2004 Volkswagen Passat 1.8l 30mpg!!!! on 2040-cars

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VW consumer site finally gets configurator tool back

The traditional vehicle configurator is back on the Volkswagen US consumer website, and it works very well. The company now lets visitors create a virtual model to their own specs and then search for a match among dealer inventories, as is the norm from most automakers. Last summer, Volkswagen tried to break the mold with its thoroughly redesigned consumer website in the US. It sported a slick design but made the highly controversial change of removing the configurator. Instead, visitors were narrowing their selection from a searchable database of models already at dealers. While the streamlined approach immediately told users if their desired car was available, the system also largely hid the prices for options and packages. The newly tweaked design retains the previous tablet-oriented layout, but after clicking a model, the site immediately offers "Build Yours." From there, visitors select a trim, and then the vehicle pops up with options to choose things like colors and packages. The whole layout is clean, features large buttons and works quickly. At the summary page, there's still the opportunity to search for the user's choice in dealer inventories. This is definitely a major improvement.

2021 Mazda3 Turbo vs. VW GTI | How the hot(ish) hatches compare

For the first time since 2013, Mazda is offering a hopped-up version of its compact hatchback and sedan, the Mazda3. But instead of the rip-snorting “wild child” of yore, this new 2021 Mazda3 Turbo is designed to provide impressive performance while being mature and livable. That sounds rather like the philosophy behind the ur-hot hatch, the 2021 Volkswagen GTI. Not only that, but they have similar performance at similar prices. And having driven both fairly recently, we figured there was no better time to have a look at their specs, talk about our impressions, and show you how they compare. Performance and Driving Impressions Both the Mazda and the VW come packing turbocharged four-cylinder engines, but going deeper reveals quite a few differences. The Mazda, with an extra 500 cc of displacement, makes the most power, and far and away the most torque. Its engine has a very different character to the VWÂ’s, though. The Mazda builds boost and power in an incredibly smooth and linear manner, so much so that it almost feels like a naturally aspirated engine. ItÂ’s precise and predictable, though it does lack a certain exhilaration. The GTI has that missing exhilaration thanks to a more noticeable rush of boost once the turbo is spooled up. ItÂ’s a stronger-feeling engine than the numbers suggest, too. If you donÂ’t keep the revs up, though, youÂ’ll find the GTI feeling a little slow at first until you have full boost. Both cars have very different drivetrains. The Volkswagen has the transmission advantage with your choice of either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The manual is one of the better VW units with solid, snickety gates and reasonably short throws. The dual-clutch transmission offers incredibly smooth and wickedly quick shifts, but there's obviously less driver involvement. Both are a step up from the MazdaÂ’s more conventional six-speed automatic, the only option available. While it has decent shift logic, itÂ’s sluggish, particularly compared with the VW automatic. The advantage shifts when getting to the drive wheels. The Mazda features all-wheel drive, and it actively changes its torque split. It makes it easy for all that torque to get to the ground, mitigates torque steer, and helps give the car a neutral balance even under hard throttle. The GTI is only available with front-wheel drive.

Suzuki and VW finalize their divorce

The rocky divorce between Suzuki and Volkswagen is finally over after working its way through the International Court of Arbitration since 2011, according to the Japan Times. In the final settlement to end the companies' disputes, Suzuki agreed to pay VW an undisclosed amount for not living up to the agreement to use the German automaker's diesel engines. While they won't disclose the exact sum, Suzuki said in a statement that the money "will not have any significant impact" on its 2015 fiscal year results, which will end in March. The arbitration court took the biggest step to end this transcontinental partnership in August 2015 when the body ruled VW needed sell its 19.9-percent stake in Suzuki. However, the Japanese company wasn't entirely off the hook because VW was still allowed to sue for damages over the diesel engine issue. This latest decision finally clears up that dispute. Like most marriages, the union between VW and Suzuki began with stars in both parties' eyes. The Germans paid $2.8 billion to buy 19.9 percent of the Japanese company in December 2009. VW was supposed to get greater access to the auto market in India, and Suzuki hoped to capitalize on access to its partner's advanced technology. By 2011, rumors started percolating that things were contentious behind closed doors. VW allegedly tried to assert control over Suzuki's operations, and the Japanese company reportedly wasn't happy with its access to the German tech. Suzuki even bought diesel engines from Fiat, rather than VW. Later that year, company CEO Osamu Suzuki announced he would end the alliance, and they started working through arbitration. Notification Concerning Resolution of Arbitration by Settlement As Suzuki has reached a settlement regarding the arbitration that Suzuki filed with the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce on 24 November 2011, Suzuki informs you of the following: 1. History from the Request for Arbitration to the Settlement As announced in the "Notification Concerning Arbitration Award" dated 30 August 2015, the Tribunal indicated that it would address the issue of alleged damages arising from Suzuki's breach of the agreement claimed by Volkswagen AG ("VW") in a further stage of the arbitration proceedings. Suzuki reached a settlement with VW in regard to such arbitration proceedings on 10 February 2016. Accordingly, the arbitration proceedings have been concluded. 2.