Volkswagen Brand

VW Passat named European Car of the Year

March 2, 2015 17:28 CET

The Volkswagen Passat is Europe's 2015 Car of the Year, marking the third time in six years that VW has won the title. The Passat beat its nearest competitor, the Citroen C4 Cactus, by nearly 100 points. The Mercedes C class finished third in the voting.... Read More »

2015 GENEVA AUTO SHOW

VW says new Touran is lighter, roomier, more frugal

Feb. 25, 2015 12:13 CET

VW's new lighter, roomier Touran minivan will offer the biggest luggage compartment in its class, along with new active and passive safety features and seamless connectivity to Apple and Android smartphones, the automaker said.... Read More »

VW Eos output will end on declining cabrio demand

Feb. 23, 2015 19:06 CET

VW plans to stop making its Eos cabriolet as customer tastes shift away from convertibles in general and retractable hardtops like the Eos in particular. European sales of convertibles from volume carmakers fell 20 percent last year.... Read More »

2015 GENEVA AUTO SHOW

BMW expands minivan lineup with 7-seat 2 series

Feb. 11, 2015 16:45 CET

BMW will expand its minivan lineup with the seven-seat 2-series Gran Tourer that goes on sale in Europe in June. The latest 2-series variant will debut next month at the Geneva auto show.... Read More »

CHRISTIAAN HETZNER

Did VW pick the wrong U.S. state to build the Passat?

5:48 am U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2015

Kentucky Gov. Steven Beshear has a message for any German carmaker or supplier considering expanding into the South: Labor unions are welcome, at least in his state.... Read More »

VW dealers begin to see upside of U.S. sales target

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 8, 2015

Volkswagen dealers in the United States who once bristled at the way the brand pursued its 800,000-unit-a-year sales goal now sound more positive, amid increasing signs that they won't have to shoulder the burden themselves.... Read More »

VW could beat 5 million euro savings goal, exec says

Jan. 29, 2015 16:09 CET

VW Group ought to be able to cut costs at its passenger-car brand by "substantially more" than the 5 billion euros ($5.7 billion) planned by the carmaker's top management, VW works council chief Bernd Osterloh said.... Read More »

Cost-cutting VW baffles experts with Phaeton plans

Jan. 28, 2015 10:05 CET

With VW having embarked on a big cost-cutting drive, industry experts are baffled why the "people's car" maker plans to spend millions of euros upgrading the money-losing Phaeton premium sedan. Analysts say the costly car should be axed.... Read More »

Beyond SUVs, VW weighs van, Golf pocket rocket for U.S.

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 26, 2015

VW development chief Hans-Jakob Neusser said VW is close to deciding whether to produce the Golf R400 concept shown at the Beijing auto show in April. The pocket rocket is capable of 395 hp and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds.... Read More »

VW dealers welcome profit-focused message

2:00 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 24, 2015

Volkswagen of America executives told dealers to expect a small uptick in U.S. sales this year as they await the early 2017 arrival of two North America-built crossovers and the promise of larger sales growth to follow.... Read More »

Volkswagen mulls VW van, high-performance Golf for U.S.

11:00 am U.S. ET | Jan. 20, 2015

Volkswagen has more than just an SUV offensive up its sleeve as the company considers adding -- and deleting -- some models in its U.S. lineup. VW executives indicate that a new VW van and high-performance Golf hatchback may make their way stateside.... Read More »

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE E-MAGAZINE

VW Passat tackles trailer troubles

Jan. 15, 2015 06:01 CET

Volkswagen has made a big effort to ensure its latest Passat remains Europe’s best-selling midsize car, including adding a feature that can back the car and a trailer autonomously into a parking space.... Read More »

Volkswagen starts sales of black-box recorder for vehicle data

Jan. 14, 2015 18:18 CET

Volkswagen plans to sell a black box in Austria that records trips and tracks the location of a car. The box will be available for new and old VW and Audi models. VW plans to expand the service to other European markets.... Read More »

VW readies crossover blitz to help revive U.S. fortunes

8:30 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 11, 2015

Volkswagen is mobilizing an SUV and crossover offensive over the next few years to strengthen its presence in those fast-growing segments and revive the VW brand's sagging U.S. sales. A long-wheelbase Tiguan crossover assembled in North America will arrive in the market in 2017, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn said in remarks prepared for delivery today.... Read More »

Audi surges to another record year; VW stalls

3:15 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2015

Audi of America posted its fifth-straight annual sales record in 2014, while sibling brand Volkswagen took a step back in its quest to reach annual U.S. volume of 800,000 vehicles by 2018.... Read More »

VOLKSWAGEN

Waiting for the updated Passat

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2015

After 18 straight months of lower sales in the U.S., VW began to turn the corner with gains in October and November.... Read More »

VW recalls 2015 Jettas for headlight glitch

12:31 pm U.S. ET | Dec. 30, 2014

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 25,007 Jetta models from the 2015 model year to fix a software glitch that can affect the operation of the low-beam headlights.... Read More »

RICHARD TRUETT

Handicapping the finalists for North American Car, Truck of Year

11:00 am U.S. ET | Dec. 16, 2014

Automakers love winning awards for best in show. Most would dispatch an executive to Nome, Alaska, in February to pick up some shiny hardware for the company’s trophy case.... Read More »

Autoweek names Volkswagen Golf GTI and GMC Canyon as 2015 Best of the Best

7:50 am U.S. ET | Dec. 16, 2014

Autoweek, the auto enthusiast sister publication of Automotive News, today named the Volkswagen Golf GTI and GMC Canyon truck as its Best of the Best car and truck for 2015.... Read More »

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE E-MAGAZINE

VW says Golf GTE plug-in hybrid offers the 'best of both worlds'

Dec. 15, 2014 06:30 CET

Volkswagen says its Golf GTE plug-in hybrid offers eco-friendly buyers the “best of both worlds” -- a compact hatchback that can be driven up to 50km using electric power or up to 940km with additional power from its gasoline engine.... Read More »

CHRISTIAAN HETZNER

VW's Diess takes pole position to replace Winterkorn

6:30 am U.S. ET | Dec. 9, 2014

VW's announcement that it poached BMW development chief Herbert Diess to run its flagship VW brand puts the 56-year-old manager in pole position to succeed Martin Winterkorn as VW Group boss.... Read More »

CHRISTIAAN HETZNER