Volkswagen of America, Inc., the official automotive sponsor of the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, is challenging world-renowned ultra marathoner, Dean Karnazes, to an ultimate test of endurance and long distance efficiency: Run two marathon distances on the same day, back-to-back, for a total of 52.4 miles. Karnazes has accepted Volkswagen’s challenge to complete the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, followed by an additional 26.2-mile run, and aims to prove that just like Volkswagen vehicles with TDI® clean diesel technology, he has the performance credentials to go farther, mile for mile, than the competition.
Unedited consumer blog forum? Huh? Volkswagen should have had this launched a while ago but it is good to see them targeting both the loyal and the new diesel enthusiast. If you have a TDI head on over and sign up, get involved. BTW, you must have a facebook account!
Volkswagen of America, Inc. today launched its first unedited consumer blog forum called TDI Truth & Dare. The blog forum will differentiate ‘diesel’ from ‘clean diesel’ and encourage active participation through two simple challenges. First, visitors will learn the truth about clean diesel technology by understanding the facts. Second, the forum will dare visitors to get involved in the alternative fuel discussion by participating in online events like the ‘Tank Wars’ fuel efficient driving challenge and using applications like ‘Diesel Finder’ and ‘Savings Calculator.’ Additionally, the blog will post relevant facts and discussions from Volkswagen as well as third party sources and consumers to keep visitors up to date on the latest diesel conversation. The blog forum will run year round and serve as a platform for product and clean diesel messaging in a voice that is unique to Volkswagen.
New ‘BUS’ Character Voiced by Thomas Haden Church Discusses Fuel Efficiency, Safety and Low Cost
Volkswagen of America, Inc. today kicks off the latest installment of its DAS AUTO brand campaign, this time with a collection of 30-second TV spots entitled ‘Meet the Volkswagens.’ The new spots again feature Max the Beetle but also introduce a brand new character named BUS. Voiced by actor Thomas Haden Church, BUS is a talking ruby red 1963 Volkswagen Micro Bus who draws upon Volkswagen’s tradition and heritage while creating clever vignettes that make subtle competitive comparisons in order to highlight key messages like mileage, fuel efficiency, cost of ownership and safety. The campaign will run for 8 weeks and will be supported online and at dealerships nationwide. A first for Volkswagen, the TV spots will direct viewers to Facebook where they will experience information and messaging surrounding the campaign and other brand initiatives.
Michael DeNino flying in the oneighturbo.com Jetta TDI Cup car
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup – Rounds 1 & 2 Circuit: Virginia International Raceway (VIR) – Alton, VA Dates/Times: April 25 (Round 1) – 11:10 am & April 26 (Round 2) – 2 pm Race Length: 30 minutes 2008 Race Winner: Mark Pombo 2008 Pole Winner: Josh Hurley
About the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup
The 2009 season marks the second year of competition for the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, which is sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing. During the season, young, up and coming drivers (between ages 16-26) will compete in ten events on eight road courses around North America in identical factory-prepared clean diesel Jetta TDIs. Each driver competing in the series will earn a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the conclusion of the season. In addition, the series champion will win $100,000.
Edmunds.com has put together a nice little competition here with the Toyota Prius vs. VW Jetta TDI Diesel. The Jetta TDI and/or the TDI engine has been popping up a lot lately in these real world test. There is even a cross-country battle going on. There is one more strike against the Prius… its manufacturing process pretty much makes your happy little bumper sticker null & void.
Here we have the 2009 Toyota Prius gasoline-electric hybrid, embodying up-to-the-minute fuel-sipping methods and machinery intended to take us immaculately into a spotless future. In the other lane, the newly introduced 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI turbodiesel, a rolling relic of tried-and-true yester-tech locomotion (upon whose sooty breath the Industrial Revolution itself was built) that has been remastered, reengineered and reintroduced to be meaner, cleaner and more efficient than ever.
One of our local city sites, the examiner.com, published a review on the the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Thier last words… “You really should check this car out!”
Jetta’s MPG figures (as rated by the Environmental Protection Agency), coupled with EPA research concluding that if diesels were to power just one third of light duty vehicles in the USA, we’d save approximately 1.4 million barrels of oil A DAY–equal to the daily shipment from Saudi Arabia–you’d think VW might be content. But no, they went a step further with third part certifier, AMCI, who determined Jetta TDI performed 24% better in real world conditions whereby achieving 38 miles per gallon city and 44 miles per gallon highway.
Here we go again, TDI Clean Diesel is at the top. The Jetta TDI Clean Diesel placed 2nd and the Sportwagen TDI Clean Diesel placed 4th. (BTW, Greenopia, the two TDI images need to be swapped and the Sportwagen needs to be replaced with a production car shot)
But every car company tells you theirs is the greenest model EVER! (Likely story.) So how are you supposed to know what’s what? Maybe you’ve already consulted Greenopia’s Automaker Guide, which breaks it down in terms of which car companies do the best job overall for the planet.
Looks like great fun, pitting a Jetta TDI against a Toyota Prius. You can follow along with this map to see where they are and if they are swinging by your town. They are also updating a blog page at http://www.greenhuman.net with videos and more. The left side displays a list of dates and locations to supplement the map.
Social Follow