on its future EVs. It’s designed to offer a new spatial experience dubbed "Open Space," that features fully automated driving (not exactly shocking, huh?), and a retractable steering wheel for enhanced roominess when the car is in automated mode ("I.D. Pilot"). However, VW says that the autonomous system won’t be offered until 2025. The vehicle also has the ability to receive parcels if its owner isn’t at home. There’s no word as to how that works, but it sounds like a cool convenience feature.

Finally, the company says that the I.D. is the first compact based on the Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB) platform and that it features a 125-kW (168 horsepower) drivetrain with a range of between 400 to 600 km (249 to 373 miles) on a single charge.

Continue reading for the full story.

More than any other automaker in the business right now, Volkswagen is probably the one that needs a fresh start the most. It’s been a turbulent year in Wolfsburg so you can excuse the German auto giant for its determination in charting a new course for itself and a big step in achieving that goal will take place at the 2016 Paris Motor Show with the introduction of a new concept that will serve as a visual representation of the company’s pursuit towards electromobility.

Jürgen Stackmann, a member of the automaker’s Board of Management, made that clear during an event when he touted the company’s plan to use the Paris Show as a “launching pad” to showcase where it’s headed as a brand. Details surrounding the concept are still being kept under wraps, but there is the possibility that the concept will be carrying an early version of the highly anticipated MEB platform that will be used to underpin Volkswagen’s lineup of electric vehicles.

The MEB platform is believed to be the key the will unlock Volkswagen’s entry into the EV market. The platform itself is reportedly scalable, which means that it could be used on a number of vehicle types. It’s also designed to accommodate an electric battery and is versatile enough to accommodate a battery range of anywhere from 250 to 373 miles, putting it head and shoulders ahead of the 315-mile range of the new Tesla Model S P100D Ludicrous model.

With the platform and the promised range, Volkswagen believes that it has the capability to not only meet its goal of selling two to three million EVs by 2025, but to also become the market leader for electric vehicles along the way. Considering how desperate the automaker is to wash its hands completely off of the diesel emissions scandal it has been plagued with, the Paris Motor Show could be a watershed moment for the auto giant as it embarks on a new – and electrified – direction for its future.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

The Volkswagen XL1 was born out of the company’s desire to build an ultra-efficient vehicle to be able to travel 100 km on only one liter of diesel fuel or around 240 U.S. mpg. The first concept was shown to the world in 2002, with an improved model, dubbed L1, showcased in 2009. The study gained the XL1 shape we’re all familiar with in 2011 as a diesel plug-in hybrid prototype. An updated production version rolled out in early 2012, when Volkswagen announced a limited-edition car will be built starting 2013. The XL1 is propelled by a 0.8-liter, two-cylinder TDI engine rated at 48 horsepower and an electric motor generating 27 ponies. The XL1 is expected to achieve a fuel economy of 260 mpg using both units, and return 120 mpg on diesel fuel alone. The all-electric range sits at 31 miles. As the 250 units slated to hit public roads are still being assembled as of October 2014, the company has developed a brand-new iteration of the XL1, named XL Sport.

As suggested by its name, the new vehicle is a sportier version of the XL1. Unlike the latter, the XL Sport runs on gasoline and uses a Ducati motorcycle engine. Although it shares most of its body and interior with the XL1, the XL Sport features a racing-inspired body, rides on a motorsport-tuned chassis and comes with a handful of carbon-fiber body parts. Showcased at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the XL Sport is nothing more than a concept that celebrates the 200 million vehicles assembled by Volkswagen as of October 2014.

Updated 10/01/2014: The long-rumored XL Sport finally made its world debut at the 2014 Paris Auto Show. Details after the jump.

Click past the jump to read more about the standard Volkswagen XL1.

It took the Volkswagen Passat about 40 years to become the vehicle we all know today. It all started when the Germans introduced the Dasher in the U.S. in 1974. Although named differently and equipped with some additional safety and emission-reducing features, the Dasher was the same as the Euro-spec Passat. The name was changed to Quantum in 1982, eight years before the Passat nameplate finally arrive in North America. 2014 brought the eighth-generation Passat in Europe, a vehicle that rides on the company’s new MQB platform and boasts a redesigned exterior and interior. Set to find its way Stateside in 2016, the new Passat also marks the introduction of a hybrid model, the first for the popular moniker.

Dubbed Passat GTE, the plug-in hybrid borrows the same powertrain launched with the Golf GTE, although output has been increased to cope with the increased curb weight of a midsize sedan and wagon. The bad news is the U.S. isn’t getting the GTE anytime soon, but the launch that’s set to take place at the 2014 Paris Motor Show is a good preview of what we’ll be getting in a few years.

Update 08-01-2016: Volkswagen has announced U.K. Pricing for the Volkswagen Passat GTE. Check out the Prices section below for all the details.

Click past the jump to read more about the Volkswagen Passat GTE.

Volkswagen has announced a new vehicle ahead of the 2014 Paris Motor Show. The Golf Alltrack is a slightly lifted, a beefed-up version of the Golf wagon, equipped to handle slippery surfaces with VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system from Haldex. Electronics help the Alltrack track all over thanks to brake-simulated locking differentials and inside-wheel-braking for improved cornering abilities.

The Golf Alltrack also gets plenty of cosmetic changes to show off its soft-roading skills. A raised ride height, a squared-off and unique front grille, matte-silver accents, and a few interior bits help distinguish the Alltrack from the standard Golf.

Things under the hood are different, too. Volkswagen now includes the 1.8-liter, TSI, gasoline engine in the Golf. Producing 177 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque, the gas engine will scoot the Alltrack to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds. Additionally, VW is offering three TDI engines in the Alltrack; the 1.6-liter TDI and two versions of the 2.0-liter TDI.

This is Volkswagen’s second soft-roader, preceded by the Passat Alltrack. The cars compete for customers against the Audi Allroad, the Volvo XC70, and even the Subaru Outback. The combination of a wagon-like build with SUV-like abilities makes the Alltrack an interesting alternative to crossovers and a good Goldilocks solution to an age-old trade off.

Sadly, the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack won’t likely trek to the States. However, the Alltrack’s less-brawny brother, the Golf SportWagen, a concept that debuted at the 2014 New York Auto Show, may in fact hit our shores.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack.

The Volkswagen Polo is a “supermini” class car that has been in production since 1975 as a smaller and cheaper alternative to the Volkswagen Golf. It wasn’t until 1994 that Volkswagen decided to move the GTI moniker to the smaller car to create a compact hot hatch. It offered a fun driving experience for fans of the brand who were unable to afford the larger and more expensive GTI. Since that first model debuted, there has been a Polo GTI in every generation of the car’s life. The Mk V model that is currently being phased out for the new Mk VI car is powered by a 1.4-liter TSI engine that uses both a supercharger and a turbocharger. The all-new 2015 Polo GTI will discard that engine for a more modern and more powerful unit.

Now we don’t have a lot of details aside from the fact that this machine will be revealed at the upcoming 2014 Paris Motor Show. Volkswagen was kind enough to bump us a big pile of photos to get prepared, and we can make some pretty good educated guesses about what you will find under the hood.

To get a good look at this pocket-sized performance machine, just hit that jump and check out all our photos. We also have a full rundown of what you should be looking for when it gets officially announced with all the specs in a few days.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Volkswagen Polo GTI.

Well, we guess not only good things can come out of car shows, as we often find out our fair share of bad news. The latest out of Volkswagen is a killer though. A model that we have been speculating on and that has been turned on and off more than a public restroom hand dryer is finally confirmed as D.O.A., for now. Sadly enough, this highly anticipated model is the Bluesport roadster.

The last we heard of the Bluesport was when Ulrich Hackenberg, VW’s head of R&D, told EVO that the Bluesport project was alive and well, despite rumors of its demise. He even went as far as to place a roughly £30,000 price tag on it.

After an interview with Autocar at the Paris Motor Show, Hackenberg said that there is “no business case” and “we didn’t find a market for it” in reference to the Bluesport, tossing a bucket of ice on all of our hopes in the process. In the same breath, however, Hackenberg also made it clear that this isn’t the end of the Bluesport, but rather just a suspension until the market shakes loose.

The reasoning Hackenberg gives for suspending it is to avoid the death blow, which is an outright rejection of the project by upper management. He made it clear that if a market open up for the Bluesport in VW’s lineup it will be quick and easy to install it and get things rolling.

So for now we just have to accept the fact that Vee-Dub will continue on without its sporty roadster for the foreseeable future. As always, we’ll keep a close eye on this one, as Volkswagen is a tricky lot sometimes and could pull a complete 180.

We saw the first rendition of the Golf BlueMotion Concept about five years ago and it was impressive, boasting a 62.8 mph rating and emitting just 119 grams of CO2 per km. We then got a look at the second-gen model in 2009 with its 74.3 mpg and 99 g/km of CO2. Here we are at the 2012 Paris Auto Show and Volkswagen has the third generation BlueMotion Golf ready to show off.

Volkswagen really has something to prove in the mpg department, as it is one of only a handful of automakers available in the U.S. that has openly protested the new CAFÉ standards. VW has attempted to make it clear that its reasoning behind protecting the standards is not because it doesn’t want to build fuel-efficient vehicles, but rather because it feels the yearly improvement numbers are skewed to making it easier on American car and truck manufacturers.

Well, here stands a chance for VW to truly prove that it is all in on saving us money at the pump. So let’s have a look at what Vee-dub-ya has served up.

Click past the jump to read our review on the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion Concept.

With the Paris Auto Show quickly approaching, we are awaiting the release of the GTI version of the Golf Mk VII. Unfortunately, VW has been pretty stingy with its information on the upcoming GTI trim, but the sneakiness that is the Internet, has picked up on some images and information on the upcoming Golf VII GTI Concept that is reportedly a near-production version.

We have already received just about all of the information available on the 2013 Golf Mk VII, but this sports edition is one that tuners everywhere seek out. The outgoing GTI is peppy enough, boasting a 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that rips off a 0-to-60 sprint in just 7.3 seconds. While that’s no Ferrari, it is pretty sweet for a hatchback that gets 33 mpg on the highway.

With the performance and stylish appearance that the 2013 Golf VII GTI offers up, can VW really do anything to make this compact hatch even more desirable?

Click past the jump to read our full review on the Volkswagen Golf VII GTI to find out.

The Volkswagen Golf is an iconic shape from Germany that began with the original Rabbit. This vehicle started the hot hatch craze and provided the tuner car market with a boost. Just like its high performance cousin - distant cousin - the 911, the practical Volkswagen continues to become larger, heavier, and more sophisticated. The previous generation MkVI Golf arrived in the U.S. as a 2010 model, but the sleeker five door hatchback ended up being short lived.

The new Golf VII will be longer and wider than the previous model, while its exterior design will be more aggressive and sporty. It was set up to offer more interior room for passengers, new production techniques that make it 220 lbs lighter, and technology that makes it 23% more fuel efficient. The new Golf is also safer than ever thanks to its stronger body structure and impressive list of passive and active safety systems.

The new Golf is built on the MQB platform, or Modular Transverse Matrix, which makes it about 56 mm longer than its predecessor. At launch, the model will be offered with a choice of four engines: two petrol - a 85 HP 1.2-litre TSI and a 140 HP 1.4-litre TSI - and two diesel - a 105 HP 1.6-litre unit and a 150 HP 2.0-litre unit.

In Germany, the seventh generation Golf has been priced at 16,975 Euros (about $21,400 at the current exchange rates). It will be offered in Trendline, Comfortline and Highline trim levels, which can all be viewed and modified on the Volkswagen Golf’s online configurator. Golf lovers on our side of the pond will have to wait because, if the German automotive conglomerate continues to do business as usual, we won’t see the new Golf until the European market has had their fun. This means that the new Golf may not arrive in the U.S. until as late as 2014, giving the new 2010 Golf VI a few years to shine in the spotlight of Volkswagen of America’s sales sheets.

UPDATE 10/10/2012: The new generation Golf has already received a number of updates, but now Volkswagen has announced the addition of three new engines: a 1.2-liter TSI BlueMotion with 105 HP, 1.4-liter TSI BlueMotion with 120 HP, and a 1.4 liter TSi BlueMotion with 138 HP. The previous 1.6 liter and 2.0 liter TDI units can now be combined with the 4Motion all-wheel drive system. The last addition is a new Tech Pack that includes active cruise control, bi-xenon headlights, dynamic main beam control, traffic sign detection, and an anti-theft warning system.

Hit the jump to read more about the new generation Volkswagen Golf.

First details on the seventh generation Volkswagen Golf will be revealed tomorrow, September 4th. But of course that Volkswagen couldn’t keep the secret until then, as today the first images of the new Golf have leaked on the internet.

As no surprise, exterior changes for the new generation Golf aren’t very significant: they are just a simple evolution of the previous Golf VI. On the other hand, the interior comes with quite some improvements: the center console for example, has been angled towards the driver’s side. But that’s pretty much all the details revealed by these three leaked images, the rest will be revealed tomorrow.

As for the engines found under the hood, Volkswagen will be offering a wide choice of petrol and diesel engines, including a new 1.4 TSI engine delivering 140 HP and a new TDI with 105 HP.

The new Volkswagen Golf VII will be making its official debut at the Paris Auto Show, with sales to begin shortly after.

If you want a break from all the news about the upcoming Geneva Motor Show then we have something for you: fresh spy shots of the seventh generation Volkswagen Golf set to be released this Fall at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. The model was caught testing in its three-door version, but as you can see, it wears the same camouflage as the previous mule spied.

The future Golf VII will be built on Volkswagen’s new "Modularer Querbaukasten" MQB platform - that will be seen for the first time next month in the new generation Audi A3 when it debuts in Geneva. This new platform will make the model longer and wider, as well as about 100 lbs lighter than the current generation. Volkswagen will try to keep the Golf formula intact, but there will be changes made to the car’s design, on both the exterior and interior.

It has been rumored that the new Golf VII will be offered with a new range of engines, more powerful and more fuel efficient. Volkswagen will also be offering a plug-in hybrid with 246 HP capable of more than 50 mpg.

The seventh generation Volkswagen Passat, in both sedan and station wagon version, made its world debut at the Paris Auto Show. With a design language inspired by theVolkswagen New Compact Coupe concept, the new Passat will go on sale in early 2011.

The new design is defined by a new grille element with prominent horizontal chrome fins, heavily contoured headlight units with LED running lights, a set of distinctive tail lights and a subtle chrome highlights. The interior gets new seats, a revised dashboard with new dials, trim finishes and an analogue clock and subtle chrome inserts.

Under the hood Volkswagen will offer both petrol and diesel engines. The petrol line-up includes: a 1.4-liter TSI engine developing 122 HP, a 1.8-liter TSI unit with 160 HP, a 2.0-liter TSI 210 HP engine and a 3.6-liter V6 producing 300 HP. Diesel line-up includes: a 1.6-liter TDI units offered in two versions 105 HP and a 2.0-liter TDI engine offered in two power outputs – 140 HP and 170 HP. Each of this engine will be coupled to a choice of manual or DSG gearboxes.

Press release after the jump.

For those of you who have been waiting for the facelifted 2011 Volkswagen Passat to be unveiled, you’ll be happy to know that the Paris Motor Show organizers have confirmed the car’s attendance at this year’s event.

Even better, Volkswagen is bringing a sedan and an estate version of the Passat, which should bode even better for those who have been pining to see the re-tooled version of the car for a quite some time now.

While we haven’t seen the new Passat in all its glory, we’re expecting to see a wholesale of changes on the model, including some modifications to the front and rear end, a new hood grille, and redesigned front and tail lights that should give the facelifted Passat a refreshed aesthetic appeal. In addition to the exterior upgrades, the new Passat model will also undergo an interior metamorphosis that includes a newly installed navigation system.

We expect more information from Volkswagen and the new Passat on the days leading up to the Paris Motor Show so until then, sit tight, kids, we’ll send along new developments as soon as they come out.

The Tiguan has decided to show us its rump! After seeing the front of the facelift version Volkswagen Tiguan thanks to a leaked brochure, today the next crossover has also revealed its rear. As a reminder, the facelift Volkswagen Tiguan will make its official debut in September at the Paris Auto Show.

While the front gets a restyled front bumper, new fog lights, an updated grille, and LED daytime running lights integrated into the headlights, the rear will only get LED taillight clusters. And like the previous photo, there will also be a new set of wheels. Basically, the back of the Tiguan is no different than the previous model so this view of the vehicle doesn’t exactly wow us at all.

Most likely the engine line-up will remain the same, with just a few updates made to improve fuel consumption. A hybrid version may also be in the works, but that model won’t be released for several years.

Production for the Volkswagen Tiguan started back in 2007 and although it may still be a relatively young model, it wouldn’t necessarily surprise us if it were to receive a facelift. It seems Volkswagen thought this would be a good time as well as they are already preparing a facelift version for the Tiguan crossover, for both the European and the North American market. The official debut is expected to be made in September at the Paris Motor Show. This news comes to us after a Tiguan brochure leaked its way to the internet last night.

The facelift version includes a restyled front bumper, new fog lights, an updated grille, LED daytime running lights integrated into the headlights, and restyled wheels. The new trademark face of Volkswagen is also evident in the pictures leaked. The interior will only see a change in the form of a simplified climate control system. The engine will also only see minor changes as Volkswagen makes alterations to improve fuel efficiency and decrease emissions.

Since the first generation was launched and until now, Volkswagen sold more than 1.7 million GTI worldwide. Now this success history will go even further with the debut of the sixth generation GTI at the Paris Auto Show. Sales will begin in spring 2009.

With a top speed of 148 mph and 207 hp turbo engine, the new GTI offers even more fun to drive, but with a fuel consumption of only 7.5 liters per 100 kilometers.

The Golf GTI comes with an unique combination of agile and athletic engine. At 1800 rpm the engine develops a maximum torque of 280 Nm. After only 7,2 seconds the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) is completed.

The GTI features an electronic limited-slip differential called XDS and the Scirocco’s adaptive chassis. At the exterior the new GTi is inspired by the Golf GTI W12 concept, there’s a wide, one-piece lower-grille which is far more aggressive than the three-piece design on the fifth-generation GTI. It features foglights, a narrow upper-grille featuring red-banding and a rear diffuser which features twin exhausts.

The new Golf inspires respect with its clear design styling – its appearance is dominated by perfect build quality and precise lines. The front end has an impressively sporty look, thanks to both the striking radiator grille and the elegant shape of the headlights. The prominent tornado line gives it a lower and more extended appearance, from the headlights to the characteristic rear lights.

The 2009 Golf VI will be offered at the launch with two 2.0 liter TDI engines; they output of 110 hp and 140 hp. The 110 hp strong entry-level diesel is satisfied with 4.5 liters of fuel (119 g/km CO2) per 100 kilometers – that represents a 0.6 liter reduction! Even the 140 hp version only requires 4.9 liters of diesel (129 g/km CO2), which is 0.6 liters less.

There will also be four gasoline versions with output 80 hp, 102 hp, 122 hp and 160 hp. Engines will be mated to either a 6-speed or 7-speed DSG transmission.

The sixth Golf has a sportier and more distinctive appearance than any previous generation of the model series. The roof section now rests – similar to the new Scirocco – on a dominant filled out shoulder section. Responsible for this is a prominent curving line that – like a muscle trained down to the last fiber – extends from the headlights back to the taillights. All body surfaces are generally more relaxed, more athletic. In front the new car takes up the horizontally aligned radiator grille trim strip between the headlights of the first Golf generation; the grille itself is high-gloss black.

In the rear too is characterized by a dominance of horizontal lines. The taillights – very wide now – are identified among other things by an unmistakably unique night design. Stylistically – with their crystal-clear lines for the turn signal and backup lamps – they bear a resemblance to the taillights of the Touareg.

Overall, the image of the new Golf – in the interplay of all of its design characteristics – is one of a significantly wider, flatter and even more high-end car.

Volkswagen will unveil at the Paris Auto Show the cleanest Passat ever and its name says it all: BlueTDI. This is the first from a long list of BlueTDI models.

The combination between the TDi engine and the DSG dual-clutch gearbox helped to reduce fuel consumption by 28%.

The BlueTDI is powered by a 2.0-liter common-rail engine that delivers 143 hp. But despite this big output the new Passat only need 5,5 liters per 100 km (with CO2 Emission of 144 g / km CO2) for the station wagon version and 5.2 l/100 km (139 g / km CO2) for the sedan version.

Both sedan and station wagon version will be available for orders starting beginning of 2009.