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2015 VW Beetle GRC packs 553 rallycrossing horsepower

In case you couldn't tell from all the wings and vents, this is not your average Volkswagen Beetle. It's the rally machine Tanner Foust and Scott Speed will be driving in the Global Rallycross Championship this year. Don't let the retro form fool you – it is an absolute beast. Last year's Beetle GRC packed a 1.6-liter turbo four good for an astonishing 544 horsepower and 387 pound-feet of torque, but the new one does one better: it now features a 2.0-liter turbo four good for 553 hp and 465 lb-ft. That's right – in a Beetle. It's also got ZF dampers, 9.5 inches of suspension travel, 14-inch front brake discs with four-piston calipers packed into 17-inch wheels and, of course, all-wheel drive. The result? 0-60 in – wait for it – two seconds flat (or thereabouts). It's geared low so it'll only top out at around 125 miles per hour, but that's all it needs for the short tracks on which it's designed to compete. Foust and Speed will be driving this beast for Andretti Autosport in the 2015 championship that kicks off at the end of May in Ft. Lauderdale. Both have quite the act to follow as Foust won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012, and former F1 driver Speed won three rounds last season to finish third in the standings. Related Video: VOLKSWAGEN ANDRETTI RALLYCROSS TEAM UPDATES BEETLE GRC CARS FOR 2015 SEASON Tanner Foust and Scott Speed will contest the 2015 Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship with a pair of 2.0-liter Beetles Indianapolis, IN (April 29th, 2015) - After a strong performance in its inaugural season, the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team is ready to challenge for this year's driver and manufacturer titles in the Global Rallycross Championship. In 2015, the team will be on the attack with two Beetle GRC race cars, which debuted in the final races of 2014. This rallycross car is the ultimate expression of the third-generation Beetle. Designed and engineered from the outset as a GRC car, it features a sequential six-speed transmission, with a fixed-ratio all-wheel-drive system that features multiplate limited-slip differentials at the front and rear. For the 2015 season, the team has chosen to change the engine specification from the car that ran in selected rounds of the 2014 series. In place of that car's 1.6-liter turbocharged and intercooled TSI® four-cylinder engine, there is now a 2.0-liter TSI engine that produces 553 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, compared to 544 hp and 387 lb-ft for the 2014 car.

Giorgetto Giugiaro launching new design firm

Giorgetto Giugiaro may have sold his remaining shares in the Italdesign firm he started, but he's not about to retire from the business altogether. According to an interview with Automotive News Europe, he's starting a new design consultancy. And he's taking his son, Fabrizio, with him. After working for established design houses Bertone and Ghia, the celebrated designer founded Italdesign Giugiaro in 1968. In 2010 he and his son Fabrizio sold 90.1 percent of the firm to the Volkswagen Group, with Fabrizio initially carrying on as its chief designer before Wolfgang Egger replaced him. Just months ago, the Giugiaros sold their remaining stake and resigned their seats on the board of Italdesign. The move came hot on the heels of the departure of ousted board chairman Ferdinand Piech, a longtime friend of Giorgetto's and the driving force behind VW's acquisition of Italdesign. Just because they're no longer affiliated with Italdesign Giugiaro doesn't mean, however, that the Giugiaros won't be designing cars anymore. They're reportedly working on establishing a new design house, and are discussing potential contracts with unnamed Chinese and South Korean automakers. The father-son pair could set up shop in a refurbished existing location (as the pragmatic Fabrizio favors) or build a new studio from the ground up (as the visionary father prefers). We'll have to hold on to see what direction the new firm takes, but most of all, we'll be looking forward to seeing what designs it produces. News Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req.Image Credit: Volkswagen Design/Style Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Volkswagen italdesign giugiaro Giorgetto Giugiaro

Latest Volkswagen Transporter shows itself as the modern Microbus

With a model history dating back to 1950, the newly unveiled Volkswagen Transporter has a long legacy to uphold as one of elder statesmen of the commercial vehicle world. The sixth generation maintains the classic boxy look, and VW even admits that the shape is "modernized cautiously." Still, the changes show handsome improvements like creases in the hood and a grille that better integrates into the headlights. Rather than styling, economy is more on the minds of many commercial buyers. VW ticks that box with an average 15-percent improvement in fuel consumption across the lineup, thanks in part to standard stop/start. The engine range includes a 2.0-liter diesel four-cylinder available in 83-, 101-, 148- and 201-horsepower variants. There's also a 2.0-liter gasoline-fueled four with either 148 hp or 201 hp. VW is really working to make the Transporter a safer, more comfortable carrier for its new generation. The van is available with features like adjustable shocks, adaptive cruise control, a power tailgate and the company's City Assist Braking system, which is capable of automatically bringing the van to a stop from under 19 mph. The Driver Alert System even monitors behavior behind the wheel and advises when to take a break. VW offers the T6 in many variants, including the Multivan for carrying people and mixed use Caravelle, but the highlight at launch is the fantastic looking Generation Six special edition (pictured above). Based on the Multivan Comfortline, the retro, two-tone paint is optional, but standard features include LED headlights, chrome trim and Alcantara seats. While the latest Transporter isn't coming to the US, European buyers can order one soon with a base price of 23,035 euros ($27,000). Generation SIX: world premiere of the new T series Classic Transporter design is even sharper, more precise, higher end Better fuel economy – new engines with stop/start function as standard Better safety – latest driver assistance systems More comfort and convenience – adaptive chassis, electrically adjustable seats and electric tailgate More information – new radio-navigation system with integrated online services Prices start below level of previous model Hannover/Amsterdam, 15 April 2015 – Today, the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand presents the sixth generation of the successful Transporter model series that is produced in Hannover.