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Volkswagen's new Passat Alltrack ready to scale the Alps

Volvo may be stepping up its off-roading game with a greater variety of Cross Country models tumbling out the factory in Gothenburg, but the other (larger) European automaker whose name starts with the letters V-O-L is also broadening and updating its range of road-going automobiles equipped to handle a little soft-road duty. Aside from Audi's Allroad line, Skoda's Scout models and the new Seat Leon X-Perience, the Volkswagen brand itself has recently showcased Alltrack versions of the Golf, Multivan and of course the Passat. And now it's announced a new version of the latter for the European market. Based on the Euro-spec Passat Variant, the new VW Passat Alltrack follows a familiar formula: take a station wagon, equip it with all-wheel drive, jack up the suspension, add some lower body cladding and some new trim and – voila! – you've got a pseudo rough-roader on your hands. Set to debut in just a couple of weeks from now at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, the new Passat Alltrack is visually distinguished by its new bumpers, underbody protection, beefed-up wheel arch moldings and a ride height increased by over an inch to the benefit of ground clearance as well as approach and departure angles. European buyers who like to leave the road every once in a while (or give the impression that they do) will be able to choose from a range of five engines: two burning gasoline with either 148 horsepower or 217, and three diesels available in 148-, 187- or 237-hp states of tune. The base TSI and TDI engines are mated to a six-speed manual, while the top three are hooked up to a six-speed DCT, but they all come with 4Motion all-wheel drive as standard. All but the base TSI model boast a towing capacity of 1,800 kg, enhanced by a Trailer Assist system that automatically lines the vehicle up to a trailer. It even comes equipped with an off-road mode that incorporates Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Assist to make any journey across the Alps a breeze. Wolfsburg / Geneva, 19 February 2015 World premiere of the new Passat Alltrack All-wheel drive all-rounder combines the best of on-road and off-road driving - Passat Alltrack: 100 per cent 4MOTION – from 150 PS to 240 PS - Superior off-road performance with off-road mode and all-wheel drive Ten important facts about the world premiere of the Passat Alltrack: 1. Permanent 4MOTION all-wheel drive as standard. 2. Distinctive off-road look with new bumpers, underbody protection, door sill and wheel arch trims. 3.

VW launches cheaper 2016 e-Golf SE to challenge Nissan Leaf

Volkswagen is taking the fight to Nissan in the battle of EV hatchbacks for the 2016 model year with the new, less expensive e-Golf SE trim level. With a starting price of $29,815 (after $820 for destination but before incentives), the model undercuts the $29,860 2015 Leaf S (after $850 destination) by just $45. Lease rates are $199 a month. The 2016 e-Golf SEL Premium is $150 more than last year at $36,415, making the difference between the two trims a significant $6,600. VW isn't letting out much of the info on the SE yet, and the company's release simply says the trim "offers most of the features of the SEL Premium model." The new entry does come standard with a 3.6-kW onboard charger, and a 7.2-kW DC fast charging package is optional later in the year. Inside, there's VW's 6.5-inch MIB II infotainment system, versus an eight-inch version in the SEL Premium with the company's Car-Net App-Connect and Travel Link. The e-Golf is rated at an 83-mile range by the EPA, and it's electric motor produces 115 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. The electric hatchback has already proven itself a moderate success in Europe through the first two months of 2015, and the VW actually beat the Leaf there in sales volume. In the US, the model has moved 1,831 examples through July, compared to 10,990 for the rival Nissan.

VW may make Bentley a subsidiary of Audi

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen plans to make British luxury carmaker Bentley a subsidiary of its Audi division as it seeks economies of scale among its top-end brands, German trade publication Automobilwoche reported. Bentley, for now overseen by the head of VW's Porsche business, Oliver Blume, will from next year be part of Audi, where VW group Chief Executive Herbert Diess believes it has more potential, Automobilwoche cited company sources as saying. Synergies could include using Audi technology for a new Bentley SUV, it added. Volkswagen, which declined to comment on the report, is reviewing the future of its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati motorcycles as part of broader quest for more economies of scale as it shifts to mass producing electric cars. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters this month that Volkswagen was working on plans to prepare Lamborghini for a stock market listing. Related Video: Audi Bentley Volkswagen