1997 Vw Cabrio Convertable Restored Ready For The Road on 2040-cars

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VW could fight Uber Black with Porsche and Audi vehicles

Last week, the Volkswagen group dumped $300 million into Gett, a taxi hailing-cum-ride sharing app that's big outside of the US. Now, the company has revealed that it's pondering a rival to Uber Black by offering private drivers access to its higher-end vehicles. Details are scarce since it's a single line reference in a very long press release, but VW says that it's looking at a "special chauffeur service" that features "premium brands, such as Audi and Porsche." What that looks like in reality is anyone's guess, although the idea of getting ferried around in an Audi RS 7 does have some appeal. The deal with Gett will concentrate on getting Volkswagen cars into the hands of Gett's drivers with the promise of juicy discounts. For instance, the firm will offer a special package that'll bundle car insurance and servicing with the purchase price, which can be paid by a would-be operator in installments. It's a similar deal to the one that Uber offers would-be drivers, letting them buy cars from manufacturers like Volkswagen, Ford and Toyota at a discount. Uber, however, also lets prospective cabbies rent their vehicle on a monthly basis, thanks to a deal with Enterprise. Both of which will likely become more muscular now that Uber has a further $3.5 billion in its back pocket. The troubling fact for the auto industry is that people will still need cars, but it's likely that they won't need as many as they do right now. On-demand services and self-driving vehicles are, after all, intended to shuttle around cities like an ersatz taxi-cum-metro system rather than sitting in parking lots. The concepts of ownership that we currently hold dear (and the profits that car companies get from them) are likely to fade away in the next, say, fifty years time. As such, conglomerates like VW will have to reinvent themselves as both manufacturer and transport company in one. But these changes are never easy, especially when the biggest car firms have tons of baggage that slows down their progress. Many are still devoting time and resources to producing thousands of new cars with combustion engines that will be on the roads for years to come. Looming in the shadow, however, is the emissions scandal, with the financial and reputational penalties likely to be felt for years to come. Younger, more nimble rivals without legacy businesses, like Tesla, are working on mass-producing electric cars for mass-market prices.

VW Passat GTE plug-in hybrid starts at ˆ44,250 in Germany

Want to know how much to put away for a new Volkswagen Passat GTE? Well, first you'll have to move to Germany, or another market where the model will be sold – because it's not being offered in the US. In fact, it's based on a Passat that's altogether different from the one we get in America. But, once you've arrived at a place where the Passat GTE is available, you'll need to shell out about ˆ45,000. That's equivalent to $50,000 US at current exchange rates, which is more than the starting MSRP on any VW currently available Stateside. VW just announced domestic pricing for the new plug-in hybrid, which starts at ˆ44,250 for the sedan and ˆ45,250 for the wagon. For that much scratch, you get a Passat with a 1.4-liter turbo four good for 154 horsepower paired with an electric motor good for another 113 hp. Working in unison, the hybrid powertrain produces as much as 216 horses, and will drive up to 31 miles on electric power alone. Combined with the 50-liter (13.2-gallon) gas tank, the Passat GTE will travel over 680 miles before needing to stop. Along with the GTE, the German automaker is also launching the new Alltrack version of the Passat. Based on the Variant wagon, the new Passat Alltrack packs all-wheel drive and more rugged styling inside and out for a treatment similar to what Audi does for its Allroad models, Volvo its Cross Country line, and Subaru its Outback range. In Passat form, the Alltrack will set German buyers back ˆ38,550. Launch of the new Passat GTE and Passat Alltrack Two new models added to the Passat range Volkswagen is extending its Passat range, adding the GTE and Alltrack. These models are available immediately at German Volkswagen dealers. For a year now, the three distinctive letters GTE have stood for plug-in hybrid models from Volkswagen. Following the Golf, the second GTE standard model is now going on sale, the new Passat. The Passat GTE is powered by a 1.4-litre TSI engine delivering 115 kW / 156 PS and an electric motor producing 85 kW / 115 PS. The two are perfectly coordinated and pool their resources to generate system output of 160 kW / 219 PS. The combination of turbocharged direct-injection engine (TSI) and electric motor brings together efficiency and sustainability. The lithium-ion battery that provides the e-motor with electricity is charged as the car drives along, including via regenerative braking.

Volkswagen Golf voted 2013 European Car of the Year

The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf just went on sale in Europe, but it is already off to a promising start. Announced as the Geneva Motor Show kicked off, the newest Golf was named European Car of the Year for 2013 in dominating style over cars like the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86 twins, Volvo V40, Ford B-Max and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
According to Automotive News Europe, the MkVII Golf won handily over its rivals with a total of 414 votes. The Subaru BRZ and Toyota GT86 received 202 votes finishing in a distant second, while the Volvo V40 (189 votes), Ford B-Max (148 votes) and Mercedes-Benz A-Class (138 votes) round out the top five. The new Golf marks the third Volkswagen product to receive the prestigious award with previous cars including the MkIII Golf and the most recent iteration of the Polo.