Follow Dean Karnazes on twitter and Ultramarathon here. Join the Facebook fan page here. Visit VW TDI Double Marathon.

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.

As ‘Diesel Dean’ Karnazes and nearly 45,000 other athletes take on the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 11, 2009, the fuel efficient and fun-to-drive 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI and all-new 2010 Golf TDI clean diesel models will also be keeping pace.

‘Volkswagen of America is proud to support Dean Karnazes, whose commitment to surpassing boundaries is an inspiration to us all,’ said Tim Ellis, VP of Marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. ”Diesel Dean’ personifies Volkswagen’s mission for TDI clean diesel technology, which offers a no compromise solution for drivers who demand fuel economy without sacrificing driving performance.’

Karnazes will start his double marathon with all of the other participating athletes from around the world, as they embark on the 26.2 mile Windy City course. Once he crosses the finish line, ‘Diesel Dean’ will then power on to run yet another 26.2 miles throughout the city. Fans will be able follow ‘Diesel Dean’s’ progress and cheer him on live at TDIDoubleMarathon.com and TDITruthandDare.com, where he will post photo and Twitter updates throughout the challenge.

‘Being able to run the Chicago Marathon, and then another marathon distance immediately after, requires just the right blend of performance and efficiency – two traits that I admire about Volkswagen and its line of TDI clean diesel vehicles, ‘ said Dean Karnazes.

Before the Marathon begins, fans can come meet Karnazes, get his autograph, have him sign copies of his bestselling books, and listen to him speak about his double marathon attempt at the Volkswagen interactive display, which will be in Booth # 437 of the Health and Fitness Expo at McCormick Place. Karnazes will be on-hand on Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 4:00pm CT, as he offers up inspirational tips and tricks and talks about his experiences as an ultra marathoner. Throughout the entire Marathon weekend, visitors can also stop by the Volkswagen interactive display to experience first-hand the latest Volkswagen models, as well as TDI clean diesel technology.

Volkswagen offers a full line of vehicles with the ready-to-go performance and fuel sipping capabilities that can only be found with TDI clean diesel technology, including: The 2010 Jetta TDI, the 2010 Jetta SportWagen TDI, the 2010 Golf TDI, and the 2010 Touareg TDI. Whether cruising along the highway, or traveling in the city, each model boasts 30 percent better fuel economy and 25 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than models with a comparable gasoline engine.

To learn about Volkswagen’s latest models with TDI clean diesel technology, and they are helping drivers go even farther, please visit the TDI Truth & Dare blog at TDITruthandDare.com. For more information on Volkswagen, please visit www.vw.com, or media.vw.com. To catch up with ultra marathoner ‘Diesel Dean’ Karnazes, please visit www.UltraMarathonMan.com.

About the Bank of America Chicago Marathon

In its 32nd year and a member of the World Marathon Majors, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon annually attracts 45,000 runners including a world class elite field and 1.5 million spectators. As a result of its national and international draw, the iconic race assists in raising $10 million for a variety of charitable causes while generating an estimated $143 million economic impact to its host city.

The 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will start and finish in Chicago’s Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11. In advance of the race, a two-day Health & Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10. More information on the race is available at the event Web site, www.chicagomarathon.com.

- Volkswagen of America, Inc.

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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.

‘Volkswagen believes that clean diesel offers drivers a high-mileage, fuel efficient vehicle without compromising on great performance,’ said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing, Volkswagen of America. ‘TDI Truth & Dare will engage consumers in conversation while it educates them about the clean diesel facts and how well our TDI family compares against competitive alternative fuel offerings.’

TDI Truth & Dare will approach Truths and Dares with several distinct offerings, including Tank Wars and two diesel applications, Diesel Finder and Savings Calculator:

Tank Wars – The ultimate MPG challenge where Volkswagen dares consumers to reach or surpass the Guinness World Record of 58 miles per gallon set in September 2008 by a Volkswagen Jetta TDI driven by John and Helen Taylor. Using only a Facebook account and their Volkswagen TDI, consumers will join a high mileage community and report on their MPG achievements, which will be shown on a live leaderboard.

Diesel Finder attacks the myth that diesel is hard find. There are over 60,000 diesel filling stations around the United States. Truth. This application will use your location to find the closest ultra-low-sulfur clean diesel filling stations and the best prices. It will even give you directions helping you get there more efficiently.

Savings Calculator attacks the myth that green cars are more expensive. With Savings Calculator, visitors can put a Volkswagen TDI up against competitive models for a side-by-side comparison of miles per gallon, cost per mile, annual fuel cost, carbon emissions and miles per tank to see how much money can be saved by driving a TDI.

The blog forum will be updated continuously throughout the year to keep the content fresh and engaging for the community.

In addition to TDI Truth & Dare, Volkswagen today also 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 Bus who calls upon Volkswagen’s tradition and heritage while, for the first time in an advertising campaign, directly calls out the competition on hot topics 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.

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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.

 
‘Meet the Volkswagens’ will help to increase the familiarity of our growing product line, while bringing awareness to the true value of owning a Volkswagen,’ said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing at Volkswagen of America. ‘We will build our case by sharing facts about real issues that customers care about, debunking myths and doing it in a tongue-in-cheek and entertaining way that is uniquely Volkswagen.’
 
The ‘Meet the Volkswagens’ campaign, developed with partner Crispin Porter + Bogusky, is comprised of five 30-second spots set in a neighborhood of modernist homes designed by the late Joseph Eichler. Each stylish spot will showcase a key Volkswagen model along with Max and/or the new BUS having conversations with the neighbors about competitive models as compared to Volkswagens. This is the first time Volkswagen will use a campaign to directly address its competition. Conversations will focus on key models including the clean diesel Jetta TDI, CC, Tiguan and Routan, as well as Volkswagen’s new Carefree Maintenance program offering no-charge scheduled maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles.
 
Actor Thomas Haden Church voices the BUS throughout the campaign series. Best known for roles on the TV sitcom Wings, 2007’s Spiderman 3 and his Academy Award Nomination for the 2004 hit Sideways, Church’s vocal qualities landed him in radio before becoming a success in film and on television. ‘I was excited by the chance to work with an iconic brand like Volkswagen and to develop my character to help make the campaign fun and irreverent,’ said Church.
 
‘Meet the Volkswagens’ is the latest extension of Volkswagen’s DAS AUTO brand campaign launched in 2008, which introduced the world to Max, the iconic, quirky, talking 1964 black Beetle. The addition of BUS in the new installment is designed to play on the tradition and feel-good nature of the brand while at the same time, educating consumers.
 
‘We’ve drawn upon more traditional values and imagery for this campaign, particularly in the given economic climate. We want the people to know how well Volkswagen meets the needs of today’s drivers and families, especially when it comes to value, safety and reliability,’ added Ellis.
 
In addition to the ‘Meet the Volkswagens’ ads, Volkswagen also launches today its first true consumer blog forum called TDI Truth & Dare. Through the forum, Volkswagen will educate its visitors on the truth about clean diesel technology using real facts while also daring them to get involved in the alternative fuel discussion.   The site will feature fun videos, blog content on the subject of clean fuel, a high mileage driving competition for Facebook users called ‘Tank Wars,’ and a ‘diesel finder’ and ‘savings calculator’ application.

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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.

The Jetta TDI Cup car is powered by a 2.0-liter, 170 hp, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, double-clutch, automatic DSG transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with Pirelli racing tires, race suspension and brake components, drivers racing safety seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher system. Series sponsors include: Pirelli, Bosch, ViON, Castrol, Oakley, Red Bull, HYPERFUELS, Aggreko, defNder, Safety-Kleen, Ringer Gloves, Jim Russell Racing School and Trellis Earth.
 
What sets the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup apart from other racing series?
 

• The series is the only clean diesel racing series in the United States, and Volkswagen is the only auto manufacturer participating in motorsports full time with diesel powered cars.
• The TDI (turbo direct injection) engine technology improves fuel economy over gasoline engines and reduces sooty emissions by 95 percent, even under demanding race conditions. The series’ will consume approximately two tanks of fuel during races this season.
• The Jetta TDI Cup features a product that consumers can buy at their local dealerships.
• Cars are maintained by Volkswagen of America, which creates a level playing field for all drivers.

Syndiesel® B5 biofuel to power the series for the first time in 2009
 
After first introducing its clean diesel technology on the race track in 2008, Volkswagen is using Syndiesel® B5 biofuel provided by Houston-based HYPERFUELS to power its race cars, transport vehicles and generators during the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup season.
 
Performance testing has proven that diesel powered vehicles offer more low-end torque than traditional gasoline engines, providing quicker off-the-line acceleration that’s well suited for the race track. In addition, the Jetta TDI engine’s use of a ‘common rail’ direct injection system improves fuel economy over gasoline engines and reduces sooty emissions by 95 percent, even under demanding race conditions. During the 2009 season, the Jetta TDI Cup cars will consume approximately two tanks of fuel during race conditions and overall carbon emissions produced by the series will be reduced by 2,583 pounds as a result of the new fuel.
 
VW race shop located at VIR
 
In the spring of 2008, Volkswagen established VIR as its Jetta TDI Cup headquarters by moving in to its 10,000 square foot race shop, located in the motorsports industrial park area at the track. A team of eight shop employees as well as students from Virginia Tech University spend countless hours in the facility preparing the Jetta TDIs for competition.
 
Volkswagen chose VIR after conducting its 2008 preseason testing at the track. At that point, the decision was made to locate the new series’ shop at the track because of its facilities and the proximity to Volkswagen’s U.S. headquarters in Herndon, Va.
 
Virginia Tech students earn their racing stripes with the Jetta TDI Cup
 
There’s no better experience than on-the-job training, which is why nearly 20 engineering students from Virginia Tech University are taking part in the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup season. The students will b providing technical support at Volkswagen’s race shop at VIR and on the road at the series’ 10 race events. During the season, twelve students will travel to each race and work alongside the series technicians.
 
The students have a variety of backgrounds and expertise in engineering, but all have the desire to enter the world of motorsports engineering. This program allows them to gain experience in a professional setting.
 
No place like home –three drivers hail from Virginia
 
Three Jetta TDI Cup rookie drivers reside in Virginia:
 
Devin Cates (Broad Run, VA) – Cates honed his skills racing karts on a 1/8-mile oval beginning at age five, and he has been competing in various NASA and SCCA Camaro-Mustang Challenge and Spec Miata events since 2006. In 2008, he scored one win, seven podiums and four pole positions in Spec Miata races and finished fourth out of 91 competitors in the NASA Mid Atlantic Regional Championship. Cates is finishing his freshman year as a business major at Virginia Commonwealth University.
 
Ryan Ellis (Ashburn, VA) – Ellis is a third-generation racecar driver who began competing in quarter midgets at age four and compiled more than 100 feature race wins. He then advanced into INEX Legends cars where he claimed the Virginia State Championship in 2006. In 2008, he competed in the NASA Mid Atlantic Spec Miata Challenge series where he finished second in the championship standings and was named the NASA Mid Atlantic ‘Driver of the Year.’ Ellis is completing his freshman year as a business marketing major at George Mason University.
 
Donny Warren (Winchester, VA) – Warren began his racing career at age 12 and finished third in his first road course karting event. Since then, he has won two WKA Grand National Championships, a WKA Daytona World Championship, 15 Regional Series Championships and two WKA National Road Racing Series Championships.
 
Recap of the 2008 race at VIR
 
Last season’s race at VIR was won by Mark Pombo who is competing in the series again in 2009. Pombo took the checkered flag after leading the final two laps of the race. The 2008 series championship was won by Josh Hurley who is competing in the Grand-Am Koni Challenge series, driving a Volkswagen GTI for APR Motorsport.
 
Pombo looks to repeat in 2009
 
The winner of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup’s inaugural race at VIR remembers the 2008 season as one of the most rewarding, yet frustrating seasons he’s experienced in his motorsports career.
 
“I’ve been racing in regional events since age five, but last year was my first professional racing experience. I had a blast racing in the series, but a few small mistakes cost me the championship,” said Pombo. “Volkswagen has worked extremely hard to make this series a great value for the participating drivers while assuring that there’s a great deal of parity among the cars. The on-track results really come down to driver skill, which unfortunately isn’t the case in all forms of motorsports.”
 
After taking the checkered flag at the first event, an on-track incident in Round three at Portland International Raceway left the Duluth, Ga. native with a 26th-place finish that cost him valuable points, which he battled to make up the remainder of the season. Nonetheless, Pombo is making a return to the series in 2009 and intends to improve on his third-place finish in the championship standings. He also hopes to start this season with a win at VIR, the same way he did in 2008.
 
“Last year’s race at VIR was a lot of fun because it was the first race for the series. So, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the event, and all of the drivers were anxious to get on the track together for the first time,’ said Pombo. ‘I ran what I considered to be a conservative race, and observed some aggressive racing going on in front of me. I had a feeling that they were going to have problems, so I just wanted to put myself in a position to capitalize on their mistakes if the opportunity presented itself. Late in the race, they made contact, and the race fell right in my lap. While you never like to hope for other people’s misfortune, it was great to be able to win the Jetta TDI Cup’s first race.”
 
Drivers with past experience at VIR
 
In addition to the drivers who participated in the Jetta TDI Cup event at VIR in 2008, several of the series rookies have also competed at the circuit including Devin Cates, Ryan Ellis and AJ Nealey. Ellis and Nealey have both found victory lane at the track in other series.
 
Volkswagen’s Campbell looks for further series growth in 2009
 
‘Last season, we concentrated on launching the Jetta TDI Cup series and getting our systems and processes in place. This year, we’re really trying to build on this by increasing the awareness of the series and the benefits of clean diesel technology,’ said Clark Campbell, motorsports manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. ‘I think I’m just as excited as the drivers to drop the green flag on the season. We have a great group of drivers this season, and it will be interesting to see how our returning drivers match up with our new competitors.’
 
Pirelli joins the Jetta TDI Cup series as the official tire supplier
 
Late in 2008, Volkswagen announced that Pirelli would be joining the series in 2009 as the official tire supplier for the series. Pirelli’s  participation  in the Jetta TDI Cup is an important component in the continuation of the Pirelli Group’s goal of creating more ‘eco-compatible’ products, supporting more ‘green’ projects and taking an active role in responsible eco-education through this series and through collaboration between Pirelli’s Silvio Tronchetti Provera Foundation and the universities and companies it partners with.

‘Pirelli is very excited to be the exclusive tire supplier to the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, the world’s only carbon-free racing series,’ said Rafael Navarro, Pirelli Tire North America’s Director of Motorsport and Media Communications.‘This series is a very important part of our motorsport growth in North America as it provides a platform to introduce young developing talent to our brand while reducing the impact motorsport has on the environment. Having the ability to support young talent in their progression in racing is one of the hallmarks of over a century of Pirelli motorsport heritage.’
 
Jetta TDI named ‘Green Car of the Year’
 
The 2009 Jetta TDI clean diesel was recently named the 2009 ‘Green Car of the Year®’ by Green Car Journal. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the Jetta TDI at an economical 30 mpg City, and 41 mpg Highway. Volkswagen went a step further to evaluate the real world fuel economy of the Jetta TDI. Leading third-party certifier, AMCI, tested the Jetta TDI and found it performed 24 percent better in real world conditions, achieving 38 mpg in the City and 44 mpg on the Highway.
 
 ‘The Volkswagen Jetta TDI rose to the top as Green Car Journal’s 2009 ‘Green Car of the Year’ for some very important reasons,’ said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com. ‘Hybrids have dominated the discussion of environmentally positive vehicles in recent years. The highly fuel efficient, 50 state emissions certified Jetta TDI shows that advanced clean diesel has arrived and is poised to change this dynamic. With its affordable price point, refined ride and handling, and high fuel economy, the Jetta TDI shows that hybrids now have a strong competitor in the marketplace.’
 
Follow the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series action on: www.vwmotorsportusa.com  
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/JettaTDICup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/VWJettaTDICup

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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.

edmunds via tdicurious

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