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Archive for November, 2006

VW Touareg tows Boeing 747

Published November 24, 2006 in Events and Volkswagen. 1 Comment

TDI power: A Touareg V10 TDI takes a 155-ton jet along for a ride

WOLFSBURG, Germany - “Wanna bet that a Touareg V10 TDI can tow a Boeing 747?” “A 155-ton jet?” “Never!” “Sure it can!” This verbal exchange by two Volkswagen employees had consequences: A few months later, on Thursday this week, a Volkswagen crew did indeed hook up a new generation Touareg V10 TDI to a 747.

The certified result: The SUV pulled it off easily. However, the receipt of orders from airport operators wanting to replace their tow vehicles weighing up to 70 tons with the significantly more economical Touareg could not be confirmed.

The “Touareg tows a Boeing 747″ event took place at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in England, located 40 miles from the gates of London. From the very start the question, entirely seriously meant, was posed about how powerful a modern, top range SUV with engine, four-wheel drive and chassis is.

The Touareg is innately the ideal towing vehicle: Maximum load capacities are 3,500 kilos for trailers and 1,640 kilos for the rear axle. But when instead of a 3.5 ton boat trailer a jet weighing over 155 tons – consisting of 511 m2 of wing surface, 4 engines, 450 seats and a fuselage the size of a block of houses – is attached to the hitch, things look quite a bit different. Careful preparations must be made. Continue reading ‘VW Touareg tows Boeing 747′

JRD Tuning plans 385hp New Beetle

Published November 22, 2006 in My Mods, Other's Mods and Volkswagen. 0 Comments

I have an email out to these guys… if it’s the same JRD I’m thinking of they are 40mins from me. I will be swinging by with my Beetle. Maybe they need a test vehicle!

JRD Tuning is planning an impressive set of upgrades for the Volkswagen Beetle that will push it to either 250 or 385 horsepower. The latter configuration is made possible by the HPA R32 3.2 liter V6 with twin turbochargers.

The chassis, brakes, wheels, and tires are also upgraded for more spirited driving. Options include a glass roof section and a folding spoiler.

Standard front-wheel-drive or Audi Quattro will be offered. The exterior design was created by Bo Zolland of Sweden.

Tuner plans 385 horsepower Beetle | Leftlane News - Car News For Enthusiasts

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Golf GTI Celebrates 30th Anniversary with LE Model

Published November 19, 2006 in This blog and Volkswagen. 0 Comments

The fastest and most powerful production Golf GTI yet is set to kick off celebrations as 2007 marks the 30th anniversary of the original hot hatch – the Mk1 Golf GTI. Despite three decades having passed since the defining GTI was conceived, the spirit of the original is still very much alive in the new Golf GTI Edition 30.

At its heart is an uprated version of the 2.0-litre, ultra-responsive four-cylinder T-FSI engine fitted to the standard GTI. The result is 230 PS – a rise of 30 PS over the standard car. This is mated to a choice of six-speed manual or sequential DSG gearboxes channelling drive through the front wheels. The new Golf GTI Edition 30 will sprint to 62 mph in only 6.8 seconds (6.6 secs when equipped with DSG) before reaching a maximum of 150 mph.

Joining the dynamic tweaks is a fresh new look for the GTI Edition 30. New body-coloured side skirts are paired with a new chin spoiler for the front bumper and a body-coloured rear bumper. A subtle ‘GTI’ badge sits on the bootlid below tinted rear lights. Completing the look are a set of unique 18-inch ‘Pescara’ alloy wheels.

Inside, the GTI Edition 30 benefits from unique sports seats finished in ‘Interlagos’ cloth trim and completed with leather side bolsters and headrest. The distinctive golf ball gear knob synonymous with the Mk1 GTI also makes a welcome comeback. Elsewhere silver sill plates featuring a unique ‘Edition 30’ logo are joined by the sculpted leather GTI steering wheel complete with red stitching. Equipment levels for the Edition 30, as on the standard GTI, are high, with ABS, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), six airbags, radio/CD player, 2Zone electronic climate control and twin chrome exhaust tailpipes all featured.

Just 1,500 examples of the GTI Edition 30 will be available from early January with a range of six paint colours ranging from Candy White to the searing Tornado Red. Prices for the anniversary model start at just over £22,000 for the three-door model, with a £1,330 premium for the DSG-equipped car. The GTI Edition 30 is also available with five doors for an additional £500.

The right hand drive Mk1 Golf GTI – developing a modest 112 bhp – went on sale in the UK in 1977. At the time Leo Sayer was at number one, Star Wars gripped a generation of kids, Concorde was about to take flight for the first time and Volkswagen’s new GTI cost £5,217. The Golf GTI, with its mix of a low kerb weight and a fast-revving four-cylinder engine, sharpened suspension and subtly aggressive looks, became an instant hit. By the time the Mk1 GTI was phased out in 1984 over 19,500 examples had been sold in the UK.

See complete gallery

- VW UK

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Volkswagen Rabbit ranked first

Published November 16, 2006 in Test Drives and Volkswagen. 0 Comments

In a comparison test of six entry-level sedans, the editors of Car and Driver ranked the 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit first. Other vehicles included entries from Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota. The results appear in the December 2006 issue of the magazine.

The Rabbit swept top rankings in several vehicle attribute categories, including driver comfort, ergonomics, features and amenities and exterior styling. More importantly, editors scored the Rabbit highest in the subjective experience categories of “Gotta Have It” and “Fun to Drive.”

“This acknowledgment reflects upon the Rabbit’s distinctly German-engineered ‘driver’s car’ image, as well as its exterior and interior design qualities,” said Adrian Hallmark, executive vice president, Volkswagen of America, Inc.

The Rabbit made its return to the U.S. market this June, having been previously marketed from 1975 through 1984. It has posted year-to-date sales of 8,245 units through October, more than doubling the monthly average posted by its Golf predecessor. Available in both two-door and four-door hatchback body styles, the Rabbit starts at $14,990.

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