VW BlueSport Concept: Driving report!

What's the Bluesport like on the road then?

Surprisingly good - it feels absolutely rock solid and creak free on the move, with crisp steering, responsive brakes and a decent suspension set-up. The 258lb ft has no trouble in shifting the concept’s 1300 kilos (the production car will weigh closer to 1.2 tonnes) and the big brakes easily pull the Bluesport to a pause.

The big wheels cause it to tramline a little, but overall the allegedly unfinished car provides a remarkably smooth and balanced drive. It's a beautifully balanced car.
And inside?

A joy – it’s minimalist, but it doesn’t feel meagre either thanks to the easy-to-use touch-screen MMI and climate control dials that glow blue or red depending on the temperature you set. The driving position is low, but there’s plenty of leg and elbow room, and the black leather-trimmed seats are very comfortable.

The bright orange roof is also a thing of beauty, weighs only 27kg, and despite the mid-engined layout and cubby for the folding hood, there's 112 litres of storage space in the nose and another 70 in the rear.

VW Scirocco R: First driving video

We have found the first driving video of the VW Scirocco R, nowhere else than on Nurburgring. Make sure to watch!

Next Gen 2012 VW Passat First Mule Spy Photos

Our spy photographers have caught Volkswagen's next generation 2012 Passat undergoing testing on Germany's famous Nürburgring.



While the mule wears the current Passat body, we can see slight modifications in the form of wider wheel wells and lengthened B-pillars. This clearly indicates that the next generation Passat will be longer and wider than today's model.



In terms of exterior design, the new Passat is expected to ditch the current model's bland styling for a more aggressive appearance which is both luxurious and dynamic.

According to CAR magazine, the redesigned Passat will feature a host of weight saving technologies such as ultra-thin glass, foam chassis reinforcements, and a low-friction 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Other technologies are likely to include an automatic parking system, "airless" Continental tires, an advanced window cleaning system that doesn't use traditional wipers, 360° parking cameras, adaptive cruise control with speed limit monitoring, and possibly even a sci-fi low-voltage magnetic paint which will allow owners to change the car's exterior color by adjusting the current.

Power will continue to be provided by a variety of engines including a 3.0-liter V6 with 280 hp, an unspecified replacement for the VR6, and possibly a new diesel engine with 300 hp and an eight-speed DSG transmission. Volkswagen is also expected to offer a hybrid version of the 3.0-liter V6.

VW Scirocco R20T: New spy shots!

Here are some fresh spy shots of the upcoming VW Scirocco R20T.
Nice!

VW Golf R20 First Spy Photos

The Golf R32 is dead, long live the Golf R20.

The new Golf R20 is making some quick laps at the Nürburgring racetrack disguised as a 2.0 TDI. But they can't fool us, not with those two big central mounted exhaust pipes. While the R32 had a six cylinder engine with 250 horsepower, the new R20 will have a version of the 2.0 liter turbocharged engine with direct injection which will be tuned to produce 270 horsepower. That should be enough to let the R20 accelerate up to 100 km/h in the low five seconds range.

To stop the car is as important as power, and this prototype has the same brakes as the Audi S3 which will be enough for this power rabbit. Both 3- and 5-door versions will be available but we expect the 3-door version to come first.

Expect a more aggressive front bumper when the R20 will have its debut, rumors says it will be in May at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

VW Concept Blue Sports Breaks Cover

Volkswagen's Concept Blue Sports premieres in Detroit as a study in combining great fuel economy with a sporty drive and looks. The roadster measures some four metres in length but weighs less than 1200kg. VW has put a turbo diesel engine in it and that tips the performance scales even more in its favour.

The engine is a 2.0-litre TDI that makes 180hp (134kW) from 4,200rpm and a hefty torque of 350Nm made from just 1,750rpm. Said to be capable of a 0 - 100km/h time of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 226km/h (140mph), the Blue Sports concept emits just 113g/km in harmful C02 gasses. It averages 4.3 litres per 100km (55mpg US/ 66mpg UK) in fuel consumption.

Not to be classified as a lightweight with no proper credentials, the car runs on massive 235/35ZR19 tyres front and 245/35ZR19 rear. The gearbox is VW's trusted quick-shifting DSG with 6 forward gears and one reverse.

Technologies adopted are bi-xenon LED headlights outside, a touchscreen that controls infotainment sources inside and an easy-to-use top that can be removed in seconds. Could the Concept Blue Sports be pointing towards a future Scirocco cabriolet? Time will tell.

VW's new 2-seat sports car

The modular chassis is said to use clever new kinematics in the new strut-based suspension system that does away with the need for pricey, Golf-style multi-link axles . Money pinching is crucial here, but not at the expense of delivering a fun-to-drive, pointy sports car.

To this end, R&D boss Ulrich Hackenberg has disclosed to CAR that the new affordable sports car will use parts-bin steering, brakes, electronics and DSG twin-clutch transmissions. Bearing in mind some of the expertise out there on Planet VW, that’s no bad thing…

You bet. CAR Online has already revealed the new sub-Boxster Porsche sports car and Ingolstadt is developing its own budget mid-engined sportster in the shape of the Audi R3.

VW, Audi , Porsche : low cost mid-engine sports car

At the Los Angeles auto show in November, Volkswagen will unwrap a new mid-engine sports car concept. This marks the third iteration of a theme that started in 2003 with the Concept R and continued in 2005 with the EcoRacer.


The proposal we'll see in L.A. pursues three different strategic goals:

* For Volkswagen, it provides an attractive product in a niche that has long been defined by the Mazda Miata.
* For Audi, it offers the opportunity to switch the next-generation TT from the current FWD/AWD platform to a much more prestigious and more dynamically rewarding mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout.
* For Porsche (which recently cleared another legal hurdle in its quest to take control of VW), there's a chance to join the fray with a modern successor to the rear-engine 356.