Volksfahren: VW/Audi/Porsche

VW Golf TDI Hybrid - Too good to be true?

VW recently started to show a Hybrid TDI based on a 1.2 liter three-cylinder diesel engine mated up with a 26 horsepower electric motor. What's that get you? How about 69 U.S mpg and only 89 g/km of CO₂ emissions in the EU combined cycle. Those kind of numbers might make Toyota cringe a little.

Of course there is a downside to this - currently its only slated to be a European version with the cards still up in the air for seeing it on US soil. Once again our weak dollar is to blame, as well as the fact that diesel cars have historically not sold well in the states. Of course this isn't stopping BMW, Mercedes, Audi and even Alfa Romeo (yes I said Alfa Romeo) considering or even planing on bringing diesel cars over to our side of the pond. Hopefully VW will see the value and green-light this car for us too.

2009 Scirocco Breaks Cover

VW has officially given the green light to the 2009 Scirocco. Formerly seen as the IROC concept, the production model retains numerous cues from the bright green show car. Built on the Golf platform, VW is expecting to sell around 25,000 units per year.

Autoweek is reporting that the base four-cylinder, front-wheel drive model will start at around $28,000 and go up from there. The top-end edition will feature a 280hp 3.6-liter V6 and all-wheel drive. Yes, please! Though, this uber-luxe model isn't expected to arrive until well after the initial launch.

Inside the car is a much sportier trim than current-gen cars. One particularly cutting-edge feature, expected to make its way to the production model, is the Google 3D navigation software.

Is it bound for US shores? No official word on that as of yet. However, there has been rumblings that it will be a Euro-only model to start. That, would be a travesty.

More pics after the jump.

2007 Eos Reviewed

It seems like everyone is rushing to bring out a convertible hardtop this year. The first one I ever saw was a couple years ago, when the Mercedes Benz 550 SLK came out. But that’s a $100,000 car, and it wasn’t until last winter that the Volvo C70 came out at about $40,000 – still on the high side for the average buyer. But now you can get a Mazda MX-5 Miata and a Pontiac G6 with the same kind of roof, and Volkswagen has just joined the parade with their all-new Eos. All these cars are under the magic $30,000 price point, and all should sell well.

But in this new and rapidly expanding segment, the Eos is special. The high end will always belong to Benz and its peers, and Volvo has a dedicated following as well. The MX-5 is a two-seater and aimed at a totally different market. That leaves the G6 as the only real competition for the Eos – and frankly, that’s no competition at all. Like too many General Motors products these days, the G6 feels flimsy and tinny and it’s underpowered. By contrast, the Eos is nothing short of amazing.