Volkswagen certainly seems to think that the demand for station wagons is anything but dead and now they’re about to launch a wagon that may well appeal to some people who previously went down the SUV path. After all, SUVs are not all they’re cracked up to be and some station wagons have more carrying capacity that a similar sized SUV.

While some car makers lost faith in station wagons Volkswagen has always had a wagon available in the VW Passat range and next month VW will take the Passat wagon to another level with the launch of the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack.

Volkswagen believes that there are many drivers who want a vehicle that is both a light off-road vehicle and a sporty and roomy passenger vehicle for on-road use. So they have taken the basic VW Passat wagon and added new bumpers, side sill and wheel arch flares. They have also given it a higher ground clearance with better off-road ramp angle, approach angle and departure angle.

The new Passat Alltrack will come with two turbo charged and direct injection petrol engines producing 118kW and 155kW of power as well as two turbo diesels producing 103kW and 125kW of power. The most powerful petrol and diesel varants will have all-wheel drive and dual clutch transmission fitted as standard while the smaller diesel variant will have the all-wheel drive and dual clutch transmission as options.

Volkswagen has not yet released the fuel consumption figures for the Passat Alltrack petrol variants but the diesels return a very competitive 5.7L/100km for the smaller 103kW powered version with all-wheel drive and 5.8L/100km for the larger 125kW powered version.

The new VW Passat Alltrack will make its debut at the Tokyo Motor show next month and it will begin to appear in European showrooms in early 2012 and prices are yet to be announced.

Not only do you need a van that will carry the load you need to shift every day but you also need one that isn’t going to cost you more than you can afford … is cheap to run and cheap to maintain.

So today we’re going to compare the three cheapest small vans that are currently available here in Australia … the Holden Combo, the Volkswagen Caddy and the Renault Kangoo.

Holden Combo
The Holden Combo is 4,322mm long and 1,892mm wide. It has a cargo area of 2,390 litres with a maximum floor to ceiling height of 913mm and a tray length of 1.78m. The cargo area also includes a rubber cargo mat. The Combo and will carry a maximum payload of 735kg.

Access to the cargo area is via a sliding kerb side door that opens to 62cm and twin vertical rear doors that will open out to 180 degrees. There are six anchorage points in the cargo area

The Combo is powered by a 1.4-litre petrol engine that will run on E10, 91octane ULP or 95 octane PULP. The engine delivers 66kW of power at 5,600rpm and 125Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. The engine is coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox and that combination has a fuel consumption of 6.34L/100km on a combined cycle.

A complimentary inspection is due at 3,000km or three months and the first service is due at 15,000km or 12 months.

Standard features in the cabin include driver and passenger front and side airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners with force limiters, air conditioning, single disc audio system and clothe trim on the seats.

The Holden Combo also comes with an anti-lock braking system and electronic brakeforce distribution. It has a towing capacity of 1,000kg braked and 500kg unbraked.

Holden doesn’t display the recommended retail price on their website but from a quick look at dealer prices it seems that you can expect to pay somewhere between $21,000 and $22,000 for a Holden Combo.

The warranty period is three years or 100,000km … whichever comes first.

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Volkswagen Caddy Van
The Volkswagen Caddy is 4,406mm long and 1,794mm wide. It has a cargo area of 3.2 cubic metres with a maximum floor to ceiling height of 1,244mm and a tray length of 1.78m. A rubber mat for the cargo area is an optional extra. The maximum payload is 780kg for the manual.

Access to the cargo area is via a sliding kerb side door that opens to around 70cm and your choice of a rear tailgate or vertical doors. There are six anchorage points in the cargo area.

You get the choice of a petrol or diesel four-cylinder engine in the Volkswagen Caddy. The petrol version has a direct injection 1.2-litre engine that produces 63kW of power at 4,800rpm and 160Nm of torque at 1,500 rpm. That engine is coupled to a five-speed box and you can expect to get around 6.9L/100km on a combined cycle.

The diesel version has a common rail direct injection 1.6-litre engine that produces 75kW of power at 4,400rpm and 250Nm of torque at 1,500rpm. That’s coupled to a fie-speed box and you can expect to see fuel consumption figures of around 5.7L/100km on a combined cycle.

Volkswagen don’t say a lot about service intervals so you’ll need to check with a dealer for that information.

Standard features in the cab include air conditioning, driver and passenger airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners, height adjustable front seats with under-seat storage, over-head storage and clothe trim on the seats.

The Volkswagen Caddy also comes with Electronic Stability Program, ABS, MSR, EDI and Hill Holder.

The warranty period is three years and unlimited kilometers (12 years for corrosion) plus you get road side assistance for the warranty period

The recommended retail price for the Volkswagen Caddy is $21,990 for the petrol version and $26,650 for the diesel and of course you have to add dealer and government charges to those figures to get the on-road cost.

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Renault Kangoo
The Renault Kangoo is 4,213mm long and 1,829 wide. It has a cargo area of 3.0 cubic metres with a maximum floor to ceiling height of 1,251mm and a tray length of 1,476mm with a sill height ranging from 588mm to 609mm.

Access to the cargo area is via kerb side sliding door and rear doors that open out to 180 degrees and the cargo area comes with a liner as standard along with floor and side anchorage points. The maximum payload for the petrol model is 650kg and 800kg for the diesel model.

You get a choice of petrol or diesel engines in the Renault Kangoo. The 1.6-litre petrol engine produces 78kW of power at 5,750rpm and 148Nm of torque at 3,750rpm. A four-speed automatic transmission is standard with the petrol engine and with that combination you can expect to get around 8.3L/100km on a combined cycle.

The 1.5-litre diesel engine produces 63kW of power at 3,750rpm and 200Nm of torque at 1,900rpm. A five speed manual transmission is standard with the diesel engine and with that combination you can expect to get around 5.2L/100lm on a combined cycle.

Renault claim that the diesel Kangoo provides the best fuel consumption and emission figures in the class.

Renault don’t say a lot about service intervals so you’ll need to check with a dealer for that information.

Standard features in the cab include height adjustable steering wheel, air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, a single CD audio system, overhead parcel shelf and electric folding door mirrors.

Safety features include ABS with EBD, front driver airbag, side impact bars in the doors and load-limiters and pre-tensioners for the seat belts.

The warranty period is 3 years or 150,000km and you get 24 hour road side assistance as well.

Unusually the recommended retail price for both the petrol and diesel version of the Renault Kangoo is the same at $24,490. Government and dealer deliver charges have to be added to that.

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So which would you buy? The diesel Kangoo certainly looks good value for money if your looking at running costs and it’s certainly carries the biggest payload but in many cases it’s going to come down to something far more personal than price or payload.

If you’re going to spend a lot of time in the driver’s seat the choice of small van for your small business is going to come down to which seat you feel the most comfortable in and which offers your aching back the most support.

Volkswagen says that the new Eos has been “visually updated front and rear” but whether that’s an improvement or not is going to be something that’s up to the individual. A lot of the sharp lines that were apparent in the previous model have been smoothed and for me those changes have removed some of the character that the previous Eos had.

Those sharp lines seemed to give the Eos purpose that’s missing in a car that’s beginning to look rather soft.

Changes to the new Volkswagen Eos are more than just skin deep and the new model comes with Direct Shift Gearbox, Bluetooth connectivity and an alarm system as standard plus Park Assist 2 as an option.

The body
The body on the new Eos is clearly shown on the accompanying photos. If you choose the diesel engined version then you do miss out on the chromed exhaust pipes and chrome lower boot trim is only available in both versions as an after-market option from your dealer.

The Eos rides on 17-inch alloys fitted with anti-theft wheel bolts and there are a variety of after-market options available from Volkswagen dealers

The roof … the very thing that makes this car what it is … uses a five-piece electro-hydraulic sliding system unique to Volkswagen. It’s not advisable to try and open the roof in restricted spaces and the driver is warned if he or she tries to open it in a spot where there is insufficient space.

The engine
The new Volkswagen Eos comes with a choice of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel or petrol engine connected to a six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox … it’s automatic with sport mode and Tiptronic function.

The diesel engine produces 103kW of power at 4,200rpm and 320Nm of torque between 1,750 and 2,500rpm and takes 10.3 seconds to push the car up to 100km/h from a standing start. That’s not exactly what you would call sparkling … and the fuel consumption isn’t as good as you might expect for a small car either.

The diesel will use 7.4L/100km around town and 5.0L/100km on the highway.

The petrol engine produces 155kW of power at 5,300rpm and 280Nm of torque between 1,700 and 5,200rpm and it will take you to 100km/h from a standing start in 7.8 seconds.

The petrol engine uses 10.4L/100km around town and 6.1L/100km on the highway.

Safety and security
The new Volkswagen Eos comes with the usual front airbags for driver and passenger as well as side/head airbags for the front seat occupants. Front seat belts have pre-tensioners and belt force limiters.

There’s also the usual suite of safety systems including ABS, Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution, Brake Assist, Hill Start Assist, Electronic Stabilisation Programme, Anti-Slip Regulations and Electronic Differential Lock.

The wipers are rain-sensing and automatically adjust to the speed that the car is traveling at while the interior rear-view mirror and driver’s door rear view mirror automatically dim when there’s another vehicle traveling behind you.

From a security point of view there’s remote central locking, a deadlock mechanism on the driver’s door and automatic locking after takeoff.

Comfort
Some of the features included in the Eos may sound a little strange in a car that’s designed to be driven with the top down but there are going to be times when you must have the top up so things like dual zone air conditioning with climate control and pollen filters along with an electric sunroof with slide and tilt adjustment are important.

The front seats are heated and include electrically operated lumbar support and feature a rear seat easy entry function. They’re upholstered in leather and height adjustable.

The standard sound system includes an AM/FM security coded radio with touch-screen display, MP3 compatible SD card slot and in-dash six-disc stacker. The sound system will also hook up to your iPod and there’s a USB connection too.

And for those hot days when you need to keep something cool there’s a chillable glove box too.

For the driver
The first thing any driver sees is the steering wheel and in the new Eos it’s leather-rimmed and includes audio, phone and multi-function controls. It’s also adjustable for height and reach.

The dashboard includes the usual displays as well as a service interval indicator, coolant gauge, low tyre pressure indicator, brake pad wear indicator and, just in case you’re so engrossed in driving that you haven’t noticed whether the roof is up or down, there’s a roof status indicator.

The new Volkswagen Eos also comes equipped with parking distance sensors, Optical Parking System that displays in the radio’s touch-screen and a rear obstacle sensor so that you don’t open the roof in a confined space.

Park Assist 2 and sat/nav are options in both versions of the Eos.

The bottom line
Most manufacturers charge extra for the diesel version of a car but not Volkswagen. The diesel version of the Volkswagen Eos has a recommended retail price of $49,990 while the petrol version is $51,990. Dealer and government charges are extra.

You can add another $900 for Park Assist 2, $2,500 for the satnav system and $2,100 for Bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime lights.

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The Amarok represents VWs challenge to Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi in the recreational 4WD ute segment and it will be certainly interesting to see if VW can gain even a toehold in this very competitive market.

Finding a significant point of difference … something that might give the Amarok an advantage over its competitors is the key to success for VW and it seems that they may have found that point of difference. VW is claiming that the Amarok is the most fuel-efficient 4WD ute in its class but whether that’s enough difference to attract buyers from the established brands is something that only time will tell.

The range
The VW Amarok (Inuit for ‘wolf’) is built in Argentina and comes in five variants – a 2WD and four 4WD versions. All are dual-cab and powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox … VW says that a single-cab version will be available later.

VW Amarok Highline

The base-model is the 2WD … it has no fancy name … it’s just known as the Amarok and VW sees commercial buyers and tradies who are looking for a rugged workhorse as the market for this version.

The outside of this version has been designed to cope with the rough use that such a vehicle might encounter although it does come with heated rear-view mirrors and remote locking.

The interior is also designed to cope with some rough use and you won’t find carpets in this version. What you will get are plastic floor coverings that are tough and easy to clean. But there is a limit to the just how basic you can make the interior of a vehicle before it becomes too basic so the base-model Amarok also delivers some creature comforts with height-adjustable front seats, an ergonomically designed workspace and a variable-fold rear bench seat.

Trendline
After the base-model 2WD Amarok we move into the 4WD versions and the first is the Amarok Trendline. According to VW the market for the Trendline will be tradies who want a rugged workhorse during the week and something that will take them off-road or up the beach on the weekend.

So on the Trendline you get “sculpted” 16 inch alloy wheels, a front spoiler, colour-matched exterior mirrors and door handles and front fog lights. On the inside of the Trendline you get what VW describes as “high performance Climatic airconditioning” with electronic temperature control, an RCD 310 CD-radio system and a multi-function display on the instrument panel.

VW Amarok Trendline

Highline
If you want the carrying capacity of a ute but with all the creature comforts of a sedan then the VW Amarok Highline is the Amarok version hat VW have built just for you.

On the outside the Highline features distinctive wheel arch flares and co-ordinated 18 inch aluminium wheels. You also get chrome accents on the front bumper as well as a chrome-plated rear bumper and rear-view mirrors and tinted privacy glass in the rear doors.

On the inside the Highline delivers all the appointments found in the Trendline plus chrome trim, leather appointments, automatic climate control and a much better sound system.

VW amarok Ultimate

Ultimate
At the top of the 4WD list is the Amarok Ultimate and it comes with what VW describe as “significant visual and comfort features above and beyond the Highline equipment line”.
Those features include leather seats as standard, 19 inch Alstaro alloy wheels, prominent side steps and stainless steel sports bars as well as badging that clearly tells others that you’re driving the top-of-the-range.

The Amarok Ultimate is available with either selectable four-wheel drive or permanent all-wheel drive.

The engine
With the Amarok VW introduces a new TDI400 common rail diesel engine and this is the engine that will be standard across the Amarok range. It comes coupled to a six-speed gearbox.

This engine is a 120kW four cylinder diesel that comes with dual-stage control bi-turbo charging. It’s an engine with plenty of grunt and it develops 400 Newton-metres of torque at 1,500 pm.

When used in the 2WD version this motor will deliver a combined cycle of 7.7L/100km and 7.9L/100km for the 4WD versions.

The drive train
There are three drive trains offered with the Amarok and all three driveline versions also have an Electronic Rear Differential Lock (EDL) which operates by automatic braking interventions that prevent wheel spinning on one side of the vehicle. Thanks to EDL, drive forces are always applied to the wheel with the best traction.

Standard on all 4WD models, Volkswagen also offers a rear differential lock for challenging off-road duty.

VW have called their 4WD drive trains 4Motion and the basic version of 4Motion delivers permanent all-wheel drive. 4Motion is combined with a central Torsen differential that ensures optimal engine power distribution between front and rear axles under all duty conditions.

Normally, the distribution ratio is 40:60; however, under rugged conditions, power distribution can be varied according to the properties of the road surface. VW also offers what they call “a selectable four-wheel drive”. Additional off-road gear reduction of the ute’s 4-wheel drive low setting and the standard 6-speed gearbox also enables extreme crawler drives.

This is beneficial when taking on complicated passages and climbing extreme inclines with up to 100 percent grades (45 degree incline angle), which the Amarok can even
master with a full payload.

Off road
The VW Amarok has an approach angle of 28 degrees (front), exit angle of 23.6 degrees and a ramp breakover angle of 23 degrees. The Amarok can also handle water half a metre deep.

Safety
VW claims that the Amarok is the first dual-cab ute to receive a 5 star ANCAP rating although this rating only appears to apply to the 4WD models. Some of the standard safety features include drivers and front passenger airbag along with front, side and thorax airbags, electraonic Stability Programme with Brake Assist and off road ABS/ASR and EDL

Prices
The VW Amarok is not cheap and right now you can pick up some great deals on new 4WDs from VWs competitors for drive-away prices that are not much more than the cost of a 2WD Amarok before on-road costs are added.

For the base model 2WD Amarok you can expect to pay $33,990 plus on-road costs while the first of the 4WD versions start at $43,990 plus on-road costs. The Amarok Highline will set you back $52,990 plus on-road costs while the top-of-the range Ultimate costs $58,490 plus on-roads.

Not only does the new Polo GTI have power but it also has fuel economy and a reduction in greenhouse gases compared to the previous model to make it even more appealing. VW says that the latest Polo GTI will deliver a combined cycle of 6.1L/100km and pump out the equivalent of 142g/km of CO2 and it will do all that while blasting from 0 to 100km/h in just 6.9 seconds.

VW has achieved figures like that by building a car that weighs just 1,189kg, adding turbocharging and supercharging to the direct-injection 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine and coupling that to a 7-speed direct-shift, dual clutch gearbox.

As you would expect power to the road goes through the front wheels and with all that power you would also expect to encounter a considerable amount of understeer but VW have fitted an extended electronic diff lock to the Polo GTI that reduces the car’s tendency to understeer through high-speed curves.

The new Polo GTI is available in three and five door versions and both versions ride on 17 inch alloys.

Comfort and Safety
In addition to the extended electronic diff lock the new Polo GTI also comes equipped with the usual electronic stabilization programme that incorporates Hill Start Assist. Six airbags are included in the GTI as well as belt tensioners, belt force limiters and front headrests designed to reduce whiplash trauma.

The list of standard equipment on the Polo GTI is quite impressive and they include electric windows, heated electric side mirrors, air conditioning, remote central locking and front fog lights.

Bi-xenon headlights with static cornering lights and LED daytime running lights are an option as is an anti-theft alarm system and leather upholstery.

If the tartan seats are a little too much then you might prefer the more sedat leather upholstery

Turbo/Supercharger operation
The supercharger is mechanically belt-driven and boosts torque at low engine speeds. As the engine speed increases the turbocharger cuts in and runs in series with the supercharger until 3,500rpm is reached and at that point the supercharger cuts out and all boost is supplied by the turbocharger.

The dual clutch gearbox
Driver control for the gearbox is via the normal floor-mounted gear selector and two paddles mounted on the steering wheel and the box can operate in direct-shift or fully automatic mode.

Clutch one handles the odd numbered gears while clutch two handles the even numbered gears and reverse gear. VW says that this gives the Polo GTI a smoother gear change for there are no gaps in propulsion as there usually is in a normal automatic gearbox/clutch set up as box moves from one gear to the next.

Included in the gearbox are two drive shafts and three final drive shafts and when these are combined with the Polo’s electro-hydraulic transmission control the vehicle can be operating in one gear while the next higher gear has been selected by the system and is active but not engaged.

With this system the ideal shifting point is identified and when reached the clutch for the lower gear closes as the clutch for the higher gear opens. It all happens in a few hundredths of a second and there is no noticeable drop in engine revs.

Prices
As you would expect for a hot and high-tech vehicle like the new Polo GTI we’re not going to be talking about prices under $20,000 although the prices aren’t going to be as high as you might expect.

The manufacturer’s list price for the three-door Polo GTI starts at $27,790 and the list price for the five-door GTI starts at $28,990. For drive-away prices you should talk to your local dealer.

The new VW Polo GTI is certainly a neat looking car for anyone who wants performance and economy and wants something a little different from the usual cars in this class.

A five-door, five-seat concept is already on the road in Germany and undergoing extensive testing. The test car is fitted with an electric motor that delivers maximum power of 85kW and a continuous power output of 50kW with maximum torque of 270Nm for a top speed of 135km/h

The VW Golf blue-e-motion is fitted with a lithium-ion battery that currently gives the Golf a range of around 150km but VW expects this range will be significantly increased by the time the blue-e-motion version of the Golf goes into production.

While most of us think of an electric car’s lithium-ion battery as being one complete unit that’s not the case in VW’s Golf electric. In the concept car the battery consists of 30 modules containing a total of 180 lithium-ion cells and the modules are distributed throughout the vehicle in places where the vehicle’s design leaves empty spaces. These places include under the rear bench seat, in the centre tunnel or under the floor of the boot … but not in the space set aside for luggage.

The dashboard
Displays on the dashboard allow the driver to see how much energy is being demanded by the “electric pedal” at any given moment on the kW gauge (replaces the classic tachometre); drivers strive to keep the kW reading as low as possible practically intuitively. A range indicator is also integrated in this round instrument. The speedometer, located on the right side as usual, integrates another small gauge that provides information on the battery charge state.

Battery regeneration
A new feature is the display of regeneration intensity in the multifunction display between the kW instrument and the speedometer. In battery regeneration, the driver has the option of pre-setting the braking energy recovery strategy over four stages (D to D3) via the automatic gearshift lever or gearshift paddles on the steering wheel.

In the lowest stage (D), the car “sails” as soon as the driver’s foot leaves the “electric pedal” – now the Golf blue-e-motion moves with very low drag; it is only “slowed” by the rolling resistance of the tyres and air resistance. In the D3 stage, or B for braking, on the other hand, the maximum amount of kinetic energy is recovered and fed to the battery. In addition, the electrical energy consumption of the automatic climate control unit and its blower can be called up in the multifunction display.

Three driving profiles control comfort, dynamics and range
In addition, an active driving profile can be set; this lets the driver select priorities in advance: between maximum range, maximum comfort and maximum dynamics. The selected profile then pre-configures the power of the electric motor, air conditioning control, maximum speed and battery regeneration strategy.

The Golf blue-e-motion offers the three profiles Normal, Comfort+ and Range+. In the Comfort+ profile, the full 85 kW of power is available; in this mode the Golf blue-e-motion can attain the specified top speed of 135 km/h.

When the driver activates the Normal mode, power is reduced to 65 kW and top speed is lowered to 115 km/h. In the Range+ mode the engine controller limits power to 50 kW and the vehicle is limited to a maximum speed of 105 km/h. At the same time, the air conditioning system is completely deactivated. The selected profile is shown in the multifunction display.

Charging
The Golf blue-e-motion is charged via a plug connector behind the folding VW logo on the radiator grille. A pictogram of a plug connector in the multifunction display indicates that the charging cable is correctly inserted and locked. During active charging an LED also flashes in the charge state indicator, and the charge level shown in the indicator is continually updated.

VW makes no mention of what the charging time will be for the Golf blue-e-motion

Volkswagen Group Australia is now offering a limited special edition of the New Beetle Range – the New Beetle BlackOrange.

The BlackOrange editon is available on each of the existing model and engine variants – New Beetle in petrol and diesel as well as the New Beetle Cabriolet.

The New Beetle BlackOrange picks up features such as 17” alloy wheels with sports suspension, leatherette seat upholstery, cruise control and front fog lights. The rear side and rear windows come standard with 65% light absorbing tinted glass. Additional styling features include the aluminium finish clutch, brake and accelerator pedals as well as the leather steering wheel and gearshift knob.

The Cabriolet version benefits from a removable and foldable windbreak behind the front seats, 17” alloy wheels, leatherette seat upholstery and the same aluminium highlights as the New Beetle BlackOrange.

The New Beetle BlackOrange is available in two colour combinations. One offers a Black gloss exterior with silver exterior mirrors, silver alloy wheels and lower body side decals in silver. The alternative combination is a Red Rock Metallic exterior with black roof and exterior mirrors as well as black alloy wheels and lower body side decals in Black.

The New Beetle BackOrange is available from $27,500*, just $800 above the equivalent New Beetle model. The New Beetle Cabriolet BlackOrange price is unchanged from the regular cabriolet at $37,700*. The auto transmission is a $2,500 option.

*Prices are manufacturer list prices only, for the drive away price please contact your local authorised Volkswagen dealer.

Prof. Dr. Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG explains: “Volkswagen will be taking E-mobility to mass production. In 2011, we are expanding our test fleet by adding 500 Golfs with electric drive. A hybrid version of the Jetta for the US market follows in 2012. Starting in 2013, the E-UP goes into production. The goal is to become the market leader in E-mobility by the year 2018. We want to attain an electric vehicle market share of three percent within our entire range of products.” He goes on to say: “We will take the hybrid out of its niche status with our high-volume models. In the future, the heart of the brand will also beat with electricity.”

Today, the electric car is already technically capable of short ranges of up to 150 kilometres. And so, the Group’s various brands will be conducting field studies in key strategic markets of Europe, North America and China in upcoming months. An important intermediate step here is Group-wide implementation of hybrid technology in production vehicles. In Geneva, Volkswagen is therefore showcasing its technological competence in hybrid development and is already introducing the new Touareg Hybrid.

“This technological competence will be advanced in Volkswagen’s modular strategy of flexibly integrating hybrid and E-drives over a wide variety of vehicle platforms in all of the Group brands”, says Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, Group Chief Officer for Electric Traction.

“We will continue to systematically exploit the potential of internal combustion engines with the goal of significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions. So over the mid-term, vehicles with electric drives and those with internal combustion engines will co-exist.”

The release of a new VW Golf wagon shows that Volkswagen want to be part of the market for smaller wagons and with prices starting at $26,990 (plus on-roads) there’s sure to be some interest in this vehicle.

The new Volkswagen Golf wagon comes in two basic equipment levels … the Trendline and the Comfortline … with a choice of two turbo-charged petrol and two diesel engines coupled to either a manual or automatic transmission.

Diesel or petrol?
The petrol engines produce 90kW or 118kW and are designed to be run on premium unleaded petrol. Volkswagen says that the 90kW engine will return combined fuel consumption figure of just 6.2L/100km while the 118kW engine will return 6.3L/100km when coupled to the automatic gearbox.

The diesel engines are 1.6-litre and 2.0litre and they produce slightly less power than the petrol engines. The output for the 1.6-litre diesel is 77kW while the 2.0-litre diesel produces 103kW of power.

The smaller diesel coupled to the automatic transmission will give you 4.7L/100km while the 2.0-litre diesel 5.7L/100km.

Luggage space
The amount of available space for luggage is important for most station wagon buyers and the new VW Golf wagon certainly has plenty of space once the rear seats are folded down. With the seats up there’s 505 litres of useable space and that almost triples to 1495 litres with the rear seats folded forward.

All models come with a cargo partition net that can be attached just behind the rear seats to give you even more space in the luggage area. When the rear seats are folded forward the cargo partition net can be moved to a position just behind the front seats.

Four tie-down eyes are also provided on the side panels in the cargo area.

Safety features
The VW Golf wagon is fitted with front, side and head airbags. The side airbags are integrated into the backrests of the front seats and protect the front seat occupants’ chest, abdomen and pelvis.

The head airbags are located in the usual position and cover an area from the A pillar right back to the C pillar. All the airbags are designed to remain fully inflated for enough time to provide protection in case of a rollover.

A reversing camera is not fitted as standard to either the Trendline or the Comfortline but it is available as an option. Park Assist is also available as an option.

Comfort
Air conditioning is standard on all vehicles as you would expect. Leather upholstery is standard for the Comfortline while the base model Trendline vehicles have black cloth seat covers.

Electric windows, remote central locking and electrically heated door mirrors are standard across the range. Cargo area lighting and numerous storage compartments are also standard on all vehicles.

If you’re prone to getting lost then you’ll love the $3000 dollar satellite navigation system and there’s an electric sunroof available too.

As far as small station wagons go Volkswagen seems to have all the bases covered with their new VW Golf wagon.

The multi-award winning Golf has outclassed a field of 22 cars to collect what is widely considered to be Australia’s most coveted award. To have been selected for this award, the Golf had to impress eight judges over an extensive week of testing.

Wheels magazine editor, Ged Bulmer, said: “The turbo-charged, five-door hatch Volkswagen range is outstanding.

“The Golf oozes sophistication, refinement and development – in an energetic package that comes with fundamentally good steering and balance,” he said.

Veteran judge and former editor, Peter Robinson said, “The level of overall refinement is worthy of two classes higher … balance and weighting of all controls [are] BMW-like in their consistency and tactility. Ride and handling, best in class.”

Volkswagen last won the Wheels Car of the Year in 1976, also for the Golf. While two years earlier Volkswagen collected the award with the Passat.

Volkswagen Group Australia managing director, Anke Koeckler, said:” I am very pleased to have received such a prestigious award for the Golf.

“The Golf’s selection as Wheels Car of the Yearis the crowning achievement of an extraordinary year for the new Golf after already being named ‘Best Mid size car over $30,000’by Australia’s Best Car Award and winning the 2009 Carsguide Car of the Year and 2009 DRIVE Car of the Year awards.

“Winning the Wheels Car of the Year is proof the new Golf is at the pinnacle of automotive design and engineering yet is still attainable, a winning combination obviously,” said Ms Koeckler.

Volkswagen launched the Golf in 1974, it was built in Australia until 1977 before being replaced with a fully imported model from Germany. Now in its sixth generation, the Golf continues to hold universal appeal thanks to its original, unique and timeless design which creates a vehicle that is class-free.

The Golf, a perennial favourite in the Volkswagen line-up, has sold more than 26 million units in 120 countries, making it one of the top selling vehicles of all-time.

VW sees the race win as a clear indication that the efficiency and reliablility of the Toureg’s diesel engine is second to none.

While the photos show a car that certainly is eye-catching it’s what’s under the bonnet that should really grab our attention. Imagine a car that do 0-100km/h in 8.6 seconds and has a top speed of 227km/h … yeah I know that’s interesting but not spectacular … but then I’ve got to tell you that this is a hybrid.

Yes, that’s right … the VW Compact Coupe is a hybrid and it will give you a fuel consumption of just 4.2L/100km … and suddenly this car is starting to get more than just interesting.

The Powertrain
The VW Compact Coupe is powered by a high-tech 110 kW TSI petrol engine and a 20kW electric motor and they all pass their power to the wheels via a seven-speed Direct Shift Gearbox – an automatic box that takes the hard work out of changing all those gears.

Like just about every hybrid on the market today the VW Compact Couple is designed to recharge the battery when coasting and the vehicle is also fitted with Volkswagen’s Stop-Start technology that switches the motor off when the car is stopped in traffic.

Frequently coasting
While the thought of running around in angel gear tends not to appeal to me it may well be the future for fuel efficient hybrids like the VW Compact Coupe.

As soon as the driver releases the gas pedal, the TSI is disengaged from the transmission. This so-called “coast-down” is even possible at higher speeds, as in freeway driving. Since drag losses are eliminated here too, the Compact Coupe coasts for a very long time.

VW believes that coasting will promote an anticipatory style of driving and that will lead to reduced fuel consumption. Of course getting modern day drivers to look further down the road than the end of their car’s bonnet and to drive according to what they see may not be easy.

The dashboard
VW believes that the he instruments are laid out ideally. The new multifunction sport steering wheel is the key interface between human and machine.

The hand rests naturally on the gearshift lever of the 7-speed DSG‚ and in front of it the control panel sports newly designed controls for the automatic climate control system (Climatronic), the 8-inch touchscreen for the radio-navigation system – also a new design – and at the top of the panel the hazard flasher switch and centre air vents.

The centre console’s control panel is angled slightly toward the driver to perfectly align the cockpit to the driver’s needs. Also optimally laid out for viewing are the round instruments with their chrome bezels; the multifunction display (trip computer and additional navigation display) is placed between them.

Upgraded with metal surrounds are all air vents, multifunction keys on the steering wheel, radio-navigation system, climate control, DSG gearshift unit, white accents of the door trim and instruments and switch panels (window lift and mirror adjustment) in the doors.

While the car is labeled a concept I think that you will see this vehicle in production within the next few years. Volkswagen obviously doesn’t want to be left behind in the race to produce the best hybrids and if all this technology works the way VW says it does then the Compact Coupe should be popular with buyers.

This unique and special model has been created by Volkswagen Individual and will only be produced in a very limited number for the Australian market, thus highlighting the exclusivity in owning this beautifully appointed car.

The White Night provides an interesting set of exceptional contrasts, including exterior paintwork in “Candy White”, a roof painted in “Deep Black” and cherry-red LED tail lights. A number of details in black such as the mirror covers, radiator grille and trim strips further enhance the appeal of this special model.

The 18-inch “Budapest” wheels painted in an unique silver and black treatment, rest on lowered sports suspension, completing the elegant appearance of the Eos White Night.

The light and dark accents continue in the interior: the black nappa leather seats, door and side trim and black steering wheel feature light-coloured seams. Trim strips and radio trim in “Candy White” and sill panel strips lettered with “White Night” further enhances the contrast of the Eos White Night.

Customers will enjoy the choice of either TSI or TDI engine technology, whilst the White Night is exclusively available with the 6 speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG).

With retail prices of $53,990* for the 103TDI model and $55,990* for the 147TSI, the Eos White Night not only represents style and exclusivity, but also tremendous value with a price premium of just $3,500 above the relevant series model.

* Prices are manufacturer list prices only, for the drive away price please contact your local authorised Volkswagen dealer.

By the way, Amarok is Inuit for Wolf … just in case you’re wondering what all those wolf howls are about.

Despite the fact that there is a left-hand drive version of the Amarok being built for various markets around the world building one for the US market is simply out of the question because VW know that they’re not going to sell enough Amaroks to break even. VW have done the numbers and they know that they would have to sell at least 100,000 Amaroks a year in the United States and the market for these small trucks isn’t big enough to generate that sort of demand.

And not only is the market not big enough now but it’s actually contracting as buyers move up to the next level. (I guess ute buyers in the US aren’t all that interested in being green).

Right now Toyota are the only manufacturer in the small truck market in the US who are selling over 100,000 vehicles a year and Ford, in second place, has only sold 51,097 up to the end of November.

It’s interesting to compare those numbers with the number of Hilux sales Toyota makes in Australia. The HiLux went on sale in Australia over 30 years ago and since then Toyota has only sold 600,000 of them – 40,000 in the last two years.

Sometimes the numbers that car makers have to think about must get a bit scary.

While Volkswagen has been building commercial vehicles for many years this is VW’s first foray into the very competitive mid-range ute market where worldwide sales run to about two million every year.

The first Amarok to reach Australia will be a dual cab version and a single cab version will follow in 2011. The VW Amarok certainly looks as though it’s going to be a very sturdy competitor in the mid-range ute market … it’s built on a ladder frame like all the tough utes are.

For the powertrain, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has chosen two reliable, fuel-efficient and clean high-tech turbo-diesels coupled to a 6-speed manual box.

The 120 kW / 163 PS strong 2.0 TDI with common rail injection has two-stage bi-turbo turbocharging, which generates a torque of 400 Nm at a low 1,500 rpm. Another four-cylinder TDI with 90 kW / 122 PS will follow as a second engine variant in mid-2010. It has a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry and develops a maximum torque of 340 Nm from 2,000 rpm.

Both engines are paired with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Volkswagen claims that both diesels will give outstanding fuel economy and gives the figures of 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres (equivalent to 199 g/km CO2) the smaller of the two engines and 7.8 litres (206 g/km CO2) for the larger engine.

Volkswagen also says that this is the first time an all-wheel drive vehicle has been offered in this class whose CO2 emissions are less
than 200 grams.

The Amarok will come fitted with an 80-litre tank that will give it a range of over 1,000km. To assist the driver achieve the best fuel economy possible all Amarok utes are equipped with an upshift indicator.

Three drive options
The Amarok will be offered as a rear-wheel drive vehicle, a full-time all-wheel drive vehicle or the more usual variable two or four-wheel drive that we’re all used to.

The full-time all-wheel drive version is a rarity in its class. The Torsen differential distributes drive forces at a 40:60 ratio to the front and rear axles, and this gives both excellent vehicle dynamics and high traction.

In addition, selective braking interventions in tough terrain ensure that the wheel with the best traction always gets the most engine power. This drive concept is paired with a chassis that was specially tuned for comfort.

An optional rear differential lock is available for all drive types.

Work or play
Three equipment levels are available on the Amarok. The base version relies on purely mechanical and extremely robust components with manual operation of the windows, door locks and mirror adjustment.

The front bumper, door handles and mirrors are not painted, making them ideal for heavy duty use. The base version rides on standard 16-inch steel rims.

Other standard features include height-adjustable front seats, variable folding rear bench seat, locking glove compartment and cargo platform lighting. Antennas are integrated in the outside mirrors.

Amarok Trendline is the model that will probably have the most appeal. On this version, the front bumper, door handles and mirror housings are painted in the same colour as the body.

Window, door locking and mirror adjustment are all electrically operated. In addition, a radio with CD player, climate control (Climatic), multi-functional display, cruise control system and front fog lights are all standard equipment. This version rides on16-inch aluminium rims.

The top of the range Amarok Highline is equipped for enhanced comfort. Building on the Trendline equipment line, the Highline is upgraded by features such as part-chrome mirror housings, various chrome accents outside and inside the vehicle and mudguard skirt extensions in body colour that create space for 17-inch aluminium wheels.

In addition, the top equipment line is characterized by a colour contrasting instrument panel depending on vehicle configuration, automatic climate control (Climatronic), leather detailing, an even higher end sound system and elegant fabric seat covers.

Besides this wide range of features, an extensive accessories programme is also offered for the Amarok from a styling bar to
running boards, cargo cover and Multi-Connect load securing system (standard on the Amarok Trendline and Highline) and a selection of alloy wheels.

Cargo and crew space
Volkswagen claims that the Amarok offers a large and ergonomically designed interior that is the largest in its class. Easy entry, generous space and lots of headroom characterize the “workspace” behind the steering wheel.

The cabin design also offers ample legroom for passengers on the rear bench seat. When just two persons are aboard, interior storage space can be increased by folding the tall rear seat.

Volkswagen also claims that the Amarok’s cargo area delivers the largest dimensions of its class. On a truck bed height of just 525 millimetres, the cargo area measures 2.52 square meters (1,555 millimetre length, 1,620 millimetre width)and 1,222 millimetres between the wheel wells.

For the first time on a mid-size ute, it is possible to load Euro pallets sideways, saving on space. Thanks to its large dimensions and a payload capacity of up to 1.15 tonnes, sports equipment like quads and bulky machinery can also be transported.

Four tie-down eyes in the corners of the truck bed protect cargo during the drive.

In addition, the (optional) towbar can handle up to 2.8 tonnes trailer load.

Safety
The Amarok comes with four airbags, ESP, ASR, ABS and assistance systems. The belts on the front seats are equipped with belt tensioners and are coupled to a visual and acoustic belt warning system.

Side curtain airbags for head protection are also available for the driver and front passenger. ABS and ASR are standard features on the Amarok as is the electronic differential lock (EDL).

Another standard feature activated by pushbutton is Off-Road ABS, which significantly shortens braking distances on off-road trails and gravel roads.

If the optional ESP system is installed, when Offroad-ABS is enabled at vehicle speeds under 30 km/h this also activates Hill Descent Assist. It keeps driving speed constant by selective braking interventions, enabling safe and controlled hill descents.

For the first time in this vehicle class, when driving under 30 km/h the driver can individually set the driving speed for the given descent conditions by braking and accelerating.

All vehicles are also equipped with ESP plus Hill Hold Assist, which holds the vehicle in place while driving uphill until the driver presses the accelerator pedal enough to prevent rolling back.

Key markets for the Amarok are South America, South Africa and Australia; in these markets utes are some of the most sought after recreational and commercial vehicles, because of their versatility. Thanks to its efficient drive technology and tremendous versatility, the Amarok is also expected to be a trendsetter in the contemporary ute class in Europe.

It can also be interesting because you never quite know what you’re going to see Ian working next … about this time last year he had a very early model VW Cabriolet that he was fitting a brand-new genuine VW motor too. This time he had this in for some work.

Perhaps there’s some charity motoring event on around town soon.

The Chairman of BMW AG is reported as saying that this small group of cars will allow BMW to gain knowledge and experience in the production of eletrically powered vehicles.

It’s believed that 490 of the electric Minis will be shipped to California where they will be leased to selected customers.

If the report is correct then BMW has joined other European manufacturers including Volkswagen, Daimler, Peugeot and Renault in taking the first tentative steps towards building a vehicle that produces zero emissions.

General Motors experienced a 37% drop in the sale of SUVs and vans in the United States during May and, when you consider that GM makes more money from the sale of SUVs than it does from conventional vehicles, it’s no wonder that GM is re-thinking its future strategy.

GM did have a team of engineers working on developing fuel-saving technologies for their SUVs with a view to introducing them by 2012 but no more. The team has been dispanded and re-assigned to other projects and General Motors may soon be making changing it’s focus from SUVs to more fuel efficient cars.

Volkswagen is also experiencing some problems in what it describes as “a difficult market environment”. While sales are surging in China they are falling when taken on a worldwide basis. VW reported a drop in of 0.8 percent in worldwide sales in May.

Kia on the other hand reported a 16.5% increase in worldwide sales during May with large increases in all markets. Most noteable were a 56.8 percent increase in sales to China, an 8.8 percent increase in sales to Europe and an 8.6 percent increase in sales to North America.