VW Record First Half Year Car Sales with More than 2.5 Million Units

Volkswagen announced today that it set a first half-year record in passenger car sales, with more than 2.5 vehicles delivered globally. This represents an increase of 11.8% compared to the same period of 2010 (2.26 million).

“The positive trend for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand in the first half of the year is very encouraging,” said Christian Klingler, Board Member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand. “It would be a major success if we could keep up this momentum during the second six months”.

VW more than doubled its sales in Russia with 45,500 units compared to 22,400 in 2010. It also increased its deliveries in Central and Eastern Europe by 42.2% and by 16.4% in the Asia-Pacific region, with China being the biggest market with 852,800 units sold (+12.9%).

In North America, the German brand sold 237,700 cars representing a 21.8% increase over the same period in 2010.

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Siemoneit Racing’s VW Golf R Black Pearl

While VW’s 270-horsepower Golf R hatchback is hardly underpowered, the engineers over at the German tuning firm Siemoneit Racing felt like it could use some extra ponies.

Siemoneit Racing calls its tuned VW Golf R the ‘Black Pearl’for obvious reasons- and it offers customers a choice of two performance packages. The first boosts the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine’s output from 270HP and 320Nm to 355-horses and 485Nm (357.7 lb-ft) through thanks to the updated ECU software, custom exhaust and a new air intake system.

The second and more comprehensive package transforms the Golf R into a 530-horsepower monster by further tweaking the engine software, and adding a larger turbocharger, a new intercooler and a different exhaust system.

Other available options include a lightweight hood made out of carbon fiber.

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ABT Kicks Off 2012 VW Beetle Tuning Party

The 2012 VW Beetle tuning wars have began. Leaving aside the Beetle RS project with some very light styling modifications by the enthusiast website VWVortex that we showed you back in June, ABT Sportsline is the first mainstream tuning firm to take on the all-new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, or as the company likes to call it, the Speedle.

The noted VW Group tuner said it is still working on the performance upgrades for the latest Beetle, which won’t arrive in customer hands until September, but it can give us an idea of what to expect based on its current offerings.

ABT will offer performance kits for the entire engine lineup in Europe with the modified 1.2 TSI petrol estimated to deliver around 140HP, up from 105HP, the 1.4 TSI petrol about 210HP, up from 160HP, while the flagship 2.0 TSI petrol is said to produce close to 240HP, up from the factory model’s 200HP.

As for the diesel engines, ABT said the tweaked 1.6 TDI will churn out 125HP instead of 105HP, and the 2.0 TDI 170HP instead of 140HP.

A lowered sport suspension and a variety of alloy wheel options including a set of 19-inch rims shown on the car in the pictures will also be available.

On the outside, ABT is preparing several packages such as an aero kit comprising of a front spoiler, a rear apron incorporating a diffuser, a large rear wing and side skirts along with unique tail pipes, special paint jobs, headlamps and tail light covers, and carbon fiber accessories.

More detailed information on ABT’s offerings for the new 2012 VW Beetle will be released at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

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VW Fields a Trio of 450-hp Golfs for the Nurburgring 24h

Volkswagen will participate with three 450-hp Golf24 cars in one of the most grueling endurance races in the world, the famed 24 hours of Nurburgring that will take place this weekend at the renowned German circuit.
The event, in which more than 200 contenders will participate, coincides with the 35fth anniversary of the Golf GTI (of which VW has created a special edition), and Volkswagen Motosport has developed a pure racing version.
The Golf24 is powered by a turbocharged 5-cylinder 2.5-litre engine sourced from the Audi TTRS and RS3 models and features four-wheel drive and a sequential 6-speed gearbox. However, the three uber-Golfs won’t be the only VW entries in the race, as the company will also field two Scirocco 24 CNGs.
Interestingly, one of the two 330-hp bio-gas powered Sciroccos will be driven by the winners of the Dakar race for the past three years, namely Nasser Al-Attiya, Carlos Sainz and Giniel de Villiers.

The Volkswagen driver line-up for the 2011 Nürburgring 24-hour race:
#35 – Golf24 – white / red
Peter Terting (D) / Nicki Thiim (DK) / Franck Mailleux (F) / René Rast (D)
#135 – Golf24 – white / blue
Thomas Mutsch (D) / Fredrik Ekblom (S) / Patrick Simon (D) / Edoardo Mortara (I)
#235 – Golf24 – white / yellow
Johnny Herbert (GB) / Patrick Bernhardt(D) / Mark Blundell (GB) / René Rast (D)
#116 – Scirocco GT24-CNG – blue / silver
Dr Ulrich Hackenberg (D) / Vanina Ickx (B) / Peter Wyss (CH) / Bernd Ostmann (D)
#117 – Scirocco GT24-CNG – blue / orange
Nasser Al-Attiyah (Q) / Carlos Sainz (E) / Giniel de Villiers (ZA) / Klaus Niedzwiedz (D)

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Volkswagen New Beetle With Black Turbo Launch Edition

The upcοming 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is being billed as a substantial departure frοm the cutesy car it replaces. And if yοu have been waiting fοr your chance tο put your name down fοr one οf the first examples tο hit the road, here it is. Called the Black Turbο Launch Edition, this limited-run Vοlkswagen will represent the first 600 examples οf the new Beetle tο hit American dealerships.

Packing a 200-hοrsepower 2.0-liter TSI inline-fοur with dual-clutch transmission, the launch edition is distinguished by such tοuches as 18-inch allοys packing upsized brakes with red calipers, a rear spoiler, fοglights, and includes an interior bundled with tri-cοlοr ambient lighting, Bluetooth and iPod cοnnection, eight-speaker sοund system, an extra glovebox, aluminum-allοy pedals and sport seats upholstered in clοth.

The special Beetle is the first mοdel tο use Volkswagen's new Vehicle Pre-Order (VPO) prοgram, available for pre-οrder online now fοr a $495 refundable reservation fee that will be applied tο the purchase price οf $24,950, plus a $770 destination charge.

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A Photo Tour of the VW Group’s 2011 Wörthersee Festival

For the past thirty year, tens of thousands of enthusiasts of Volkswagen Group cars assemble on the shores of Lake Worthersee in Austria to participate in the largest festival of its kind in the world. Over the years, Volkswagen and the other brands of the German group including Audi, Seat and Skoda, have used the show to unveil special concepts, new models and studies that hint at future production versions or accessories.
At this year’s event (June 1 to 4, 2011), the VW Group prepared several vehicles for the festival including the production VW Golf GTI 35 Edition with 235HP, the VW Golf Cabriolet GTI and R concepts, the wild 503HP Audi A1 Clubsport Quattrostudy, and the Skoda Fabia RS 2000 Convertible prototype. As you may have noticed, the company didn’t show much love for its Seat brand which was left to display its current lineup.
The official cars joined an army of privately owned tuned and classic VW Group vehicles. To put it simply, if you are a fan of the Volkswagen Group and especially of the Golf GTI, then Wörthersee was the place to be. You can get a taste of what went on in Austria in our extensive gallery after the jump.
For those of you that would also like to see the girls of the show, stay tuned, as we’ll bring you a dedicated gallery later on today.
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2011 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line

As part of our fresh look at VW’s line-up, we’ve picked up a 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI Sport&Style R-Line 4MOTION DSG. A facelift of this model has already been revealed, but it won’t differ much from this tester, aside from a new face. The ridiculously-long name also hints at several specifications, although all of it is not marked out with badges on the body.
The “Sport&Style” trim means this is the road-biased model, so it comes with a nicer front bumper, lower and aerodynamic.


The “2.0 TSI” and “DSG” bits mean it has the engine and gearbox from a Golf GTI. The “4MOTION” means it is all-wheel-drive. And the “R-Line” pack adds some exterior bits, 19-inch wheels and sports suspension.
The interior is suitably premium, given its price, with touchscreen navigation, panoramic glass roof, soft-touch upper trim and more R-Line bits such as aluminium pedals. Yet Bluetooth and USB are optional, and not fitted in our tester.


Space up front is excellent, and there are plenty of storage spaces. It is all very practical. The only ergonomic gripe is that the a/c vents, as many as eight individual ones, all point towards your face.
Rear space is also excellent, and the bench can move front and back. There are rear a/c vents and pop-out cup-holders near the middle. An odd addition are those fold-out airplane-style trays.
Cargo volume is pretty good, although not as much as larger competitors such as the Honda CR-V or the Chevy Captiva. The rear seats fold down to increase room.


The VW Tiguan, with the R-Line package, really is just a sporty hatchback on stilts, and drives like one too. More in the full review.
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