According to the announcement, the Design Vision GTI was made by Volkswagen’s Head of Design Klaus Bischoff and his team, which gave the vehicle a boost inside and out, tossing 20-inch wheels and an autonomous body into the mix. Power is substantially increased from the standard Performance model’s 230 horsepower to 503 horsepower/6500rpm, giving a 186mph top speed.

Such power enables the Design Vision GTI to hit 62mph in a reported 3.9-seconds, a speed that demands carbon-ceramic brake discs behind wheels specially designed with vents to let the brake gas dissipate. There’s a DSG dual-clutch transmission and 3.0-liter V6 TSI direct-injection engine, a step up from the standard 2.0-liter four cylinder offering.

Inside, drivers find a design meant to make driving a simple task, allowing hands to stay on the wheel as often as possible. There are paddle shifters, center console controls, and three drive modes: Track, Sport, and Street. In addition, there is also an electric kill switch and a button that triggers a fire extinguisher. Finally, in the center console the designers tossed in a real-time updated display with a map of the racing track with other racers’ positions.

[via Volkswagen]

The Jetta GLI, Beetle turbo, and 2013 Beetle are all going to be updated with a Gen 3 EA888 engine, which is a 4-cylinder 2-liter turbocharged engine that offers drivers 210 horsepower, a small boost over the current 200-horsepower offering. With the new engine, these vehicles will also see a (very) slight increase in their mileage ratings, to the tune of between 1 and 2 MPG. Not a huge increase, but like all things it’ll add up in the long-haul.

Although the cars will get better mileage than the current models, the updated MPG won’t be advertised on the 2013 models, instead being rolled out to the 2014 models after the government okay’s the figures. Looking at the current models, the Jetta GLI is rated at 24MPG in the city, and the Beetle turbo is rated at 22MPG in the city. So for the updated models, we’ll be seeing something like 24MPG and 26MPG, respectively.

Volkswagen says it will be rolling out R-Line bumpers on the Beetles, with coupe model offering a 6-speed transmission and a starting price of $30,135. The Jetta GLI will be seeing the addition of LED tail lights on all of its models. Consumers can also expect to see new rear bumpers, 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and more. No mention of the dates when the new vehicles will hit dealerships.

[via USA Today]

In an effort to engage the younger generation once more, Volkswagen’s new “iBeetle” will be working with a phone dock that appears above the dash, ready for your next-generation iPhone. And just incase you were wondering – yes, Apple is in on the release.

With the iBeetle you’ll be seeing Apple releasing some car apps created specifically for the vehicle. Extra instrumentation viewing and control, connections wirelessly for both control and sound, and a new app that sends “digital postcards” of your location based on GPS information. Unlike many other in-car infotainment systems we’ve been seeing of late, this system is wholly dependent on the iPhone.

This system is said to be working in the near future with a set of Apple-made (in collaboration with VW) applications that are as follows:

• Live reading of social networking messages (likely Siri-related)
• Car data readouts for g-force, oil temperature, coolant temperature, compass, timer
• Data for time, distance, fuel in relation to one-another
• Instant photo transmission when app is activated
• Spotify – it’s unclear at the moment how this differs from the basic Spotify app

This vehicle will very likely change the way we see the car industry as far as how important a specific smartphone or tablet is to the vehicles being produced. Never before has a manufacturer placed such specific reliance on a single device before! At least in the past, they didn’t name the car after the smartphone, that’s for sure!

[via USA Today]

In its broadcast, CCTV accused Apple of cheating Chinese consumers on their warranty, as well as offering Chinese customers different customer service policies compared to its policies offered in every other country. Apple is also accused of ignoring China’s laws in its practices. CCTV also attacked Volkswagen for selling error-filled cars in China. Volkswagen’s cars in China have been equipped with “substandard direct-shift gearbox systems” that resulted in acceleration mishaps and car accidents to an “unspecified” amount of drivers.

Apple responded with, “Our team is always striving to exceed our customers’ expectations, and we take any customer concerns very seriously.” Volkswagen responded with, “We will spare no effort to make improvement in the future,” and that it plans on fixing the gearbox systems in its vehicles in China. Apple and Volkswagen are both working hard to fix the problems described by CCTV. China is a major market for both companies, especially for Apple, who has over 17,000 stores and resellers in the country.

CCTV has a great deal of influence on companies and consumers in China. When the TV program made a broadcast on the quality of chicken provided by Yum Brands Inc.’s KFC stores, the company saw a 6% decline in sales during its 4th quarter. The company had then revamped its practices, and made a public apology. When CCTV launched an investigation on a database-marketing unit, named Dun & Bradstreet Corp., about its illegal practices, the company was fined 1 million yuan ($160,640), and 4 of its executives were sentenced to 2 years in prison.

[via The Wall Street Journal]

The XL1 is a two-seater, and located in the back is a 48 horsepower, two-cylinder diesel engine connected to an electric system that you can plug in to charge. Volkswagen claims that the XL1 can do 100mph and can go from 0-60 in about 12 seconds, which obviously isn’t anything to be proud of from a gearhead’s perspective, but if you’re getting over 250 miles per gallon, everything else just seems insignificant.

The engine is connected to a 7-speed transmission, as well as a 5.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. In total, the car weighs just 1,752 lbs., which is about half the weight of a typical American midsize sedan. On electricity alone, the XL1 can travel 31 miles before needing a juice boost, while a single gallon of disel fuel can last over 250 miles.

However, here comes the bad news. Volkswagen will only be making 250 XL1s for now, but there’s always the possibility of ramping up production if sales go well. However, you’ll have to lay down over 100,000 euros ($130,000 USD) before you can drive one home. Then again, it’s not the prettiest car in the word, but the Lambo doors sure do look pretty.

[via Wired]

The GTD gets a two-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces 184 hp and 280 pound-foot of torque. The Golf GTI that Americans can purchase has a gasoline-powered four-cylinder engine producing 200 hp and 207 pound-foot of torque. The GTD has a top speed of 143 mph according to Volkswagen.

Despite having rather impressive performance for a small, diesel-powered car, VW claims that the GTD is capable of 56 mpg on the highway when fitted with a manual transmission or 50 mpg with the automatic. There is no indication of mileage rating in the city. Those mileage ratings are figured in European methods, so in the US the ratings will be significantly lower.

USA Today figures you can subtract 25% from those ratings and be pretty close to what the US MPG rating for the vehicle might be. That would work out to approximately 42 mpg on the highway for the manual and about 38 mpg on highway for the automatic. There’s no indication of pricing for the GTD or when exactly it will hit dealer showrooms.

[via USA Today]

Samsung ended up going all out this year for their Super Bowl ad, taking up a full two minutes of airtime, costing them around $16 million after it was all said and done. Actors Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, as well as NBA all-star LeBron James made appearances in the commercial, and discussed some ideas on what Samsung’s “next big thing” could be. BlackBerry (formerly known as RIM) aired their first-ever Super Bowl ad, spending a few million dollars on an ad showing off the new BlackBerry Z10, which according to the ad, will light you on fire, so be careful.

Best Buy ended up airing their own Super Bowl ad as well, and it features SNL alum and Parks & Recreation star Amy Poehler, who is pretty much the most adorable and funniest woman in show business right now, so we have to give it up for Best Buy for pulling off such a cute and witty ad.

We knew GoDaddy would make an appearance at the Super Bowl, as they do every year, but this time they aired two ads, one featuring the typical sexy theme that you know and love, and then there was an ad that actually wasn’t that bad. The company advertised their .co domain names, and the ad rings true of anyone with an original idea these days.

As far as the automotive commercials, it was a hit or miss mostly. Audi’s “Prom” ad was probably our favorite one out of the bunch, with Dodge’s “Paul Harvey” commercial at a close second. Other car ads included VW’s semi-racist Jamaican ad, Hyundai’s adorable “Team” ad featuring kids with super powers, Kia’s “Hotbots” ad, Mercedes-Benz with their celebrity-filled commercial (as well as one featuring Kate Upton), Lincoln’s Jimmy Fallon ad and “Phoenix” teaser, and an awkward Toyota ad featuring Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco.

Movie trailers were also hot stuff during Super Bowl commercial breaks. The Iron Man 3 trailer caught our eye the most, with Star Trek: Into Darkness also showing off a quick teaser for us. World War Z also made a quick appearance, and we also saw an extended teaser for Johnny Depp’s upcoming movie, The Lone Ranger.

Now we want to hear what you think. We know not every ad this year was amazing, and some were iffy at best. What was your favorite commercial from the Super Bowl? Which tech company blew it out of the park? Which one could’ve been better? What suggestions would you make to the creators of the ads? Sound off in the comments below!

They’re piped through the Fender audio system, as is the front-passenger entertainment kit. That centers on a 10.2-inch touchscreen with 3D navigation, while touch-sensitive keys control HVAC. Volkswagen even changes the color-scheme of its dashboard lighting depending on whether you’re in Eco or Sport mode, the illumination switching between blue and red accordingly.

It’s what’s under the hood that’s likely most important, however, for Volkswagen’s mid-sized SUV plans in North America. A combination of the new Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) front and rear suspension, and the 190HP TDI Clean Diesel engine, paired with the twin electric motors pushing out 133 lb-ft at the front and 199 lb-ft at the rear, and a Li-Ion battery hidden in the center tunnel, the company says there’s a good chance they’ll show up in future SUVs.

Unsurprisingly, there are compromises to be made in full-electric mode. As well as the paucity of range, Volkswagen limits the CrossBlue’s top speed to 75mph (from 127mph when the diesel engine is active), and you only get rear-wheel drive. Should the power run out, the diesel engine kicks in automatically. On the flip-side, it’s possible to run the CrossBlue solely on the TDI engine, or in an Offroad setting Volkwagen calls “propshaft by wire” where, with the front wheels driven by the diesel plant, the front electric motor is repurposed as a generator to power the rear motor, allowing for all-wheel drive even if the batteries are depleted.

If it makes it to showrooms, Volkswagen says the production CrossBlue would likely have a trio of seats in the middle row, making for seven altogether. The eye-catching 21-inch alloys would probably get smaller, too. No word on when that might happen, nor how much it would be, though the company predicts it would fall in-between the Tiguan (from $23k) and the Touareg (from $43k).

At the show Volkswagen showed off three special edition Beetle Convertible models, including one called 50s that is black on the outside, and tan on the inside. A version called 60s has two-tone seats and denim blue paint. The final special version was called 70s and was toffee brown on the outside with chrome disc wheels.

The special editions are more than just car show eye candy and will all be available when the new Beetle Convertible goes on sale next month. The vehicle will start at $25,790. The Beetle Convertible is available with a black or brown top and the top goes down in 9.5 seconds using power assist. The top to be operated at speeds of up to 31 mph.

The Beetle Convertible will be offered with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission for base models. Optional engines will include a two-liter turbo four and a two-liter diesel promising 41 mpg. The optional engines can be paired with a six-speed manual or a DSG transmissions.

[via Motortrend]

The recall covers about 2471 cars from those two model years with specific options. If your car doesn’t have leather seats, you’re free and clear from this recall. However, if your car does have leather seats and was built between February of 2012 and August 2012 you need to have your vehicle and to the dealership as soon as possible.

VW says owners can check the build date by looking on the driver side door jam sticker. According to the NHTSA, if the right front seat in these vehicles gets wet, the sensor in the seat may not detect the presence of the child and deactivate the airbag. The sensor is called the occupant control module. I’ve never owned a Volkswagen vehicle, but every vehicle I have owned or driven has had a light to show when the airbag was on or off.

Volkswagen and the NHTSA fear that a faulty sensor may not realize a child is in the seat and in an accident, the airbag could deploy and injure the child. Volkswagen is replacing the faulty module at no cost. The automaker recommends children ride in the backseat and more information on the recall will be forthcoming from VW.

[via USA Today]

Outside, the new Golf is 2.2-inches longer, while the wheelbase has stretched 2.3-inches over the old car. That not only improves internal space, VW says, but benefits the crash-protection structure and gives the car a sportier stance; you’d have to be a real Golf obsessive to notice that it’s 0.8-inches lower and 0.5-inches wider, however.

Despite the size change, the 2013 Golf sheds 220 pounds through a culmination of dieting. The air-con unit is six pounds lighter than before; the seats a full 15 pounds less. 80-percent of the car is high-strength steel (versus 66-percent before), and of that 28-percent is ultra-high-strength. For the Euro models, that means a 140 HP 1.4-liter turbo good for 49mpg, or 62mpg (EC figures, not EPA) from the 105 HP TDI Clean Diesel.

Inside, it’s another clean sweep for Volkswagen. Shoulder, leg, and cargo room are all bigger, with the hatch now opening for a more-easily accessible load area. Kit is yet to be confirmed, but there’s a 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system even on base-spec Euro models, while the top-end blows that up to an 8-inch unit with navigation.

Not all of the specs of the European 2013 Golf – the model VW showed off this week – will necessarily make it over to the North American version, though any design changes should be minor. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.

As you can see in the photo here from Google Street view, the Fiat is parked right by the front door under the Volkswagen awning. I wonder if the folks working in the VW headquarters in Sweden will see the humor in this, or if they’re going to be angry, bitter shrews. Whatever the case, that little Fiat 500 will be viewable on Google Street view for about a year.

I’d like to know how Fiat pulled off the prank. I can only assume someone got lucky and noticed the Street View cars cruising the city and simply hung out waiting for the right time to pull in and let nature take its course. Maybe this is the start of a prank war between Fiat and Volkswagen in Sweden. It’s your turn VW, make it a good one.

[via Jalopnik]

Seemingly aimed as a family vehicle, the Fiat 500L offers four doors, and seats five. The car is expected to launch towards the end of this year in Europe, and will have two petrol engine options, as well as a diesel. One petrol option is Fiat’s 900cc two-cylinder TwinAir engine, and the other is a 1.4 litre four-cylinder engine. The diesel option encompasses a 1.3 litre MultiJet engine.

Fiat are hoping that by building the car in Serbia, where wages are just a quarter of those in Italy, they’ll be able to keep costs down and compete on price with other such MPVs. Fiat have invested around €1 billion in their Serbian factory, and plan to expand their range by working on more than one model of the car.

Pricing has yet to be confirmed. See what you make of the car in the gallery and video below.

This vehicle, currently called the eT!, has been shown at a few auto shows already in one form or another, the folks at Co.Exist noting that the’ve taken a spin in a Volkswagen with a similar technology embedded just last year. No vehicle from the auto group is quite ready for commercial production, but a quick peek at the van image above and below will let you know how close this model van is, at least. Mail people of America – this look like something you’d like to roll out in in the near future?

In addition to being able to be called forth by the user, this van can be controlled by a joystick in the passenger’s seat for further convenience. Volkswagen’s statement on the vehicle and its technology read in part:

“This makes unnecessary walking movements around the vehicle a thing of the past.” – VW

Of course it’s not really the “walking movements” that we’re concerned about in regards to the future of the postal service as it exists here in the United States today, but its nice to know that VW has a concern for the knees of the German people at the moment. Look for these vehicles to make their way over the sea in the next few years if the Deutsch decide that we’re worthy of such magic.

[via Co.Exist]

Altogether, the car is packed with a radar system, various cameras and ultrasonic sensors, a laser scanner and an “electronic horizon” that, together, give it an understanding of whereabouts on the road it is and what other traffic or pedestrians are around it. Rather than taking full control, Volkswagen is positioning TAP as an assistance aid for periods where accidents are increasingly likely: complex lane navigation, junctions and traffic jams. The system can take control, alert the driver with noisy alarms, and even perform an emergency stop.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen autonomous systems included in a car: various luxury models from Mercedes, BMW and other marques include intelligent safety systems that couple dynamic cruise-control – identifying the traffic ahead and adjusting speed accordingly – with sensor arrays to increase the likelihood of emergency stop maneuvers being effective. However, manufacturers have been reluctant to give their systems too much independence, with questions over the legality and liability of auto-pilot options still unanswered.

Volkswagen hasn’t said when – or if – TAP will make it to a production model, though as the continuation of a research program stretching back to 2008 it seems likely to do so. Meanwhile Google is pushing ahead with its own robotic car systems, in the hope that states allow it to roll the vehicles out onto the public highway.

[via PhysOrg]

The team at Volkswagen really took the iPad integration seriously. This isn’t just a simple docking system. The design comes included with a semicircular multifunction display just under the speedometer. This display can communicate with the iPad to display and control the navigation system, media playback, the integrated trip computer, and the bluetooth enabled communications package.

Volkswagen kept the Bulli true to the spirit of the Microbus. It’s definitely of the same line, just brought up into the present day. For a nod to the car-camping culture that spawned the popularity of VW’s Microbus throughout the past sixty four years, the seats fold down into a bed for use as an impromptu camper.

Check out the concept renderings Volkswagon released in Geneva.

[via Autoblog]

Volkswagen are boasting that they’ve created the first vehicle to run on biogas, which hasn’t lost any of its performance because of it. In fact, they automobile’s designers are going as far as to say that their biogas-based Bio-Bug can “blow away” the electric-based competition. Apparently, consumers won’t even notice the difference. As for the car itself, the Bio-Bug is a 2 liter VW convertible, which runs on both converted waste, and gasoline. AS with electric vehicles that take use of both powering options, when the biogas runs out, the gasoline engine will take over.

The company behind the Bio-Bug is based out of the UK, and called GENeco. They are a company focused on sustainable energy and its uses. Right now, the Bio-Bug is rolling around the UK in a trial period, but the company plans to build a whole lot more of the vehicles if their trial period goes well. Of course, they still have the huge leap of explaining biogas to consumers, and telling them they are driving on a bunch of human waste. That may be the tough part.

[via Inhabitat]

Video demo after the cut

There’s also 3G via an EVDO Rev.A modem, plus WiFi and Bluetooth, and USB devices can be plugged into ports hidden in the glove compartment.  The system uses touchscreen gestures to control music playback and other functions, meaning you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to operate them.

The head-unit itself was manufactured by Compal, and while there’s no word on whether it will end up an option in production vehicles, the video certainly seems to suggest that could eventually be the case.  No hardware details of the prototype system are given, but Intel’s own IVI reference design suggests an Atom Z530 processor with the System Controller Hub US15W, paired with 1GB of RAM, up to two PATA hard-drives, 5.1 surround sound, WiFi, WiMAX and a TV tuner.

VW Intel IVI prototype:

Intel & VW Execs discuss In-Vehicle Infotainment:

This three seater runs off an electric engine and was designed with ergonomics in mind. Influence by the architecture of Santiago Calatrava, Kirsch wanted to design a comfortable car that was ecologically friendly.

Let’s hope it at least makes the car exhibition rounds so we can see it up close. Don’t expect to see the Viseo driving around your neighborhood anytime soon.

Cool Concept – The Volkswagen Viseo [gadgettastic]

The Beetles come in pink or blue and the campers come in green or red. When you are transferring data and all that good stuff, the lights flash and there are horns that honk too.

That has got to be the best part because I think it would be awesome to be able to store 256MB of data on a flash drive that is better a pissing off my co-workers than I am. You can order them from various UK sites for as low as the rough equivalent of $39.

VW USB Memory Sticks [via GeekAlerts]

They even put flowers and lettering that spelled out “love”. I would have loved to have been there for the conversation where the boss declares to the employees he wants to dip a car in chocolate. Not only that, but he also doesn’t wants to use it for the companies advertisement, no he wants to put it in front of a grocery store.

I just get a little sad when I think about what is going to happen to all of that chocolate, because I don’t think it’s likely that they will eat any of it. If they did that would be one heck of an office party though.

Chocolate-covered Volkswagen Beetle [via popgadget]

Buy a VW, get a free electric guitar [Via: MobileMag]