2003 Volkswagen Golf Gls Hatchback 4-door 1.9l on 2040-cars

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Tanner Foust drifts Rockstar Passat around US Cycling TT course

The USA Cycling Time Trials take place on Saturday in Chattanooga, TN. That's also where Volkswagen has its US headquarters. So in honor of the event, VW decided to have a little fun involving Tanner Foust and a 900-horsepower Rockstar Drift car. That's a 900-hp Passat, by the way. Pro cyclist Tim Johnson rides along with Foust, showing him the intricacies of the cycling TT course. But of course, with a 900-hp drift car at his disposal, Foust makes use of roundabouts and turnaround points to do what he does best. We won't spoil the rest of the short, minute-and-fifteen-second video posted above. But if you like smoky drifts from super-modified midsize sedans, this clip is for you.

Coronavirus prompts VW to stop production throughout Europe

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen Group, the world's biggest carmaker, is suspending production at factories across Europe as the coronavirus pandemic hits sales and disrupts supply chains, the company said on Tuesday. The German carmaker, which owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, also said that uncertainty about the fallout from coronavirus meant it was impossible to give forecasts for its performance this year. "Given the present significant deterioration in the sales situation and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies to our plants, production is to be suspended in the near future at factories operated by group brands," Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Tuesday. Volkswagen's powerful works council concluded it was not possible for workers to maintain a safe distance from each other to prevent contagion and recommended a suspension of production at its factories from Friday. Production will be halted at VW's Spanish plants, in Setubal in Portugal, Bratislava in Slovakia and at the Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy before the end of this week, Diess said. Most of its other German and European factories will prepare to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks, while Audi said separately it would halt output at its plants in Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Mexico. Volkswagen's vast factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Puebla, Mexico, and plants in Brazil were not affected, but that would depend on how the coronavirus spreads, VW said. Volkswagen has 124 production sites worldwide of which 72 are in Europe, with 28 in Germany alone. "2020 will be a very difficult year. The coronavirus pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges. At the same time, there are concerns about sustained economic impacts," Diess said.   Production in China resumes Volkswagen Group sold 10.96 million vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Toyota based on the latest figures from the Japanese carmaker. Globally, VW employs 671,000 people and it delivered 4.86 million vehicles to European customers in 2019. Only last month the car and truck maker based in Wolfsburg, Germany, predicted that vehicle deliveries this year would match 2019 sales and forecast an operating return on sales in the range of 6.5% to 7.5%. "The spread of coronavirus is currently impacting the global economy. It is uncertain how severely or for how long this will also affect the Volkswagen Group.

VW apprentices prep Golf GTI Dark Shine, Variant Biturbo for Worthersee

Volkswagen not only cooks up some pretty tempting concepts of its own for the GTI-Treffen at Worthersee every year (and encourages its sister brands to do the same), but also gives its apprentices the opportunity to do it. And here's what they came up with this year. Called the GTI Dark Shine edition, the show car features an upgraded 2.0-liter turbo four, pumping out 389 horsepower and 359 pound-feet of torque through its dual-clutch transmission. But that's not all. As you can see, it also has a striking two-tone livery of metallic gray and yellow pearl, along with a stainless steel exhaust, carbon air box, an upgraded aero kit, a 3,500-watt audio system with eight speakers and a thoroughly reworked interior done up to match the bodywork in black Alcantara and carbon leather with yellow trim. The team of 13 apprentices built the show car from a body-in-white over the course of nine months. It follows in a long line of GTI concepts done each year by VW apprentices that stretches back to 2008. This year, however, another team of 14 interns at the plant in Zwickau, Germany, worked up a blue Golf Variant wagon called the Biturbo Edition with the twin-turbo diesel from the Passat good for 236 hp and 368 lb-ft. Another team in the Czech Republic was responsible for the Fabia FUNstar pickup concept. And of course the automakers themselves showcased the radical Golf GTE Sport, GTI Clubsport, Skoda Fabia Combi R5 and Audi TT Clubsport. The lake is calling ... world premiere: Volkswagen apprentices present their Golf GTI Dark Shine at Worthersee event - Other show car premieres: Golf Variant Biturbo Edition (Zwickau) and SKODA FUNstar (Mlada Boleslav) They have followed the call of the lake: 13 Wolfsburg apprentices from Volkswagen and group company Sitech Sitztechnik have traveled to the 34th Worthersee GTI meeting today to present their 395 PS (290 kW) Golf GTI Dark Shine to the public for the first time. Their sporty two-door Golf features a two-tone color scheme. The front is painted in dark Daytona Grey Metallic and the rear in unique R-yellow pearl effect – giving rise to the name "Dark Shine". The Golf GTI Dark Shine is impressive confirmation of the high-quality practically oriented training provided by Volkswagen.