The Rabbit is currently the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered vehicle in Volkswagen's U.S. fleet, getting around 26 mpg on the EPA's combined city/highway cycle. But V-Dub wants something better for the U.S. market. Speaking with Bloomberg, VW CEO, Stefan Jacoby revealed that the automaker is considering bringing a subcompact vehicle, similar to the Polo, to the U.S.
With the Toyota Yaris rated at 32 mpg and the Honda Fit coming in at 31 mpg (combined city/highway), Volkswagen is hoping to meet or exceed the competition. While it's unlikely we'll see the current Polo on U.S. shores anytime soon, it's expected that the next generation will be available in the States in 2010 when the new Jetta is released, followed by a new midsize sedan that will replace the Passat.
The additions and revisions to VW's product line is an effort by the automaker to boost U.S. sales to 800,000 units by 2018, nearly tripling the 230,571 vehicles it sold in 2007. VW is also looking to build a new engine plant in Mexico, along with its recently announced Tennessee plant.
As reported previously, Volkswagen is about to undergo a design renaissance that puts a premium on simplicity, style and, apparently, more Scirocco design cues. According to AutoExpress, the first model to benefit from Walter Da'Silva's new dictum is the 5th generation Polo, which is expected to go on sale sometime next year sporting a new front end inspired by the recently released Scirocco.
The new model is based off the PQ25 small car platform that currently underpins the SEAT Ibiza. As such, the dimensions will remain, but the interior will be larger and will include upmarket materials, soft-touch surfaces, a Scirocco-inspired dash, MP3 inputs, Bluetooth connectivity and the possibility of a sat-nav docking station that allows portable units to be removed on the go.
A range of gasoline and diesel mills, including 1.4- and 1.6-liter FSI fours, a supercharged, 138 hp 1.4-liter and a 168 hp GTI version, will provide motivation and all models will have the option of being fitted with VW's new seven-speed DSG. Expect three- and five-door models to be released at launch and then joined by a coupe-cabrio version sometime in 2010.
There are some vehicles which mainstream automakers sell overseas that we wish we could get in the United States. Faux-offroaders like the outgoing Volkswagen CrossPolo (pictured above) aren't among them. The previous CrossPolo (sold as the Polo Dune in the UK) is little more than a some body-cladding applied to the standard hatchback that is supposed to make it look more rugged. Thankfully, the new-generation CrossPolo will actually get the machinery to back up the image: Volkswagen has deemed to outfit the soft-roader with its 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, effectively making this an even smaller brother to the Tiguan crossover and a worthwhile competitor to the upcoming MINI Crossman.
What remains to be seen is whether the new model will carry the same appearance (and badge) as the model it replaces, upgrading the standard Polo with some body-cladding, or whether Volkswagen will give it an even more SUV-like body styled after the Tiguan. Engines options will include 1.2-liter inline-3s with 60-70 hp, a 1.4 liter unit producing 85hp and a range-topping 1.2-liter TSI pumping 105 horses through those four little wheels, while diesels will be offered along the same output range along with a Bluemotion powertrain option.
Don't you just hate it when you're idling around in the parking garage and there aren't any empty spaces? How do you feel when you spot somebody with a nice car who's purposely taken two spaces so that nobody can park next to their car? Yeah, pretty infuriating. Looks like somebody decided to do something about it, if the letter above is for real. In case you can't read it, here's what it says:
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Buyers of the next generation of Volkswagen-developed small cars will have one more option box to tick when placing their order: all-wheel-drive. The new platform, dubbed PQ25, will find its way underneath a handful of new models, spanning the range from the low-end (SEAT), mid-grade (VW) and luxury (Audi). All-wheel-drive won't be an option for the new SEAT Ibiza, but consumers of the next VW Polo (specifically the CrossPolo) might be able to outfit their tiny runabout with AWD, while the Audi A1, due out in late 2009, will continue the automaker's love affair with quattro.
In a letter to members of various FIA constituent bodies, president Max Mosley apologized for the embarrassment caused to the organization by the tabloid report of his erstwhile private exploits. In the same letter, however, Mosley pledged to fight the allegations and remain in his position despite mounting calls for his resignation.
Mosley dismissed the claim that his now-infamous sexual activities had any Nazi connections and pointed to a "covert" operation to discredit him undertaken by persons as yet unidentified through a private investigation firm. The big question is in whose interest would it have been to embarrass Mosley in such a public manner, and the list is long as the FIA president remains a highly controversial character. Follow the link to read more of Mosley's letter to the presidents of the national motorsport clubs, members of the FIA Senate, the World Motor Sport Council and the World Council for Mobility and the Automobile.
Volkswagen may be serious about returning to its "people's car" roots by importing a small vehicle to the U.S. with a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine. Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, told Automotive News that something like the Polo could fly here in the States, as well as "lifestyle" vehicles like the smart and MINI, and something he described as a "little bit SUV-looking and a little van."
The inclusion of a new, economical model into Volkswagen's lineup could be based around the up! concepts that have made appearances on the auto show circuit this past year, and Jacoby hopes that pricing could be set in the $13,000 to $14,000 realm. The move is in an effort to capitalize on American's supposed desire for more fuel-efficient models that won't break the bank and cause less cringing at the pumps. However, despite Jacoby's comments about small vehicles, VW is still contemplating a return of the Phaeton to the U.S. – something that's directly opposed to its desire of become a more affordable marque for the masses.
"Do you need the Polo?" That's going to be Volkswagen chief Martin Winterkorn's query to US dealers when he meets with them this week. The answer could determine whether or not we see a sub-Golf sized VeeDub here in the United States. Rising fuel prices have made small cars big again, and VW's taking a hard look at capitalizing on that. The inrush of Volkswagen's competitors to smaller models also makes the segment hard to ignore. BMW's got the hotly anticipated 1-series, Daimler's trend-tastic Smart has been foisted upon us, Saturn's slick Astra is nearly here, and Ford's threatening to give us the Fiesta in a couple of years, too. If we were a VW dealer, our answer to Winterkorn would be a resounding "YES!"
