by Don Hatfield
from http://geek-news.mtv.com/



Lets be honest, hovercrafts are frikin awesome. Sure, they don’t brake very well and the turning radius clearly leaves a little to beg for, but they float on air and travel by land or sea. How could you not think hovercrafts are the coolest?

This concept was designed by 21-year old industrial design graduate Yuhan Zhang from China and I have to admit it’s probably the most badass looking hovercraft I’ve ever seen. She wanted to design a vehicle that could handle all of China’s terrain: ice, snow, dirt, water, hills, etc. To make it even better, it’s got official Volkswagen badges on it and has been appropriately named the Volkswagen Aqua. Head past the break for a bunch of pretty photos and more info.




The Volkswagen Aqua, like other hovercrafts, uses multiple motors. The primary engine, which just happens to be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell (AWESOME!), inflates the skirt and lifts the hovercraft just slightly off the ground. At the rear, the forward thrust and directional fans are each powered by individual electric motors making it a completely gasoline-free vehicle.





We just like how it looks. It reminds us of some futuristic spacecraft or even a landspeeder from Star Wars -- and you know how much we love Star Wars.


There is one little detail we’re not too sure about. You see the round hatch at the rear? Well, that’s the only door this thing has and it seems like it would be pretty impossible to look good crawling out of it.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle: 2011 New York

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran
From: http://www.motorauthority.com/

After more than a decade a replacement for the ‘New Beetle’ has finally arrived, making its world debut initially at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show and then again at the 2011 New York Auto Show just a couple of days later. The latest car drops its New tag and is just called the Beetle, or 2012 Volkswagen Beetle if you want the complete name.

Sharper handling, refined styling and a much more premium interior are the main improvements. The car keeps its trademark rounded fenders but a flatter roofline and a C-pillar reminiscent of the one on the original Beetle also features. A direct benefit is more headroom for rear-seat passengers.

The car is also 3.3 inches wider and sits 0.5 of an inch lower than the one it replaces, adding a stronger stance and more premium look. Other upmarket touches include bi-xenon headlights, 19-inch wheels and sporty dual exhaust tips.

Under the hood of the range-topping model is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder TSI gasoline mill delivering 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. A six-speed manual comes as standard but customers can opt for a sweet six-speed dual clutch DSG and XDS electronic differential.

A 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque TDI turbodiesel 2.0-liter mill is also offered, returning up to 29/40 mpg city/highway fuel economy.

Rounding out the range is an entry-level 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque model with the same 2.5-liter five-cylinder from the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, available with a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic.

Stay tuned for more details and watch out for live shots of the car direct from the 2011 New York Auto Show floor.

VW Looks For its New New Beetle To Push It To New Heights

A car based on the world's most loved "Bug" has its work cut out as VW strives for huge sales

Volkswagen is looking for America to catch Beetlemania again (VW).

by: David Kiley

from:

It's not often that the unveiling of a single car by an automaker makes history. But then not every car has the history and legacy of the Volkswagen Beetle. On April 18, the German automaker will unveil an all new design of its Beetle, only the second time since the original Beetle first showed in Germany in the 1930s.

Though the last "New Beetle" design, which was unveiled in 1998, went out of production and dealer showrooms in 2009, the Beetle is the company's, and the brand's, most important product ever, at least in the U.S. The New Beetle arrived on the scene 19 years after VW dealers in the U.S. stopped selling the original, and did nothing short of of save the Volkswagen brand in the U.S.

How? The public was so excited about a comeback of the Beetle, perhaps the most loved vehicle of the twentieth century, they began taking an interest in Volkswagen again two years before the car hit showrooms. The publicity and attention drove people to VW showrooms to check out, and buy the models it did have on sale -- Jettas, Golfs and Passats.

Having recovered from its near-death experience in the 1990s from which the sensation around the New Beetle rescued Volkswagen, the new New Beetle design, which will go on sale in showrooms this Fall, does not have such heavy lifting to do. But make no mistake: Volkswagen is counting on a revival of interest in "Beetlemania"to help it meet its ambitious sales goals. VW, which sold 257,000 vehicles in 2010, has publicly stated its mission to reach 800,000 vehicles a year by 2018.

Back in the mid 1990s when the anticipation was building for the arrival of the New Beetle, Volkswagen was struggling with fewer than 100,000 sales a year, and just three model lines--Golf/GTI, Jetta and Passat. Today, VW has seven model lines, and the new "New Beetle" will make eight. "The New Beetle doesn't need to play quite the same role as it did a decade ago for VW, but it is going to be very important for sales and for our brand," said Volkswagen marketing chief Tim Ellis in an interview last year at the launch of the 2012 Jetta. Today, Jetta is the company's top selling model in the U.S.

The old "New Beetle" was on sale with very few upgrades or changes for a decade before ceasing production in 2009. And the last four years or so, sales slid as interest in the bulbous car waned. The other problem for Volkswagen was that the Beetle had been predominantly a woman's car; men having largely viewed the car as too feminine.

The new New Beetle seeks to attract more men, Ellis said. The design, while unmistakably a Beetle, is sleeker and a bit more muscular; less soft looking than its predecessor. Even tuners, the shops that accessorize cars with special wheels, spoilers and body kits have told VW they believe the new design has many more possibilities for attracting men, and their customers, than the previous model.

The importance of the Beetle has always gone beyond mere sales. Consider that in Volkswagen's climb from post-war Germany, the original Beetle served as the underpinnings of all the VW models--the Microbus van, the Karmann Ghia coupe, the Squareback station-wagon and "The Thing" SUV. It was one of the most versatile feats of engineering in automotive history.

The car also ushered in an entirely new era of advertising--all advertising, not just that done for cars. Volkswagen's ad agency from the late 1950s through the 1990s--Doyle, Dane Bernbach--advertised the Beetle and other models in the 1960s against all conventions of the time. Where GM and Ford were glamorizing cars in ads, DDB was self-deprecating in ads for the Beetle, or "Bug" as it came to be known. One famous ad ran a small picture of the Beetle, with the headline "Think Small." In another, it advertised the Beetle using an unthinkable (for the day) headline--"Lemon." That ad was meant to call attention to how ruthless VW engineers could be in rejecting seemingly good Beetles for having minor problems.

Today, quality is perhaps the biggest thing standing in VW's way of achieving its ambitious sales goal. VW has been losing ground in J.D.Power and Associates quality surveys the last two years while brands like Hyundai, Kia and Ford have been gaining.

Volkswagen of America CEO Jonathan Browning, who took over the reins last Fall, says that improving quality and customer service is the most important piece of VW's plan. "We've got exciting products coming, but we also have work to do in this area and we are going to do it."

View Gallery: Volkswagen Beetle

The Legend Returns, Electrified - VW Bus Concept in Geneva

by Christine Lepisto

from: http://www.treehugger.com/

Image: VW Bulli
If the duration of the useful life of a product contributes significantly to a reduced ecological footprint, then the VW Bus is the model of sustainability. If the hours of joy accumulated by the people that spent time in a vehicle is a measure of value, then the VW Bus is a pearl of great price. But at some point the antiquated, fuel-guzzling, smoke-belching technology overtakes the environmental benefits of keeping that original VW Bus running. So it is with anticipation and great expectations that we await the serialization of Volkswagen's 2011 Geneva Auto Show concept car: a VW Bus reminiscent of the olden days but outfitted with promising modern technology.

The famous Transporter 1 (T1) has been dubbed the world's first van. Historians attribute the design to Dutch importer Ben Pon, who in 1947 sketched the idea for a boxed-in vehicle with front wheel drive and a rear engine after being inspired by a vehicle that VW workers had built for transport needs at the factory. The Bus went into production in 1950 and already by 1951 the iconic 23-window Samba bus was rolling off production lines. Since then, the van known as the "Microbus" to Americans, as "Bulli" to Germans, has entered millions of hearts, and will forever be associated with the Hippies although it carried an awful lot of ordinary families on vacations that linger in the memory years later.

But this time around, the "hippies" are lined up against combustion engines, even against the concept of personal transportation. How will the legendary bus make its mark on a new generation of people who are fighting a philosophical battle every bit as game-changing as that of the "flower children?"
The new VW Bus will have an electric engine option. The study envisions an 85kW (115 horsepower) engine, with lithium-ion batteries covering a 200km range. The retro bus will reach a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph) with 0-100 in a modest 11.5 seconds. But could the new VW Bus take the greening of personal transport to even higher levels?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the Microbus of the 21st Century goes down in history as the icon of a whole new model for personal transport? Can you imagine car-free masses reserving their electric bus at an agency like Zipcar for the occasions when they must step away from the public transportation infrastructure and venture on holiday to remote wilderness to commune with nature? Now, that would be electrifying.

Experts rate the chances of this concept car going into production extremely high, and if the Volkswagen webcam (click on concept car) is any indication, Volkswagen's four current people-carriers (Caddy, Touran, Sharan and Multivan) cannot stand in the way of the re-introduction of the retro freedom machine.

VW’s New Diesel-Electric Concept Gets 261 MPG

from: http://www.autointhenews.com/

Volkswagen’s latest concept vehicle may look like something from the very distant future, but it could wind up on the road within a few short years. The Formula XL1 Concept combines a two-cylinder TDI engine, an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery pack, and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to attain over 260 miles per gallon.

In addition to this diesel-electric’s innovative powertrain, it features a plug-in system, low drag, and a bevy of lightweight materials to maximize fuel-efficiency. The Formula XL1 can also cover just over 20 miles on electric power alone for emissions-free driving. Technology proven in Formula 1 racing has also found its way into the Formula XL1, including the extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer parts to reduce weight.

“When the new millennium was ushered in, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch formulated the visionary goal of bringing to the market a production car that was practical for everyday use with a fuel consumption of 1.0 liter per 100 km,” VW said in a statement. “In the new XL1, Volkswagen is demonstrating that this goal is now within reach.”

Inside, Volkswagen promises that the interior is well-suited for everyday practicality. Wing doors also make it easy to get in and out of this tiny two-seater.

One of the biggest variables in whether the Formula XL1 will get the green light for production is cost. But Volkswagen says it has found ways to significantly reduce production costs, and that factor alone could help this vehicle become a reality — at least in limited quantities.

VW Unveils its Electric Car: Test Driving the Golf Blue E-Motion

by Brian Merchant

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Photos: Brian Merchant

You probably haven't heard much about Volkswagen's forays into the electric car realm -- frankly, until recently, there hasn't been much to talk about. But that's finally changing, as the world's second largest carmaker just unveiled its Golf Blue E-motion electric car. Slated for a 2014 release, the e-motion will essentially be an electrified version of the popular Golf ("the most successful car Europe has ever seen"). VW invited TreeHugger out to its HQ in Wolfsburg, Germany to take an early model of the Golf E-motion for a spin:

Until earlier this year, Volkswagen's electric strategy was vague, always seeming far off on the horizon. But earlier this year, it announced that it planned to roll out a hybrid Jetta in 2012, an electric version of its Up in Europe in 2013, and the electric Golf in the US by 2014. By 2018, VW is aiming to have electric cars comprise 3-5% of its fleet.

The electric Golf will appear generally similar to the standard model that crowds European roadways everywhere (According to my unofficial calculations, about 83% of all cars in Europe are Golfs). The car we drove, in fact, was built with a standard Golf body. Essentially, the aim is to create an electric Golf that looks and feels like the version that the (non-US) world knows and welcomes. And I throw in that caveat because the Golf isn't terribly popular in the United States; it's far less present in the states than cousin Jetta.

As with just about all electric cars, the e-Golf is loaded with torque. It's full of pep, and quick off the line. It handled reasonably well, and was genuinely fun to drive, though it was prone to seize up a bit with too much acceleration. Braking is also a work in progress, as the current brakes displayed too much of that all-too-familiar stickiness that often plagues regenerative systems.

However, that stickiness comes with an upside in this case -- by shifting between D and D3 (and in between) the driver can choose how active the regenerative brakes are, and decide how much kinetic energy will be recovered. In D3, the brakes are extremely sensitive, but you'll send the maximum amount of energy back to the battery. It's a cool innovation (and a technology that's hopefully explored further in the future), and the most revolutionary feature of the electric Golf.

Driving the electric Golf looked and felt something like this:

The Golf gets around 150 kilometers (93 miles) on a charge, and uses a battery consisting of 180 lithium ion cells (holding a charge of 26.5 kWh). As for the rest of the stats, they look something like this:

An interface on the dash intuitively relays how much charge is left, and in the test drive model, all other features remained intact. A VW engineer explained how the instruments work, and outlined how to drive the electric Golf:

The no-frills experience of driving the e-Golf likely stemmed from the early version of the concept, yes, but also certainly from VW's approach to the electric car. Driving the Golf felt a lot like driving a comfortable, utilitarian sedan that you'd driven a million times before. VW isn't trying to create the most exciting, eyeball-grabbing EV on the market -- it's simply providing consumers with a solid, reliable option for its customers demanding electrification.

Complaints aside, it was already a pleasure to drive the Golf, though it was certainly less polished than, say, the Volt, which provided a thoroughly smooth ride. Which makes sense -- the e-Golf has 3 or 4 years to go before its scheduled for production, and the VW engineer said they're still ironing out many of the kinks, the braking among them. But it's a very promising start, and come 2014, folks interested in electric cars can expect another highly practical (and likely reasonably priced) option to be on the market.

Volkswagen to Replace Spare Tire with Folding Electric Bike

by Domenick Yoney

VW bik.e – Click above to watch video after the jump

Volkswagen has rolled out its first ever two-wheeler at Auto China 2010. Following a flurry of flapping and arm waving highly sophisticated dance number, V-Dub research and development chief Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg rode confidently onto the stage aboard the VW bik.e (not a typo). A very cool looking piece of mobility art that looks a little like a small bicycle without the pedals, the battery-powered device has definitely been designed with both form and function in mind: the whole thing folds quickly down into a flat disc that fits quite nicely into the spare tire compartment found in the bottom of most trunks.

369diggsdiggWhile auto shows are known for their concepts that never see the light of day, we are told there are plans to actually commercialize this machine, though it probably won't come as an option with your next VW. With a range of 20 kilometers (12.5 miles), it's not meant for long distance treks but rather as a supplement to your car. Its official top speed is 20 km/h (12.5 miles per hour) to allow Germans to ride it helmetless, though word on the street says the version at the show could go much faster. No mention was made about how long it takes to charge, but apparently the bik.e's batteries can be replenished by a car's DC current as well as a typical AC plug. To get a glimpse of this "mobility enhancer" in action and hear the good doctor expound further, hit the jump for the accompanying video.

[Source: ZerCustoms]

Porsche ousts CEO, paving way for VW merger

Wendelin Wiedeking, chief executive for the last 16 years, is leaving the sports car maker.

STUTTGART (Reuters) -- Sports car maker Porsche conceded a months-long power struggle to mass-market rival Volkswagen by axing its chief executive and saying it would raise at least €5 billion in equity as the two prepared for a merger.

After an all-night meeting of its board of directors, Porsche said Wendelin Wiedeking, Germany's best-paid executive and its CEO for the past 16 years, along with finance chief Holger Haerter, would quit the group immediately.

Their hasty exit will be sweetened by payoffs of €50 million and €12.5 million, respectively.

Wiedeking, who had opposed selling Porsche to Volkswagen, which would have helped the company reduce the debt he had run up in a botched attempt to take over VW, will be succeeded by Porsche's production head Michael Macht, the board said in a statement early on Thursday.

The meeting of the non-executive directors, which include the Piech and Porsche families that between them control Porsche, approved Wiedeking's proposal to raise fresh equity -- either in cash or through a contribution in kind -- and endorsed talks to sell a stake to the Gulf state of Qatar.

"This should lay the foundations for the creation of an integrated automobile group consisting of Porsche SE and Volkswagen," Porsche said.

It was unclear from Porsche's statement who would contribute to the capital increase and whether it would be taken up by Qatar. A Porsche spokesman declined to comment further.

The board's unanimous approval signals that the powerful Porsche and Piech clans may be open to surrendering some of their influence at the maker of the 911 sports coupe.

Between them they control 100% of Porsche's voting shares and have resisted selling a stake to an outsider.

Joining forces

A source at Volkswagen, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters it was still open whether oil-rich Qatar would take a stake in the Porsche SE holding company or directly in Volkswagen, or in both groups.

The issue was due to be discussed by Volkswagen's own board of directors, which gathers for an extraordinary session on Thursday in Stuttgart, where Porsche's Zuffenhausen headquarters are based, rather than its own headquarters in Wolfsburg.

Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, declined to comment.

The moves came as Porsche enters the final stretch of negotiations with Volkswagen to create what both sides have called an "integrated" auto group, in which Porsche would essentially become the 10th brand in Volkswagen's sweeping automotive empire.

Porsche SE, the holding company that controls sports car maker Porsche AG, needs to bolster its finances after accumulating more than €10 billion in debt through its botched attempt to seize control of VW.

Porsche was forced to abandon attempts to win control over 75% of VW, leaving it with a stake of nearly 51%. The failed takeover attempt opened the door to Ferdinand Piech, VW's powerful chairman and himself a part-owner of Porsche, to turn the tables on Porsche.

The Porsche and Piech families had been at loggerheads for months over how to resolve the company's debt woes and the role VW would play. Piech has pushed for VW to take over Porsche, on condition that Porsche fixes its finances first.

VW Launches New Fuel-Efficient and Low-Emission Brand, BlueMotionTechnologies

Written by Jerry James Stone

Volkswagen’s launched a new brand: BlueMotionTechnologies.

It houses all of Volkswagen’s best eco-friendly tech. It currently includes a new start-stop system, regenerative braking, SCR catalytic converter and the NO_x storage catalytic converter.

BlueMotionTechnologies is aimed at bringing fuel-efficient and low-emission systems to market without skimping on the fahrvergnügen. Yah, I had to dust that one off…sorry.

If you’re thinking that BlueMotion isn’t all that new, you’re right. Back in 2006 VDub introduced the Polo BlueMotion, and in 2007 they unveiled a Passat flavored one.

But unlike the Polo and the Passat, the concept behind the newly branded BlueMotionTechnologies is not limited to diesel engines. In fact, it won’t be defined by a single set of technologies at all; it will evolve.

Alongside the BlueMotionTech launch, VW has also announced a new set of “principles for the sustainable development and production of its models.” These new tenets are:

• Reducing the fuel consumption of its vehicles and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
• Resource efficiency and resource conservation: recyclability and the use of renewable and secondary raw materials. Moreover, alternative powertrain technologies will be developed and the use of alternative fuels and other energy storage systems.
• Health protection: focus is on exhaust emissions and interior emissions as well as reducing exterior and interior noise levels.

VW is kicking off the new brand with three different versions of its Passat:

Passat BlueMotion:
Here a common rail TDI (81 kW/110 PS) provides for 4.9 liter fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of just 128 g/km. The Passat BlueMotion has a Start-Stop system and conforms to limits of the Euro-5 emissions standard. Its range of over 1,400 kilometers on one tank of fuel is a minor sensation – travelers starting out in Berlin will not be looking for a gas station until shortly before Rome. Naturally, the Passat BlueMotion will also be available as a wagon.

Passat BlueTDI:
Its 105-kW diesel is ahead of its times; that is because Volkswagen is introducing the first TDI to conform to limits of the Euro-6 emissions standard that does not take effect until 2014. Aboard the Passat BlueTDI, a SCR catalytic converter reduces nitrogen oxides to less than 80 mg/km. Fuel economy of the sedan shifted by a 6-speed gearbox: 5.2 liter/100-km (CO2 emissions: 137 g/km). Further options: the “BlueTDI” will also be available as a wagon, and it will be available with a 6-speed DSG.

Passat TSI EcoFuel:
The Passat TSI EcoFuel is ushering in a new era of cars powered by natural gas. Until now, one of the drawbacks of cars powered by natural gas is that their performance can be rather unexciting. Thanks to its 110 kW strong high-tech engine, the Passat TSI EcoFuel combines a maximum speed of 210 km/h with excellent fuel economy and finally puts an end to these limitations. The car accelerates to 100 km/h in just 9.7 seconds. Despite its great agility, the world’s first turbocharged and supercharged direct-injection engine configured for natural gas operation is satisfied with just 4.4 kilograms of natural gas, which is about € 4.25 per 100 kilometers. With a 7-speed DSG, the Passat breaks the magic CO2 limit of 120 g/km in this class (6-speed transmission: 4.5 kg/100-km and 123 g/km CO2). If the natural gas on board should run low before the next fill-up station, the engine controller switches over to gasoline mode. The car has a total range of more than 900 kilometers.

And on the heels of these three new Passats, VDub is also previewing its Touareg hybrid:

Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid:
Because the future of the automobile – and BlueMotionTechnologies as well – offers more than just one answer, in parallel Volkswagen is presenting a prototype of the future Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid (333 PS / under 9.0 l/100 km). This car will enter production in 2010 as the world’s first hybrid SUV to have 3.5 metric ton towing capacity. Volkswagen is introducing one of the highest performance parallel hybrid systems in the world in this SUV. The German carmaker is utilizing a high-tech alliance of a V6 TSI (245 kW) boosted by supercharger and an electric motor (38 kW). Up to a speed of 50 km/h, the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid can be driven by just the electric motor. In this case, no emissions are generated.

Photos: worldcarfans.com