The GTI name and the heritage that goes with it are an asset to be sure for Volkswagen. Thing is, be it Golf, Rabbit, Polo or Lupo, the GTI is a hot hatch pure and simple. Days of slapping that moniker on cars outside the hot hatch spectrum such as the rare Scirocco GTI are long gone. The ground is now too hallowed.

Not so with GLI. GLI is a sedan to Americans and an enigma to everyone else. But, GTI owners often grow up, make babies and grow out of their GTIs. Enter the Passat.

This generation Passat has been a bit less loved by Volkswagen’s loyal owner group. Lackluster equipment packages except for the Euro-only R36 haven’t helped things and it can no longer boast being the “affordable Audi” as was the B5 generation with its Audi chassis and drivetrain sharing. Nevertheless, this car is a solid package underneath and I suspect it might be a bit better received if it had a younger spin.

That brings us back to the GLI name. Imagine, if you will, a Passat sedan and wagon that subscribe to the same philosophy as the GTI. Blacken the car’s chrome snout, add a red border to its grille and give it a more aggressive chin – maybe lifted wholesale from the R36. Throw in some bolstered sport seats with the GTI’s trademark plaid surfaces, along with the Jetta GLI’s flat-bottomed sport steering wheel and accenting red stitching. Ditch the car’s Tiptronic transmission for DSG and offer a manual. Fit a set of 19-inch GTI-design 5-spoke alloys and tune the suspension to handle more like a GTI and I suspect you’d have a real winner.

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The Bonanza's original hardware includes a shiny black three-speed gearlever console replica, hub gears and back-pedal brake, chrome steel high-riser bars and rims, Kenda tires with a white reflecting stripe — and the most important feature of them all, a black banana seat with red rally stripes. VW notes that the bike is suitable for people up to 180 pounds.

This retro bike is currently available at VW shops and sells online at the VW Web site for about $600.

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For everyone who has been waiting anxiously for the new fifty state legal Volkswagen Jetta TDI to arrive at U.S. dealers, it appears things are inching a little closer. A reader the other day spotted a transporter filled with Jettas festooned with TDI signage headed northbound on a North Carolina freeway. Andrew called a local VW dealer who confirmed that these were actually among the first batch of TDIs that will be available for test drives at dealers around North America for the next couple of months before they go on sale later this summer.

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There was a time in my life when reaching the magic ton (100 mph) in the underpowered junkers of my youth was something of a holy grail. Yet recently, when the needle on one of Britain’s most economical cars crept toward that speed on a quiet road near my home, I was more amazed to see 50 mpg (U.S.) flash up on the instant fuel consumption readout than to see 100 mph on the speedometer.

I must be getting old.

This epitome of frugality is Volkswagen’s sensible-shoes super-mini, the Polo—a car that makes the Passat seem like a land yacht. But this Polo has a few key differences from the standard, bottom-of-the-range 1.4-liter turbodiesel model. BlueMotion, developed by the German company’s special engineering department, denotes the most thermally efficient model in each of VW’s model ranges.

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The Volkswagen Rabbit earned top honors in the new Consumer Reports test of affordable hatchbacks. The German hatchback was singled out as the sole vehicle to earn an "excellent" overall score in the competition.

The Rabbit beat out Consumer Reports' previously top-rated hatchback, the Mazda 3. "Other than the powertrain, it [the Rabbit] doesn't feel much different from the sporty [Volkswagen] GTI, which costs much more," noted Consumer Reports.

The Rabbit also came out ahead of the Mini Cooper Clubman, Saturn Astra, Scion xD, Subaru Impreza Outback Sport and the Toyota Matrix. "The Rabbit has commendable fit and finish, a versatile interior and agile handling," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center.

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On the road, the Sportwagen is a bit of a dichotomy. The chassis clearly outclasses the standard five-cylinder engine. The suspension is well-articulated and seems to do a decent job of absorbing the road contours, although the worst pavement in rural southern Virginia still outclasses the best in Michigan by a pretty wide margin. Once I get to sample the Jetta on my home turf, I'll give a better evaluation of its ride. Going through the curves, the Sportwagen felt more like a GTI than a Country Squire which is always a good thing.

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Apparently the car-buying public is quite enamored with Volkswagen’s 1.4-liter TFSI engine, as the German automaker is reportedly struggling to keep production in-line with demand.

The factory that produces the 1.4 TFSI is just able to keep up with the needs of Volkswagen itself, meaning brands like Seat are being left in the cold. Seat’s supply of the engine is currently under restriction.

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Almost a decade later, VW's finally going for it, offering a competitor to the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, et al. Spy photographs indicate that the VeeDub will lose the chrome, Alcantara and all the rest of the upmarket bits that don't look so hot when they're splattered with mud. Black plastic fender flares, bumpers and mirror casings will provide the requisite heavy-duty attitude and affordable price (U.S. full-size pickups are as cheap as chips these days). It's expected to be available as a single cab and double cab– and even in a full SUV version.

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Arciero-Miller Racing announced at last year's SEMA show that it was building a new Touareg to compete in the SCORE Trophy Truck Open Production – Unlimited Class. During the inaugural Jetta TDI Cup race last weekend, VW of America PR boss Steve Keyes revealed that the new truck would be powered by the 6.0L V12 TDI diesel that is going into the Audi Q7 TDI V12. That's also the same engine that propels the Audi R8 TDI concept. The tube frame Touareg Trophy Truck will be covered with body work developed by VW that looks vaguely like a Touareg while being a foot longer.

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VW will in fact have three factory-developed racing versions of the Scirocco with two-time Le Mans winner Hans-Joachim Stuck and two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz among the list of drivers.

Last year VW’s Golf GTI hatch took top honors in its class and the same 300hp 2.0L TFSI engine design from the race winner will be used in this year’s Scirocco race car. The cars also feature DSG gearboxes with shifting paddles on the steering wheel.

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The latest VW Polo television commercials were shot in the dark. Playing off the Eskom situation, Director Gavin Pollack from Fresh Eye Film Productions found shooting with limited light sources very interesting technically.

There are four ads in the series, each one using a different form of light to highlight the vehicle, matches, headlamps, hazard lights and a cell phone.

“These ads were a great opportunity to marry comedy and retail,” says Pollack. “It's rare to create spots that cleverly sell a product, while commenting on our challenges, or as the ads say, ridiculous times.”

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The Lavida measures 4,608mm long, 1,743mm wide, and 1,465mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,610mm. It’s sedan boot stores 472 liters. This makes it longer, sider and taller than the Volkswagen Jetta, but smaller than the Volkswagen Passat. It’s wheelbase is also longer than the Jetta’s 2,578mm.

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Although the interior is another tribute to economy’s charm, the cockpit betrays the car’s size. The cabin feels nearly as roomy and solid as a MKV Rabbit, and just as comfortable. Backseat space is tight, but there is plenty of headroom. Three-tone seats add a playful yet strangely sterile feel, thanks to the incorporation of bright aqua waffle-weave material that vaguely recalls a hospital gown (VW calls this Polo-exclusive interior trim package “Popcorn”). Controls, instruments and accoutrements are similar to North American-market cars, including the familiar blue and red gauge cluster lighting. The cluster includes a fuel consumption readout, enabling BlueMotion drivers to indulge in a bit of self-congratulatory celebration. Safety was not compromised for the purposes of weight reduction; standard features include front and side airbags and ABS with braking assist.

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"There ain't nuthin' that beats cubes!" Right? Wrong - and the 1.4-litre (well, only 1390cc, actually, dearie) VW Tiguan TSI just launched in South Africa proves it. It's a revolution in auto technology as radical as the original BMW M3 and anti-lock brakes.

Here's the basics: The engine in the Tiguan 1.4 TSI is capable of 110kW and 240Nm of torque thanks to its plumbing linking the benefits of supercharging and turbocharging without any of their problems. Amazingly, this is just the baby – there's a racing version that puts out 174kW!

It's the world’s first petrol engine with direct injection and dual charging.

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The most powerful series production Passat ever built is now available for sale in the UK market. Offered in both sedan and estate bodystyles, the VW Passat R36 is equipped with a naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre V6 engine developing 300Hp and 258 lbs ft of torque. Drive is channeled via a six-speed DSG gearbox through a 4MOTION all-wheel drive system that can divert torque to either axle depending on the grip available

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The revisions that you will notice immediately include a completely redesigned front end with a new stylized chrome grille on V-6 models with chrome eyebrows. A new front bumper, new side mirrors and sleek, new headlamp housings round out the big changes up front.

Along the sides the visual appeal is spiked with fresh 17-inch alloy wheels standard on the V-6 and V-8 models. The changes continue at the rear with a new roof edge spoiler, LED-style brake lights and new chrome tailpipes.

For almost a decade, VW has been churning out some premium interiors, but you do have to pay the piper to slip into one. No skimping on high-quality materials here as I was treated to beautiful textures and rich luxurious creamy colors punctuated by excellent fit and finish.

The seats improve with better lateral support and flank a console that still looks good if not much different from the previous generation.

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