Volkswagen Eos on 2040-cars

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Volkswagen Beetle special edition concepts hit NY [w/poll]

Buying a retro hatchback or convertible like a VW Beetle is nothing if not a fashion statement, and nobody knows that better than Volkswagen itself. Which is likely why the German automaker is bringing four concept versions of the Bug to the New York Auto Show this year. Most intriguing of the quartet – to our eyes at least – is the Beetle R-Line concept, which takes a more performance-oriented approach. It's got 20-inch alloys riding on a wider track, an aero pack including a rear diffuser and spoiler, and black trim that looks great in contrast to the white pearl finish. The interior has been upgraded, as well, with sport buckets, carbon trim and yellow details, and the concept is powered by the 2.0-liter TSI engine with 217 horsepower. The R-Line concept won't be taking the stage alone, however, joined as it will be by the magenta-sprayed Pink Color Edition hatch, the beach-themed Wave and jeans-wearing Denim edition convertibles. Though all are billed strictly as showcars for the time being, VW admits it will be gauging public reaction to all four to determine potentially putting them into production for public consumption. So, that in mind, have a look at all the concepts in the gallery above, and tell us which one you like best in the poll below. VOLKSWAGEN AT THE 2015 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW - Four Beetle Special Edition concepts introduced: Beetle Convertible Denim, Beetle R-Line, Beetle Convertible Surfer, and Beetle Pink Color Edition - All-wheel-drive Golf SportWagen Alltrack announced for production in 2016 - Volkswagen celebrates 60 years of Beetle heritage New York, New York - Volkswagen of America, Inc., today announced that it will produce the all-wheel-drive Golf SportWagen Alltrack for the U.S. market beginning in 2016, and showed four unique Beetle and Beetle Convertible models that help to commemorate Volkswagen of America's 60th anniversary. Golf SportWagen Alltrack Coinciding with the arrival of the all-new Golf SportWagen, currently available in dealer showrooms, Volkswagen is pleased to announce that the all-wheel-drive Alltrack model will go on sale in 2016 as a 2017 model. "We have heard from dealers and customers that they want to see a Golf SportWagen with the all-terrain capability that comes from all-wheel drive," said Michael Horn, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Volkswagen could build plug-in hybrids in China

When you're Europe's largest automaker and your largest global market happens to be the one most notorious for its pollution (China), some solutions just present themselves. Volkswagen may be heeding that call. During the upcoming Beijing Motor Show, the company is expected to announce plans to produce plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in China, Reuters says, citing sources within the company. Few details have emerged, though the plug-ins will likely be produced at VW's Foshan factory in South China, which currently makes the Golf and Audi A3 and has plans to eventually make 600,000 vehicles annually. News has been percolating for a while, as Oliver Schmidt, general manager engineering and environmental office for Volkswagen Group of America, said last March that the company was planning at least two plug-in hybrid lines under the VW badge (and another three with its Audi and Porsche affiliates), including possibly a Touareg and Jetta PHEV. VW said late last month that it was looking to speed up development of "particularly eco-friendly models" made by Shanghai Volkswagen as well as developing a "new, very eco-friendly vehicle" with First Automotive Works (FAW). Earlier this year, VW unveiled its Golf GTE plug-in hybrid at the Geneva Motor Show. That model has a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an electric motor to provide 201 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The car can travel as many as 81 miles on electric power alone.

United States drivers buying fewer Mexican-made cars

Crossovers and pickup trucks are not only growing in market share, they're also more profitable than cars. A crossover on the same platform as a sedan retails for thousands more, despite similar components. It's one of the reasons we've seen automakers rapidly shifting production of their sedans and hatchbacks to Mexico, where cheap labor preserves the thin profit margins on these inexpensive vehicles. But as the market continues to shift in the United States, Mexico is getting burned by its lack of product diversity. The country's auto exports, which are heavy on cars, suffered a 16-percent drop last month, Automotive News reports. In total, year-over-year exports fell from 233,515 to 197,020 last month, while year-to-date exports are down by 7.4 percent, from 922,029 to 854,118. The number one culprit? America – which usually accounts for 75 percent of Mexico's exports – and its appetite for crossovers and pickup trucks bolstered by cheap gas prices. While Mexico does build some light truck models – AN specifically calls out the Ram 2500, Honda HR-V, GMC Sierra, and Toyota Tacoma as export leaders – the vast majority of vehicles rolling out of its factories are sedans and hatchbacks. In fact, the three biggest drops in Mexican exports came from companies whose south of the border factories only build cars – Ford (Fusion/Lincoln MKZ and Fiesta), Mazda (Mazda3), and Volkswagen (Golf and Jetta). Mexican Automotive Industry Association President Eduardo Solis told AN the export shortfall will likely be sorted out sooner rather than later, thanks to a pair of new factories – a Kia car factory and an Audi SUV plant – that are coming online by year's end. The two facilities will add around 100,000 vehicles to the country's export totals, which Solis said should leave the industry on the verge of breaking another export record in 2016. But how sustainable will these record-breaking years be? Slapping an "Hecho en Mexico" sticker on a new German SUV won't be enough to change the fact that Mexico's product mix is tilted too heavily towards body styles that are not growing in volume. Mexico's record-breaking export years probably aren't at an end, but we'd argue they're certainly under threat. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Omar Torres / AFP / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Ford GMC Honda Mazda RAM Volkswagen Truck Crossover SUV Mexico