Space, pace, and environmental credentials that even before its official UK showroom debut have already secured it a prestigious ‘green’ award: the new Volkswagen Passat GTE is calculated to offer drivers the very best of all worlds.

A winner in the Large Family Car class in the recent Next Green Car Awards even before its showroom debut here, the new Passat GTE is available to order today (02/08/16) through the Volkswagen UK retailer network with prices starting at £36,525 (RRP OTR), excluding Government Plug-In Car Grant of £2,500.

The first Passat with a state-of-the-art plug-in hybrid drive system, the innovative new car offers spirited performance alongside the possibility of zero emissions when driving in all-electric mode.

Available in saloon or estate body styles, the most environmentally responsible Passat to date emits just 39g of CO2 on the EU Combined Cycle, equating to fuel economy of 166 mpg.  Yet with 400 Nm of torque and combined system power of 218 PS, the new car can sprint from rest to 62 mph in a lively 7.6 seconds before heading to a top speed of 140 mph, where legal. The potential range between refuelling stops is more than 660 miles.

The Passat GTE is a plug-in hybrid that can be driven up to 31 miles on electric power alone in E-Mode.  A 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine delivers 156 PS, while the electric motor adds a further 115 PS.  Underlining its engaging performance capabilities, the electric motor alone can provide up to 330 Nm of torque from near-standstill.

A specially developed six-speed DSG gearbox is standard on the Passat GTE and features a third, disengagement clutch.  This decouples the TSI motor whenever possible, to allow the vehicle to make best use of kinetic energy and hence increases efficiency still further.

Building on the already elegant lines of the new Passat – voted European Car of the Year 2015 - the Passat GTE is distinguished outside by distinctive C-shaped LED daytime running lights and an additional blue line across the radiator grille: design cues which are shared with the award-winning Golf GTE.  A redesigned front bumper and 18-inch alloy wheels also mark out the new car.

Inside, in addition to the optional innovative Active Info Display with specific customised read-outs, standard features include blue ambient lighting, a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel with blue decorative stitching, GTE-specific gear knob with blue stitching and seats covered in Alcantara with Vienna leather side bolsters.  Unique GTE badging also marks out the new Passat.

Bristling with innovative and engaging new technology, the new Passat GTE boasts Volkswagen’s new Car-Net e-Remote app which allows a wide variety of tasks – including charging – to be controlled via smartphone.  All climate control functions can be also activated remotely, while information on the vehicle’s state of charge, recent driving data or last parking position can be displayed.  It is also possible to check whether the doors are closed and the lights turned off.

The Passat GTE’s electric motor develops maximum torque of 330 Nm and offers continuous torque of 170 Nm.  The 1.4-litre direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine is as sophisticated as the electric motor and drivetrain.  This four-valve per cylinder unit from the EA211 engine family uses an ultra-rigid die-cast aluminium crankcase.  Maximum power of 156 PS comes at 5,000 rpm, and maximum torque of 250 Nm is on offer between 1,500 rpm and 3,500 rpm.

Under normal circumstances, the Passat GTE starts in pure electric E-Mode. When it reaches minimum battery charge hybrid mode is activated. Here the Passat GTE operates as a full hybrid, charging the battery under deceleration and automatically using the TSI motor and/or electric motor as required.  However, should the driver wish to conserve electric power (for example to use E-Mode in a city at the end of a journey), Battery Charge mode can be selected.  For maximum power, GTE mode can be chosen: this uses both petrol and electric motors.

The car’s lithium-ion battery is fitted in the floor area of the rear seat bench. Comprising eight modules of 12 cells each, it creates a nominal voltage of 360 V and power of 9.9 kWh, with a peak output of 85 kW.  The high-voltage battery is overseen electronically by the Battery Management Controller, which manages various functions including the battery’s liquid cooling system.

Charging is achieved either via a standard UK domestic mains outlet in around four hours and 15 minutes; or in two hours 30 minutes from a dedicated wallbox with a 3.6 kW supply.

The Passat GTE comes in two highly specified trim levels in the UK.  On top of the standard features of the Passat GT (such as Adaptive Cruise Control with Front Assist and City Emergency Braking, Discover Navigation, Bluetooth and parking sensors), standard items include LED headlights and tail lights, Mode 2&3 charging cables and Car-Net e-Remote.  Standard items on the GTE Advance trim also include the new Active Info Display, Discover Pro navigation (eight-inch screen), Nappa leather, Area View and LED premium headlights.

Despite its extra technology and revised styling, dimensions of the Passat GTE match those of the standard Passat, including boot volume (402-968 litres for the saloon and 483-1613 litres for the estate).

Judges in the Next Green Car Awards said of the Volkswagen: “Volkswagen’s Passat is an excellent large family car that performs well in every area. Add to it the plug-in hybrid powertrain that effortlessly provides drive for all situations and the Passat GTE becomes a dominant model in the large family class.”  

The new Volkswagen Passat GTE, in saloon or estate form, is available to order on 2 August, with first registrations due in August. 

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

The Volkswagen Beetle is a genuine motoring icon.  It’s one of a handful of cars that, in the 20th Century, brought motoring to the masses as more than 20 million examples of the original Beetle were sold around the world.  And when it was reborn in 1998 as the New Beetle, a further million sales brought the Beetle’s distinctive character to a new generation. 

In 2011 the ‘New’ moniker was dropped and the Beetle comprehensively redesigned.  Its new shape was lower and wider, with a longer bonnet, and the Beetle’s more sporting and masculine stance captured the world’s imagination all over again.

Now, this latest iteration of perhaps the best loved Volkswagen is being refreshed, with changes that include a more sculptured body and a fresh interior design.  The styling enhancements and new options further enrich the appeal and value that is inherent in Volkswagen’s Beetle range, which is available in coupe and cabriolet forms and, with the new Beetle Dune, as a crossover.

The styling changes comprise sharpened lines for the front bumpers, while larger openings around the indicator and fog light surrounds give extra depth to the car’s appearance.  Meanwhile, the new Beetle R-Line trim has a more sporty bumper design unique to that model.  It features extra air intake openings along the upper edge of the bumper.

On the inside, the Volkswagen Beetle’s distinctive cabin has brighter instrument panel lighting and new dials and dash styling for the Design and R-Line models.  New upholstery materials bring further styling options.

In the new range the Beetle R-Line replaces the previous Sport trim level.  The R-Line will be available with Volkswagen’s powerful 2.0-litre TDI 150 PS diesel engine and a choice of either six-speed manual or six-speed DSG transmission.

The new Beetle R-Line also boasts sports suspension, 18-inch ‘Twister’ alloy wheels, and the unique new R-Line bumper.  It is also available with a new alloy wheel design, the 18-inch ‘Ashmie Adamantium’, at no extra cost. 

Whichever wheels are chosen, the sporty finish of the Beetle R-Line is enhanced further with a body-coloured rear diffuser and chromed twin exhausts.  And the R-Line’s exterior styling is developed with gloss black door mirrors and door protectors.  Of course an R-Line specification Beetle wouldn’t be complete without a rear tailgate spoiler.

Clearly Volkswagen’s designers have worked diligently to enhance the external look of the modern Beetle but, inside the car, the traditional Volkswagen driver-focused design remains.  In the R-Line this starts with ‘Sports’ instrument dials, while the pedals are trimmed in aluminium and the scuff plates feature the distinctive R-Line logo. 

The quality of the interior is evidenced by the leather-trimmed three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, which has an R-Line badge insert and coloured stitching too.  The seats are finished in ‘Kyalami’ cloth and the R-Line badge is resplendent in the headrests.  Height and lumbar adjustment add to the comfort of the seats.

Finally, 2Zone climate control with automatic air recirculation, ambient lighting, front and rear parking sensors and cruise control increase the technology that is standard on the Beetle R-Line.

In addition to the debut of the R-Line trim, a new option pack is available for the Beetle Design.  The Black Style Pack includes 17-inch ‘Rotor’ black alloy wheels and a black painted roof.  The air intake grille is also coloured black, as are the outside decorative trim stripes.  The protective side moulding is painted black and has a chromed strip, while the wing mirror housing is painted black.  All of this extra equipment costs just £625¹. 

The Beetle of course has a wide array of personalisation options to match the individual customer’s choice.  Outside, two new pearlescent-effect colours are available: ‘Bottle Green’ and ‘White Silver’. The interior colours can also be changed, with the dash centre console and steering wheel inserts of the Design trim now being offered in a choice of Sandstorm Yellow, Tornado Red, Habanero Orange or Pure White for £125. 

Interior lighting colour, too, can be changed depending on customer preference, when the ‘Fender’ premium sound pack is purchased (£545).  It also includes eight-speakers and a subwoofer.  The body style of the Volkswagen Beetle is particularly receptive to changes in the wheel design.  For the daring, there is now even the option of fitting 17-inch ‘Orbit’ wheels in red: a £100 option on the Beetle Design.

Recently the Beetle range was extended to include the rugged Beetle Dune, too.  This charismatic new Volkswagen harks back to the famous Beetle dune buggies that roamed the West Coast of America in the 1960s and 1970s, and Dune models also benefit from the upgrades.

For more details on all the cars in the Volkswagen Beetle range, together with brochures and pricing and to use Volkswagen’s online configurator, please visit www.volkswagen.co.uk

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Every single Golf GTI Clubsport S model allocated to the UK market has been sold on release of the new car.

Only 400 examples of the Golf GTI Clubsport S will be built, of which the lion’s share (150) will come to the UK – a country where the enduring popularity of the hot hatchback is unmatched anywhere else in the world.  Deliveries of these limited edition cars are expected to begin in early October.

The Clubsport S is the ultimate expression of the legendary Golf GTI.  The front-wheel-drive car’s 2.0-litre TSI engine packs 310 PS, enabling a blistering 7m 49.21 s record lap time around the gruelling Nürburgring Nordschleife back in May.

The Golf GTI Clubsport S is focused on outright performance.  It weighs 1,285 kg, resulting in a strong power-to-weight ratio of 4.15 kg/PS.  A revised fuel pump is only one example of how comprehensively this car has been evolved but of greater significance is the weight reduction compared with the Golf GTI on which this car is based.  Features such as an aluminium subframe on the front axle and aluminium brake covers illustrate the Wolfsburg engineers’ commitment to shedding the kilograms.

Continuing that theme, a smaller battery, along with the removal of components such as insulating material, the variable luggage compartment floor, the parcel shelf, floor mats and the bonnet damping have together pushed the weight tally down further.  Finally, fitting the car with a manual transmission and removing the rear seats completes the comprehensive weight-saving programme.

That weight reduction contributes to the incredible performance of the Golf GTI Clubsport S.  Standstill to 62 mph is reached in 5.8 seconds, and the top speed, where the law permits, is 164 mph.  It packs a torque figure of 380 Nm between 1,850 and 5,700 rpm, with maximum power available between 5,800 and 6,500 rpm.

To transfer this performance to the road and track are four 235/35 ZR Michelin tyres, which are mounted on 19-inch ’Pretoria’ alloy wheels.  The handling of the car can be adjusted by the driver thanks to Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC). DCC makes it possible to achieve the optimum response to driving conditions.  Comfort, Normal and Race modes are available, as well as a special ‘Nürburgring’ option that further modifies the suspension, sound, engine and steering parameters.

The Golf GTI Clubsport S features race-derived heated bucket seats to connect driver and car.  The character of the Clubsport S engulfs the driver through sound as well as feel thanks to a new exhaust system.  The diameter ahead of the tailpipes is 65 mm instead of 55 mm, which reduces backpressure and increases performance.  The side effect is the atmospheric backfire produced when decelerating.

This very special Golf has a recommended retail price of £33,995 on-the-road.  Three colours are offered: ‘Tornado Red’, ‘Pure White’ and ‘Deep Black’.  Air conditioning is available as a no-cost option, its inclusion adding around 10 kg to the lightweight car.  CO2 emissions for the Clubsport S are 172 g/km and its economy on the combined cycle is 38.1 mpg*.

The Clubsport S joins the Clubsport Edition 40 in the GTI line-up – also a special edition to celebrate the GTI’s 40th birthday.  It boasts 265 PS – 45 PS more than the standard GTI – with an overboost function to take power up temporarily to 290 PS, and is priced from £30,935 RRP on-the road.  Both Clubsport versions of the Golf GTI share DNA with the successful Golf GTI TCR racing car that was launched at the start of the year.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Volkswagen delivers an industry-leading performance in the new car ‘best buy’ categories of prominent independent UK consumer body Which?.

The 2016 Which? Car Guide, published today, puts no fewer than four Volkswagen models top of their respective classes based on a combination of independent lab and road tests carried out by the Which? team, plus owner feedback gathered through the annual Which? Car Survey.

Among the Volkswagen models named as ‘best buys’ are two of the brand’s electric models: the e-up! and the e-Golf.  Scooping the best buy in the City Car class is the diminutive e-up! while the e-Golf’s performance in the Medium Car class led the experts at Which? to declare of it: “All the brilliance of a Golf, but battery powered.”

Another class-leading Golf is the SV, which takes the MPV best buy honours in the 2016 guide.  The family-focused car is characterised as offering “all the benefits of a Golf and more; a fine five seater”.  Meanwhile the capacious and practical new Passat Estate is the German brand’s final category leader in the 2016 Car Guide.  It secured a ‘best buy’ in the Estate Car class, with Which? declaring of it: “A consummate all-rounder. [It] blends estate versatility with the upmarket image of a premium German saloon.”

In his foreword to the 2016 publication, Which? Cars Editor Nic Shaw writes: “The 2016 Which? Car Guide is your guide to the very best cars you can buy based on our expert impartial tests, plus reliability and satisfaction data from the UK’s largest survey of car owners.”  

Which? is today the largest consumer body in the UK with more than 1.4 million members and supporters.

Welcoming the ringing endorsement for four of the brand’s models Director of Volkswagen UK, Alison Jones, said: “It’s great to see such a broad spectrum of new Volkswagen cars praised in this independent guide.

“But, just as encouragingly, it is two of our new breed of electric cars – the e-up! and the e-Golf – that are singled out for praise in their respective classes.

“Volkswagen has a clear strategy to develop and extend its e-mobility offering over the years ahead, and to see that we are already leading the way so successfully is very encouraging.”  

For more details of the entire Volkswagen range, please log on to www.volkswagen.co.uk and to find out more about the brand’s range of pure electric and hybrid models, visit http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/electric-vehicles

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk