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Hyundai tops VW and Buick in China, survey says

You may be aware of the long-time competition in China between Volkswagen and Buick, but another brand apparently should be in that conversation too: Hyundai. In a recently published annual consumer survey, the Korean company actually took the top spot to beat out its German and American rivals in second and third, respectively. The results were part of the China Brand Power Index that interviewed 11,500 people around the nation and was paid for by the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. While Hyundai proved popular with voters, its sales haven't necessarily shown that yet. According to Bloomberg, the brand had falling numbers in China for the first quarter of the year. Even Ford outsold the South Korean automaker in the same period, despite scoring lower on the survey. Meanwhile, Audi ranked as the populace's favorite luxury brand, which is hardly a surprise given the Four Rings' strong sales in China. In January alone the automaker saw a 15-percent boost in volume there. Parent company VW's strong performance was somewhat more surprising, though. State media severely criticized the German automaker in March, and customers protested last year for the allegedly poor handling of a recall.

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

The last time Volkswagen moved this many vehicles in America in one year, Richard Nixon was still a President in good standing, Let It Be was a radio hit and each car wearing the VW badge boasted an air-cooled engine. That's right, with a grand total of 580,286 vehicles sold in the US last year, the VW Group has broken its own four-decades-old sales record by 2,899 vehicles.
Of that 580k total sold, 438k were Volkswagens and 139k were Audi products - increases of 35.1 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively, in year-over-year sales. The ultra-premium members of the VW group also fared well; Bentley delivered 2,315 vehicles for a 23.3-precent increase, and Lamborghini delivered 520 units for a 52.9-percent jump. Bugatti, we're told is "right on track."
Jetta (pictured) sales paced the marque with 170k models sold, and Passat also finished very strong with sales of 117k total. Tiguan also racked up its best year on file, with 31,731 models shifted.

Volkswagen Golf GTE Sport Concept debuts at Worthersee

Do you like hot Volkswagens? So do we. And that's why the annual Worthersee festival in Austria is a treat. It's where the Volkswagen Group shows off some performance-minded concept cars, like the GTI Clubsport or the 600-horsepower Audi TT. But VW wants to show that it's possible to increase performance while still maintaining some eco-friendly dignity. And that's where this striking Golf GTE Sport Concept comes in. The concept is powered by a three-motor plug-in hybrid system. There's a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four up front, with electric motors mounted at each axle. Total output is said to be 396 horsepower, which is enough to move the all-wheel-drive hatch to 62 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 174 mph. It can drive under full electric power, act as a traditional hybrid, or go into full "GTE" mode, where the engine and both motors are on full assault. Its styling is definitely forward-thinking, with angles and creases abound. But it still retains that signature Golf C-pillar design, with a two-tier adaptation first seen on the outrageous GTI W12-650 concept from 2007. The body is largely constructed from carbon fiber and has doors that swing forward and up (think BMW i8). Volkswagen says the Golf GTE Sport Concept "bridges the gap between road cars and racing sport cars." That's evident inside the car, too. There's a rakish dashboard with a three-tier instrument display setup, and a very aggressive cockpit design for the two-seat cabin. Five-point seatbelts on each chair and a racing-inspired steering wheel really drive home the performance mindset of this concept. There's a lot more to learn in the detailed press release below. Check it out, but not before scrolling through the image gallery above. This one's certainly a looker. World premiere of the Golf GTE Sport: Plug-in hybrid sports car catapults the GT idea to the future - Lightweight and high-strength body of the Golf GTE Sport is made of carbon - Concept car with a top speed of 280 km/h is a zero emission vehicle and a race car in one Five key facts about the Golf GTE Sport: 1. Golf GTE Sport is powered by a 295 kW / 400 PS plug-in hybrid system 2. Progressive Golf GTE Sport bridges the gap between road cars and racing sport cars 3. Avant-garde exterior design of the Golf GTE Sport perfects the idea of C-pillars with two-level construction 4. Golf GTE Sport debuts with digital instruments arranged on three levels and tailored to motor racing 5.