All-new 2012 Beetle starting at less than $19,000 coming to McKinney Volkswagen

Posted on 07 June 2011 by

When we revealed the all-new 2012 Beetle in April, it was love at first sight for Beetle fans. And, as it turns out, you can put a price on love: Volkswagen announced that the 2012 Beetle will have a starting MSRP of only $18,995. The all-new Beetle is an automotive icon reinvented, an agile, driver-oriented coupe that offers exceptional features and premium options, all at very competitive pricing.

Because Beetle fans love to customize their cars, the 2012 Beetle offers a host of premium features like Bluetooth® technology, slide and tilt panoramic roof, keyless access with push-button start, leather seating surfaces, and BI-XENON™ headlights and LED daytime running lights. The Beetle will also offer the new Fender® Premium Audio System, designed exclusively for Volkswagen.

The 2012 Beetle will be available in a variety of models at launch, including models with powerful and efficient 2.5L and 2.0 TSI® turbocharged engines. The forthcoming TDI® Clean Diesel Beetle will offer an estimated 40 mpg on the highway. All Beetles come with Volkswagen’s advanced Intelligent Crash Response System and all covered under the no-charge, 3-year/36,000-mile scheduled Carefree Maintenance® Program.

For more information, visit the 2012 Beetle pricing press release.

The 2012 Golf R. It’s coming. Fast.

Posted on 22 April 2011 by

Golf R

America, rejoice. Starting 2012 the Golf R will be unleashed onto the streets of the USA. Inspired by the technology and temperament of motorsport, this phenomenal car features a redesigned front fascia and unique 18-inch alloy wheels at all four corners. There’s a center-mounted dual-exhaust out back, too – a signature styling element that drives home the point that the Golf R is well, fast. And to that point, as soon as you step on the gas, the new and lighter-than-ever 256-hp, 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 4MOTION® all-wheel drive, and 6-speed manual transmission, will launch you from 0 to 62 mph in just 5.9 seconds.1

But its exterior details and what’s under the hood is only the beginning. Walk up to your Golf R and its doors will unlock as soon as you touch the door handle (assuming you’ve got your keys with you), thanks to available keyless access with push-button start. In the cockpit you’ll find dual-zone automatic climate control, bolstered sport seats with leather seating surfaces and available touchscreen navigation complete with an available nine-speaker Dynaudio® premium audio system. And don’t forget the available sunroof overhead to whip your hair around when you’re out on the open road. Plus, for the first time, the Golf R is going to be available in 2- and 4-door models, so whether you’re lugging your friends around or opening it up solo on the track, you’ll want to be one of the select few driving this hyper-tuned beast.

With limited production the Golf R is sure to be a treat, but only if you can get your hands on one. Hold tight. More updates on R, coming soon.

Sign up for e-mail updates on Golf R and other VW products.

Legal

1. Always obey local speed and traffic laws. Engine specifications and 0-to-62 time based on European-specification engine and may not apply to U.S. engine specifications and 0 to 62 time not available at time of printing.

Volkswagen Chattanooga Passes the 1500th Employee Threshold

Posted on 07 April 2011 by

First shift team in place; second shift hiring under way

Chattanooga, Tenn. — Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations announced today that the company has passed the 1500 employee mark. The 1500th employee represents the three-quarter point in the effort to hire and train the 2,000 plus employees who will build the all-new 2012 Passat. Hiring will continue through 2011 as the plant reaches full production.

“It is an exciting milestone to have hired our 1500th team member here at Volkswagen Chattanooga, but we still have long way to go, and there is still a lot of opportunity for those who want to join our team,” said Hans-Herbert Jagla, Executive Vice President of Human Resources. “We are on schedule with our hiring plan. The workforce that we have hired has been very trainable, extremely capable and most of all, passionate about the quality of their work. I am very confident that we will find these same characteristics as we continue the hiring process,” Jagla said.

Volkswagen now employs a total of 1,516 people. The production team is made up of 674 people, of which 96 percent are from Hamilton County, Tennessee. There have been a total of 75 new hire orientation classes of common core training, a process which takes place in the cutting edge Volkswagen Academy.

“Our production workforce has just produced our 500th new Passat,” said Don Jackson, president of manufacturing.  “Our training program immerses our team members in the Volkswagen Passion for Detail. The men and women that build the new Passat are producing excellent products here in Chattanooga,” Jackson said.

About Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations LLC

Volkswagen will invest $1 billion in the local economy for the Chattanooga plant and create more than 2,000 direct jobs in the region. According to independent studies, the new Volkswagen plant is expected to generate $12 billion in income growth and an additional 9,500 jobs related to the project. The Chattanooga manufacturing facility will build the all-new 2012 Passat sedan, specially designed for the North American market.

Volkswagen World Debut of 21st Century Beetle with global series of events on three continents

Posted on 07 April 2011 by

Launch of Partnership with MTV World Stage

Herndon, VA – On April 18th, Volkswagen will celebrate the global reveal of the 21st Century Beetle, marking a new chapter in the iconic vehicle’s history. The Beetle will be revealed to the public in a spectacular world debut on three continents. The reveal will begin in Shanghai, China with an exclusive MTV Sound System celebration hosted by MTV VJ’s, followed by MTV World Stage events in Berlin and New York City.

At the MTV World Stage event in New York City, presented by the 21st Century Beetle, The Black Eyed Peas will perform their most popular hits, including material from their latest album, “The Beginning.” At the Berlin MTV World Stage event, Belgian duo 2manydjs will headline and perform a DJ set at the city’s E-Werk space. The New York performance will be streamed live on www.WorldStage.MTV.com (except in the UK), with highlights later broadcast on MTV networks around the world, making it the most widely distributed World Stage event to date. Highlights from both the New York and Berlin events will also be available online.

“The Beetle is an icon of the automotive world, just like MTV is an icon of the music world. In the context of this marketing alliance, we are taking the new Volkswagen directly to customers and fans of the Volkswagen brand – and we are doing it globally,” states Luca de Meo, Director of Marketing, Volkswagen Group and Volkswagen Brand Passenger Cars. “We are certain that the car’s one-of-a-kind styling combined with the latest technology will be very well received by customers.”

The 21st Century Beetle is an automotive icon, reinvented. Its exterior reinterprets the silhouette of the famous Volkswagen Beetle, combining stylistic elements borrowed from the original coupled with the latest technology. The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle guarantees drivers a fun and unique driving experience.

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Eos, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2011 Volkswagen vehicles come standard-equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC). This is important because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.

MTV

MTV is the world’s premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile and its online hub is the leading destination for music, news and pop culture.

VW Shoot. Score. Drive. Evening with the Dallas Stars.

Posted on 30 March 2011 by

Cincopa WordPress plugin

Whoa, Black Beetle. Bam-a-lam.

Posted on 25 February 2011 by

In the first spot for The 21st Century Beetle, cutting-edge CGI creative goes entomological, creating a photo-real lush kingdom where the Black Beetle rules, runs, navigates and out performs all the other creatures.

The 2012 VW Jetta GLI partners with Fender

Posted on 25 February 2011 by

Driving the all-new performance inspired 2012 VW Jetta GLI is definitely an experience, and the Fender audio system provides the soundtrack. It’s no small honor that Fender, arguably the most iconic name in audio, partnered exclusively with Volkswagen to make sure the new line up of VWs sound as good as they drive.

The GLI already prowls the streets with a rock star attitude. With its aggressive stance, 2.0-liter, 200hp turbocharged engine, interior sticking, honeycomb grill and flashy red caliper breaks the GLI is photogenic and it knows it. And with the addition of the Fender Premium Audio System the final piece of the puzzle is in place. This nine-speaker system is specifically designed to capture the raw emotion of a live performance, making it a “face-melting” audio experience. And according to Brian Tedeschi, Fender’s Business Affairs manager, that’s a technical term.

We had Danielle Gumro catch-up and rock-out (literally) at the Chicago Auto Show with the big brains at Fender to hear the inspiration and science behind the gut-busting sound. This state-of the-art sound system was the product of over three years of research and development to bring unmatched audio clarity at high and low volume to your driving experience. In laymen’s terms this means a lot of really smart people spent a really long time making sure that this audio system is going to be better, louder and generally more “face-melting” than anything you’ve heard before.

Volkswagen: The Making of “The Force” Commercial

Posted on 22 February 2011 by

Bloopers and deleted scenes from Volkswagen’s “The Force” commercial.

In true rock star fashion the GLI causes a scene at the Chicago Auto Show.

Posted on 11 February 2011 by

On Wednesday Jonathan Browning, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, proudly unveiled the much-anticipated all-new 2012 VW Jetta GLI amidst a firework show of camera flashes. Enthusiasts rushed the car like Justin Bieber at an elementary school to get a glimpse of the details that keep so many drivers coming back for more of the GLI. The cherry red brake calipers, interior stitching, flat-bottom steering wheel, and honeycomb grill were the subject of most of the “oohs and ahhs.”

The beauty of this ride isn’t just skin-deep, the sporty 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine had real drivers chomping at the bit to get out and drive. Fast. And if the performance inspired design wasn’t enough to turn everybody’s head at the Chicago Auto Show – the Fender Audio System was.

The reveal wasn’t open to the general public, but luckily for you we know people who know people. And those people have cameras.  Check out pictures of the new Jetta GLI, and the Chicago Auto Show here.

Here it is (the GLI photo gallery). Rock it like a hurricane.

Posted on 10 February 2011 by

Yesterday the Jetta GLI rolled onto the stage at the Chicago Auto Show, but its first photos were shot months ago. So while you wait for updates from the big show, see all the Jetta GLI images here.

But before you dismiss these rock band-heavy shots as our attempt to look overly cool, (you know: picture of car next to super model, car next to waterfall, next to large hadron collider), you may want to keep this in mind:

The GLI will be the first model to feature a VW-exclusive Fender audio system. It’s a product of three years in a state-of-the-art sound lab, and, other than traveling with your own private band, it’s is as close as you get to a live performance. This particular GLI, however, seems to have both.

What you can’t see is what lies beneath the hood. The GLI is equipped with VW’s turbocharged, 2.0-Liter engine, and a host of autobahn-ready performance features. With track-tuned four-way Independent Performance Suspension, six-speed manual or optional DSG® transmission, and XDS® cross differential system, this GLI has more performance than the extended version of Freebird.

What can we say? It takes rocking seriously. More pics in the Jetta gallery, here.

This Jetta’s performance-inspired body kit and signature GLI badging are backed by optional DSG transmission, which coincidentally is also this band’s name.

This Jetta’s GTI-inspired honeycomb grill hides an award winning 2.0L, 200-hp, turbocharged engine that delivers a full 207 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1,700 rpm. It’s the VW version of speed metal.

Not all of the GLI’s safety features are as flashy as its red brake calipers. Electronic stability control, disc brakes standard, and Intelligent Crash Response System are only noticeable when it counts.

The GLI’s exclusive Fender sound system features, “lower inter-modulation distortion”, “smooth mid-range response to eliminate harshness”, and is “harmonically complex, with extended range tweeters and properly voiced 16cm speakers.” Aka: It rocks.