Aside from VW's own test drivers, certain members of the media and maybe some carefree folks from the Middle East, we seriously doubt that anyone else would have the opportunity (and deep enough pockets) to enjoy the new 2011 Touareg SUV in the desert. Nevertheless, if you follow the jump, you can get an idea of what you're missing out on.

We remind you that the world premiere of the second generation Touareg will take place at the Geneva Motor Show on March 2. Volkswagen's new SUV, that will be available from launch with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain, will go on [...]

The R8 started an exciting journey for the Audi brand when it launched into a segment its maker had not competed in before. Soon after rumours of a smaller R8, thought to be called the R4, surfaced. A concept e-tron car unveiled at the recent Detroit Auto Show confirmed that indeed an R4 is in the works.

Now Porsche is considering using the R4 platform as a basis for its newest and smallest model line. Speaking to Autocar, VW Group chairman Martin Winterkorn finally admitted to be looking at a car below the Boxster/ Cayman pair.

"The Porsche model range is firmly [...]

Here are three videos of the Volkswagen Scirocco R vs the Ford Focus RS. The first two come from the Germans at D-Motor and the second, after the jump, is Autocar’s verdict on how the Scirocco R compares to the Focus RS. The Scirocco has a 2.0-litre TSI engine with 265 hp and front wheel drive. The Ford Focus RS has, however, 300 hp, a few more than the Scirocco. The German video is in two parts, and while you might not speak German, you get the picture. The Germans are also crazier and more exciting. [...]

Volkswagen AG announced today that it has taken a 49.9 percent stake in Porsche AG.

“The next important step on the way towards the integrated automotive group with Porsche has therefore been completed, as announced, before the end of the year,” Volkswagen said in a statement. “The price for the stake is €3.9 billion ($5.8 billion USD) and is based on the enterprise value for Porsche AG calculated under a careful due diligence and valuation procedure.”

The acquisition of the trading business of Porsche Holding Salzburg is planned for 2011, said the German automaker.

“The creation of the integrated automotive group is then [...]

Volkswagen will produce more engines and transmissions in China as part of its global expansion strategy to meet rising demand for fuel efficient vehicles.

The company – China’s largest foreign car manufacturer – will manufacture its TSI engines and DSG gearboxes in an attempt to reduce the fuel consumption of its locally made cars by 20 per cent by 2010.

Volkswagen China President and CEO, Winfried Vahland, is confident that the combination of its turbocharged direct-injection petrol engines and double-clutch automatic gearboxes will deliver on those goals.

VW China will also build a $1 billion plant in Dalian in the country’s northeast to [...]

Volkswagen will replace the PQ2 / PQ3 / PQ4 driving platform used with over 60 models including Audi, Seat and Skoda, with a new one named MQB (modularen querbaukasten or modular transverse engine mount architecture).
"The secret to the MQB is the way it provides for a common distance between the front axle and the pedals irrespective of the size of the car it is applied to. VW’s head of R&D, Ulrich Hackenberg, claims this will help reduce the number of front-wheel drive 'engine mounting architectures' used by Volkswagen from 18 today to just two." (autocar.co.uk)

The new platfrom will be available [...]

Admittedly this is not the best-quality video we've seen and it certainly does not raise the goose bumps. But it does go a long way towards showing what the new Volkswagen Scirocco R looks like outside of the glamourous lights and sharp race tracks. The video clip basically shows a lime green exterior and a little bit of the interior before the car is driven up into a trailer. The driver has the courtesy of giving us some aural pleasure by revving it up.

VW will roll out the Scirocco R around the world in the coming months. It's powered by [...]

The director of the video, in doing a “making of” video of the L1 Concept, seems to have also inadvertently filmed work on the next generation Golf.

Let’s say it isn’t a commercial ploy on the part of Volkswagen and take a look at the background on the right where a new car is being worked on. It is characterised by narrower headlights elongating the look of the bonnet. Could this oversight have just given the world its first preview of the Golf 7….? The video is after the jump.
 
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The South American market is to receive a new version of the Volkswagen Saveiro. The Saveiro is a compact pickup designed and built in Brazil. It competes with vehicles such as the Chevrolet Montana and Fiat Strada. These are the first images of the small utility and they show how it is now closer to other new VWs in its design. This is especially so for the upper trim models.

One engine size will do duty and provide two different power outputs depending on its fuel source. The 1.6-litre VHT (Volkswagen High Torque) petrol has 74kW (101hp) while the ethanol version [...]

Jeremy Clarkson's humor tends to either amuse or horrify. Some contend the dead-pan Brit occasionally goes too far with his comedic stylings, but overall, we prefer Clarkson just the way he is and don't mind his occasional pot-shots. After all, Top Gear is an entertainment show, and while he might have stepped over the line when he called Prime Minister Gordon Brown a "one-eyed Scottish idiot," or said the people manning the Hyundai booth at the Birmingham Motor Show had all eaten dog and the designer had a spaniel for lunch, or the time he suggested that the Mini's indicators [...]

Racing and tuning house Abt Sportline finally reveals expected upgrades to the Volkswagen Golf VI GTI. Previously Abt had released aero kit and modest performance upgrades for the Golf VI at Essen last year.

The standard GTI is known for producing 155kW (211hp) out of its 2.0-litre four-pot turbo engine. Power has been upped to 191kW (260hp) which is the same as the Mazda3 Speed/MPS. The engine size remains the same but the ECU and exhaust system have been reworked. A new turbocharger has also been used. It does not stop there however. A second package takes the power up to [...]

I don’t recommend you watch this video if you get car sick, but otherwise, let the race begin! At the wheel of this Opel Astra is Fabrizio Giovanardi, Vauxhall driver in the BTCC championship. While he’s the only one likely to drive an Astra like this, he beats the Volkswagen Golf and the Ford Focus, saying “get a move on” as he overtakes one. Over to the video.
 
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It was only about 12 months ago that Porsche was being praised for its brilliance in business tactics to take over Europe’s largest manufacturer, Volkswagen. Now it seems the tables have turned. Volkswagen reported today that it has loaned 700 million euro ($1.3 million) to Porsche.

An interesting and somewhat bizarre move between the two Germany giants in the midst of their negotiations for a merger.  Additionally Porsche is 9 billion euro in debt as of the end of January and as a result had to abandon its initial move to take over [...]

Volkswagen has officially unveiled the highly anticipated 2010 Scirocco R.

Under the hood, the new Scirocco uses a modified version of the previous Golf GTI's 2.0-liter engine which produces 265 hp and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque. Power flows to the front wheels through either the standard six-speed manual transmission or the optional dual-clutch DSG gearbox. Thanks to this unique setup, the Scirocco R runs from 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds (6.4 seconds with DSG) before hitting an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155mph).

Of course true performance is more than just [...]

For those looking to combine the driving pleasures of the Golf GTI with the fuel savings of a diesel engine, VW has launched the new Golf GTD in Europe. The diesel alter-ego of the GTI is powered by a 2.0-liter TDi producing 170HP and 350Nm or 258lbs of torque, launching the hatch from standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in 8.1 sec and on to a top speed of 222km/h or 138mph. And what the GTD lacks in terms of performance compared to the GTI, it compensates with its lower fuel consumption (5.3lt /100km or 44.3mpg US). Hit the jump to watch [...]