Yuhan Zhang’s Aqua is the Personal VW Hovercraft Concept of Tomorrow

Before budget airlines and the Channel Tunnel, the faster way to get from Britain to France was by hovercraft. The largest of these was the SNR4, a 300-ton behemoth capable of carrying 380 passengers and 40 cars at a speed of 70 mph (113 km/h). In the 1950s and ‘60s, magazines like Popular Science and Popular Mechanics were predicting a future where we’d all be cruising around in affordable, personal hovercrafts. Sadly, it was not to be.

Now, some 11 years after the last SNR4 was retired, 21-year-old industrial design graduate Yuhan Zhang has resurrected the personal hovercraft in the form of her Volkswagen Aqua study.

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VW Golf GTI Cabriolet Concept Live from Wörthersee. Should it be Built?

Yesterday, we brought you the first images of Volkswagen’s Golf GTI Cabriolet study but today we have live photos from the car’s world premiere at the Wörthersee meeting in Austria along with official information on the concept.

The hotted-up convertible is based on the standard Golf GTI with power coming from the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 210-horsepower and 280 Nm (207-lbs/ft) of peak torque at 1.800 rpm.

Volkswagen says the open-air model’s performance matches that of the closed-top GTI with a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 7 seconds and a top speed of around 240km/h (149 mph).

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Volkswagen Unwraps Two More Golf R Concepts at Wörthersee Tour

If there’s one thing die-hard Volkswagen fans visiting this week’s annual Wörthersee Tour in Austria aren’t going to complain about, is the lack of Golf concepts. We have already shown you the Golf GTI Cabriolet and Golf R Cabriolet and now we bring you two more studies based on the flagship Golf R hatchback. The two Golf R Color concepts were first shown at the Geneva Salon this past March and were created to demonstrate the numerous customization possibilities. Read more »

Volkswagen Brings Golf GTI Cabriolet Study as well to Wörthersee Meet

And the news just keeps dropping in from the largest annual GTI Meet in the world at lake Wörthersee in the southern Austrian state of Carinthia. Aside from the 270-horsepower strong Golf R Cabriolet concept that we told you about earlier today, Volkswagen also brought along a GTI study of the recently launched drop-top model.

We’re still short on information as Volkswagen has not yet published any details, but it’s safe to say that the Golf GTI Convertible is powered by either the standard Golf GTI hatchback’s 210HP 2.0-liter TFSI or the Golf GTI 35th Anniversary Edition’s 235HP 2.0-liter turbocharged unit sourced from the Golf R. Obviously power is transferred to the front wheels either through a six-speed manual gearbox or VW’s DSG transmission. The car also appears to be riding on a lowered suspension.

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Volkswagen Debuts Golf R Cabriolet Study with 270-Horses at Wörthersee

This year’s Wörthersee meet in Austria is turning out to be quite an event for the Germans with the Volkswagen Group brands churning out one concept after the other. Following the debut of the Skoda Fabia RS 2000 Convertible, the German group pulled the veils off the Golf R Cabriolet study.

Using the recently introduced new Golf Cabriolet as a base, the designers and engineers of the Volkswagen R GmbH division built a convertible version of the gutsy Golf R hatchback.

Just like its closed top counterpart, the soft-top Golf R Cabriolet is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine putting out 270-horses and 350Nm (258.2 lb-ft) of peak torque from a low 2,500 rpm. The standard sprint to 100km/h (62mph) from standstill comes in less than 6.0 seconds while top speed is limited at 250km/h (155mph).

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By the People, for the People: Volkswagen Asks China to Help it Design a New Model

Here’s an idea: why not simply ask the public what they want in a car? Focus groups are one thing, but Volkswagen is taking this concept to extremes with its newly launched People’s Car Project. The ostensible goal of the project is to solicit advice from some of China’s 450 million internet users; advise that will shape a new model for the Chinese domestic market.

Dubbed “mass manufacturing” by Volkswagen, the Orwellian-sounding project will run for one year and gather Chinese consumers’ input in the form of text, images and film through the Zaoche website. There will also be competitions where users can vote for their favourite designs, and prizes will be handed out to the best. If proven successful, the same idea could be implemented in other regions as well.

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Chick Flick II: VW Celebrates Barbie's 50th Birthday with Pinked out Beetle Convertible

Just in case anyone had any objections that the New Beetle is squarely aimed towards the so-called "weaker sex", Volkswagen of America created a customized New Beetle Convertible in celebration of the Barbie doll's 50th Birthday. As many of you may recall, Fiat did the same thing on the other side of the Atlantic with the new 500 - see here. The Barbiedream Beetle Convertible comes fully equipped with rhinestones, sparkling pink paint and motorized vanity in trunk.

"We are extremely proud to partner with Mattel and create a customized New Beetle convertible to celebrate Barbie's landmark birthday," said Laura Soave, General Manager of Marketing, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "Like the New Beetle, Barbie has made a remarkable impact on pop culture history, and still remains a cultural icon today."

VW Releases Teaser Sketch of U.S Market 2011 Mid-Size Sedan - Larger than the Passat

On Thursday, Volkswagen's North American arm released the first-ever teaser sketch of its forthcoming mid-size sedan codenamed NMS that will be manufactured at the company's first U.S. production facility in more than 20 years, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The sketch reveals that the yet to be named saloon will be more 'wedgy' and squared-off than Volkswagen's current proposals with the front-end design bringing to mind the fascia of the German automaker's latest concept car, the BlueSport Roadster.

It is said that the NMS will be slightly larger than the current-generation Passat with Volkswagen promising that it will feature "spacious legroom", a "large trunk volume" and numerous cupholders - we didn't say that, VW did.

During an official presentation in Berlin, Germany, last October, VW officials said that their North American market mid-size sedan will be offered with the firm's latest Fuel-Stratified Injection (FSI) gasoline and TDI diesel engine units, mated to a dual-clutch transmission. Production of the NMS is expected to begin in Chattanooga in early 2011.

Via: Autoweek

VW Touareg Supercharged V6 Hybrid 374HP with 26mpg - Production Starts in 2010

Volkswagen has published the first photos and details of the Touareg Hybrid prototype that previews a production version that will be unveiled in 2010. Unlike the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid that featured a normally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 FSI, the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid makes use of VW's new supercharged 3.0-liter V6 TSI petrol unit that produces 333HP and is combined with a 38 kW / 52HP electric motor that is installed between the V6 TSI and a newly developed 8-speed automatic transmission.

The electric motor is powered by nickel metal-hydride battery that is charged through regenerative braking and is located under the luggage compartment. The vehicle can operate on the electric motor alone at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph). In this case the V6 TSI is turned off, and it is disconnected from the transmission by a disengagement clutch allowing the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid to operate with zero emissions.

When the driver requires maximum torque and power, the V6 TSI engine and the electric motor operate together (by kickdown or gearshift selector in "S" position) for a combined output of 374HP and a maximum torque of 550 Nm. In this case, the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid prototype accelerates to 100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds. In terms of towing capacity, the hybrid version of the Touareg can haul up to 3.5 metric tons or 7,000 pounds.

Volkswagen states that the hybrid system of the Touareg was not designed to deliver pure sports car performance but to offer low emissions and fuel consumption values. According to the firm's preliminary figures, the Touareg Hybrid achieves an average fuel consumption of less than 9.0 lt / 100 km (+26.1 mpg US) with CO2 emissions less than 210 g/km.

The German carmaker claims that compared to a conventional SUV of the same size, the hybrid concept yields fuel savings of more than 25 percent in city driving and 17 percent in combined city, highway and freeway driving.

VW BlueSport Roadster: New Wallpaper Gallery

The BlueSport concept was one of the most important models to debut at this year's Detroit Show as it essentially confirms earlier rumors supporting that Volkswagen is preparing to introduce a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster by 2012. If you click through, you can check out a new high-resolution gallery of the BlueSport that was released by the German firm. You may also want to take a look at our previous analytical post on VW's back-to-basics roadster by clicking here or watch the official video here.

Video: VW's BlueSport Mid-Engined Roadster in Action

The Detroit Show saw the reveal of VW's BlueSport concept, a mid-engined roadster study said to preview of a production model that could be launched as early as 2012. The concept is powered by a 180HP 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel propelling VW's... "poor man's" Boxster from 0 to 60 mph (96mph) in 6.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 140 mph (226 km/h). And all this with a fuel economy rating of just 55 mpg U.S. (4,3 l/100 km). Click through to watch the first official video of the well received BlueSport that includes both driving footage and beauty shots.

VW BlueSport Mid-Engined Roadster Concept with 180HP Diesel Achieves 55MPG

Sporty, good looking and extremely frugal; what else could one ask from a two-seater roadster? VW's long-awaited Concept BlueSport made its debut at the 2009 Detroit Show. Even though the German automaker makes no word of a production version, we're all crossing our fingers that the roadster study will get the green light. Behind the two bucket seats of the 3.99 meter long Concept BlueSport, there's 180HP strong 2.0-liter turbocharged Clean Diesel (TDI) engine that transfers power to the rear-wheels via 6-speed DSG dual clutch transmission.

With this unit that produces 350Nm of torque, the Concept BlueSport can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 6.2 seconds (0-100 km/h: 6,6 seconds) while its top speed is 140 mph (226 km/h). Even more impressive is the car's excellent fuel economy rating of 55 mpg U.S. (4,3 l/100 km) that is combined with an ultralow CO2 level of 113 g/km CO2. Two features that help the mid-engined, soft-top roadster achieve these figures is the automatic start-stop system and the brake energy regeneration system.

Technical data of the Volkswagen concept car Concept BlueSport

Volkswagen Concept BlueSport
Body / Chassis
Length	3,990 mm
Width	1,745 mm
Height	1,260 mm
Track, front	1,490 mm
Track, rear	1,520 mm
Front suspension	McPherson suspension
Rear suspension	Multi-link system
Engine
Configuration	4 cylinder TDI, 2.0 liter displacement
Max. power at engine speed	132 kW / 180 PS at 4,200 rpm
Max. torque at engine speed	350 Nm at 1,750 rpm
Drivetrain / Wheels
Transmission	6-speed direct shift
Final drive	Rear-wheel drive
Tires, front	235/35 ZR19
Tires, rear	245/35 ZR19
Performance / Economy
0-100 km/h	6.6 seconds
0-60 mph	6.2 seconds
V/max	140 mph / 226 km/h
Fuel consumption (Euro 6)	4.3 liter/100 km / 55 mpg
CO2 emissions*	113 g/km
* in Eco mode: Start-stop & regeneration
Colors
Exterior paint	Flex silver
Convertible top	Orange