It is now becoming apparent how Volkswagen’s partnership with Japanese automaker Suzuki and it’s plans to become the world’s largest automaker are intertwined. Outlined in a VW employee newsletter is an interview with VW board member Detlef Wittig, who says that the German automaker will rebadge Suzuki models as Volkswagens. The vehicles could then be sold in emerging markets, helping VW twofold.

First, it’s likely that Volkswagen could sell a VW-badged Suzuki at a slight premium, allowing for better profits. Plus, it brings into play VW’s larger plan to utilize another automaker’s success in the small car market to its advantage. (Volkswagen, we should point out, has had a tough time making a success in the small car market and expects to face even larger challenges in building mini cars, as VW production costs tend to be quite high).

Suzuki may even take over all future mini-car projects, using its expertise in the area. This, after all, is one of the main reasons VW purchased a 20 percent stake in Suzuki last year. Currently VW is looking to produce a line of Up! small cars (shown above) and plans to introduce an entire lineup of even smaller vehicles, with Suzuki’s help, after that. “Where VW’s portfolio ends, Suzuki’s begins,” said Wittig.

So what does Suzuki get out of this? Well, according to a report by Car & Driver, the Japanese automaker is expected to get access to VW’s new hybrid technology, even delivering a hybrid SX4 in the near future.

[Source: Car & Driver]

Once again the rumors were correct with VW now officially announcing Volkswagen R GmbH,  a special division of the German automaker dedicated to “sporty exclusive models.” Something akin to BMW M or Mercedes AMG, VW’s R brand will oversee the development of special R models as well as R Line design packages and special “Volkswagen Exclusive” items including things like custom leather interiors and new wheel designs. Currently Volkswagen has developed two R model, the Scirocco R and Golf R.

Currently both models are only available in Europe, but the Golf R may yet see our shores. It uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine to makes 265-hp and 258 ft-lbs of torque and combines it with VW’s 4MOTION AWD setup to deliver a 0-62 mph time of just 5.5 seconds!

VW created the R division to cater to what it sees as an increasing demand for individualization in the marketplace, while also acknowledging it will help promote the sporty side of the automaker.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Golf R

Official release after the jump:

With Audi’s recent unveiling of the A8 Hybrid at the Geneva Auto Show and news the Q5 Hybrid is on its way, Audi has made known plans to add more hybrid models, starting with the A6. According to a report by AutoWeek, the next-generation A6 will be offered in full hybrid form late in 2012 as a 2013 model.

Audi is likely to add even more hybrid variants of its models after that, with a plan to significantly increase is offering of hybrid and electric cars over the next few years. The move is part of a plan by parent company Volkswagen to “own” the alternative power segment. VW will have some catching up to do, however, as Toyota already has quite a head start. However, VW also plans to surpass Toyota as the world’s largest auto maker over the next few years.

In addition, VW will make a big push with electric cars, having recently shown several Audi E-Tron concepts at different auto shows throughout the world. According to Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, Audi aims to build e-tron to become synonymous with electric vehicles, just as quattro has become synonymous with all-wheel drive.

Along with Audi developing its own E-tron models, VW will bring a slew of EVs to market in the next few years, including an E-Up (an electric Up minicar), an E-Golf and an E-Jetta. According to VW Group CEO Martin Winterkorn, the E-Jetta will go on sale in the U.S., but probably not until 2013.

In addition to these changes, Audi also plans to improve the efficiency of its gasoline engines by 30 percent by 2020.

[Source:  AutoWeek]

Leave it to Germany’s largest and most popular Volkswagen tuner to take something as cool as the brand new Golf R and make it even better! With VW’s 4MOTON all-wheel drive and a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder the Golf R is already seriously badass, but ABT has tuned the 2.0 TFSI engine to 310-hp, allowing for a 0-62 mph time of just 5.2 seconds.

ABT has also launched a new front bumper for the car and the company offers either 18 or 19-inch wheels.

We’re certain ABT will deliver even more goodies for the most hard core Golf yet, but until then, feel free to browse through the gallery below and say a prayer that the Golf R might make its way to the U.S. some day.

GALLERY: ABT Sportsline Golf R

Official release after the jump:

Debuting alongside its Polo counterpart, Volkswagen has unveiled the CrossGolf at the Geneva Auto Show. The sixth model to be based on the Golf platform, the CrossGolf is infused with the style of a crossover. The specific CrossGolf model is based on the GolfPlus, but it gets a rugged exterior with new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, roof rails, fender flares and special 17-inch wheels. The car’s ground ground clearance has also been raised by 20mm to help in any off-road adventures. Volkswagen claims the car is a mix of SUV and MPV styling – although it’s really just a 5-door hatch with a higher center of gravity.

As for engines, the usual array of VW powerplants are available, including TSI and TDI. TDI engines include a 104-hp 1.6-liter and a 138-hp 2.0-liter with 236 ft-lbs and a rating of 44.4 mpg. Gasoline engines include 104-hp and 120-hp TSI mills as well as VW’s impressive 160-hp 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger with both a supercharger and turbocharger. The base gasoline engine comes with a six-speed manual, while all other engines but the Twincharger get a 7-speed DSG transmission. The Twincharger gets a more robust 6-speed DSG box. Fuel economy for the Twincharger is rated at 35 mpg.

And yet as sporty as that engine sounds, most folks are likely to opt for a diesel and care more about the car’s functionality – like cargo room. In that area the CrossGolf certainly delivers with a sliding rear bench that enables anywhere from 14 cubic feet to 19 cubic feet, or a total of 51.2 cu.-ft. with the rear seats folded flat.

Set to launch in Europe, it’s highly unlikely that this model will ever be offered in North America. U.S. customers aren’t likely to miss it either, but that Twincharger engine would be a great addition to the VW lineup on this side of the Atlantic.

GALLERY: Volkswagen CrossGolf

Sitting next to the sporty Polo GTI model at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show is a crossover-styled CrossPolo. With new front and rear bumpers, side skirts and fender flares, all in a black plastic, the sporty hatch gets a rugged off-road look. To complete the look it also gets some roof rails, as well as some 17-inch wheels.

A total of six engines will be offered (three gasoline and diesel each), combined with a six-speed or 7-speed DSG transmission. Gasoline powerplants include 1.2-and 1.4-liter 4-cylinders as well as a 1.2-liter TSI engine with direct-injection and a turbo that makes 104-hp and can accelerate the car to 62 mph in 9.9 seconds while achieving 42.7 mpg on average. As for the diesels, all three engines offered are 1.6-liter units with power levels ranging from 74-hp to 89-hp to 104-hp, with all achieving 55-mpg on average.

Inside, the CrossPolo gets some unique and rugged trim items, while total cargo space is listed at 37 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.

With Volkswagen still yet to make a move on bringing the Polo to North America, it’s highly unlikely that the CrossPolo would ever see our shores. Even if the Polo does jump the pond, a standard and GTI model are likely the only versions we’ll see – which is really just fine by us. (We really do wish they’d hurry up and bring the Polo here).

GALLERY: Volkswagen CrossPolo

Official release after the jump:

Volkswagen kicked off the launch of the all-new second-generation Touareg SUV at the Geneva Auto Show with the introduction of a new hybrid model. The new Touareg Hybrid comes complete with a supercharged and direct-injection 3.0-liter V6, electric motor, battery pack and eight-speed automatic transmission. The result is a combined fuel economy rating of 28.6 mpg in the EU cycle, which is likely to be more like 24-mpg combined for the U.S. That’s good, but not as impressive as you might think, when compared to the current TDI model with a rating of almost 32 mpg. Other engines offered include a 3.6-liter V6, as well as a 335-hp 4.2-liter TDI V8 (which won’t be available in North America).

Expect big gains in fuel economy across the vehicle range due to the 8-speed tranny as well as a vastly lighter overall weight (by 460 lbs). VW says the new SUV is 20 percent more efficient than the outgoing model.

We have to say the SUV’s new look is impressive, with a sporty crossover style that includes the two-bar grille found on the current Golf.

And while it may look like a crossover, the Touareg remains an SUV with true off-road capability. Gasoline models get VW’s 4MOTION system with all-wheel drive, a Torsen limited-slip differential and an off-road driving program that increases the threshold for ABS, EDS and ASR, while activating Hill Descent Assist and adjusting the transmission shift points. The V6 TDI can be had with an optional Terrain Tech Pack with a more rugged transfer case, as well as reduction gearing and both center and rear locking differentials. Like the first-generation model, the new Touareg has a rotary switch to control the different off-road settings. The five modes include: On-Road; Off-Road; Low, which includes off-road plus reduced gearing, higher shift points and no automatic upshift in manual mode; The addition of the center differential lock; and finally the addition of the rear differential lock. VW makes the rather (and almost absurd) claim that this AWD system allows the new Touareg to, “conquer any terrain on Earth.”

We’re not sure about that, but the new style updates make a big difference and the improvement in fuel economy is always a plus.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

Official release after the jump:

Barring the unlikely scenario that Volkswagen releases a Polo R, the Polo GTI is now the sportiest mini-Golf offered in Europe. Sadly, VW sill has no official plans to bring the Polo (including this new GTI model) to North America. Read on to see why that’s such sad news.

Powering the car is VW’s impressive 1.4 TSI Twincharger engine. Displacing 1.4-liters this four cylinder uses direct-injection technology as well as a turbocharger and a supercharger to make 178-hp and 184 ft-lbs of torque. Combined with a 7-speed DSG transmission, the little GTI can hit 62 mph in 6.9 seconds. It’s also incredibly efficient, delivering 40 mpg on average (using the more generous European Test Cycle). This represents a fuel economy improvement over the last Polo GTI’s 1.8T engine.

Along with a GTI-styled exterior and interior (with the necessary Interlagos plaid seats), Polo GTI highlights include a sports suspension that is not only stiffer but also 15mm lower to the ground. A set of 17-inch wheels allow for wider 215/40/17 tires. And to help in the corners, the Polo GTI gets VW’s XDS electronic differential, which uses the car’s brakes to slow the inside wheel in a corner.

Maybe, just maybe, VW will bring the Polo, and this hot GTI version to the U.S. soon.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Polo GTI

Official release after the jump:

Joining the sporty Polo GTI model at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show will be the crossover-styled CrossPolo. With new front and rear bumpers, side skirts and fender flares, all in a black plastic, the sporty hatch gets a rugged off-road look. To complete the look it also gets some roof rails, as well as some 17-inch wheels.

A total of six engines will be offered (three gasoline and diesel each), combined with a six-speed or 7-speed DSG transmission. Gasoline powerplants include 1.2-and 1.4-liter 4-cylinders as well as a 1.2-liter TSI engine with direct-injection and a turbo that makes 104-hp, can accelerate the car to 62 mph in 9.9 seconds and achieves 42.7 mpg on average. As for the diesels, all three engines offered are 1.6-liter units with power levels ranging from 74-hp to 89-hp to 104-hp, with all achieving 55-mpg on average.

Inside, the CrossPolo gets some unique and rugged trim items, while total cargo space is listed at 37 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.

With Volkswagen still yet to make a move on bringing the Polo to North America, it’s highly unlikely that the CrossPolo would ever see our shores. Even if the Polo does jump the pond, a standard and GTI model are likely the only versions we’ll see – which is really just fine by us. (We really do wish they’d hurry up and bring the Polo here).

Volkswagen will also display its new CrossGolf at the Geneva Auto Show, of which we will bring you live coverage starting Monday, March 1st.

Click here for AutoGuide’s live Geneva Auto Show coverage starting Monday, March 1st.

GALLERY: 2011 Volkswagen CrossPolo

Official release after the jump:

Set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show later this week is a new and sixth version of the popular Volkswagen Golf, infused with the style of a crossover. Based on the GolfPlus, the CrossGolf gets a rugged exterior with new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, roof rails, fender flares and special 17-inch wheels. The car’s ground ground clearance has also been raised by 20mm to help in any off-road adventures. Volkswagen claims the car is a mix of SUV and MPV styling.

As for engines, the usual array of VW powerplants are available, including TSI and TDI. TDI engines include a 104-hp 1.6-liter and a 138-hp 2.0-liter with 236 ft-lbs and a rating of 44.4 mpg. Gasoline engines include 104-hp and 120-hp TSI mills as well as VW’s impressive 160-hp 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger with both a supercharger and turbocharger. The base gasoline engine comes with a six-speed manual, while all other engines but the Twincharger get a 7-speed DSG transmission. The Twincharger gets a more robust 6-speed DSG box. Fuel economy for the Twincharger is rated at 35 mpg.

And yet as sporty as that engine sounds, most folks are likely to opt for a diesel and care more about the car’s functionality – like cargo room. In that area the CrossGolf certainly delivers with a sliding rear bench that enables anywhere from 14 cubic feet to 19 cubic feet, or a total of 51.2 cu.-ft. with the rear seats folded flat.

Set to launch in Europe, it’s highly unlikely that this model will ever be offered in North America. U.S. customers aren’t likely to miss it, but that Twincharger engine would be a great addition to the VW lineup on this side of the Atlantic.

We’ll be sure to bring you more on the CrossGolf with live coverage of the Geneva Auto Show starting March 1st.

Click here for AutoGuide’s live Geneva Auto Show coverage starting Monday, March 1st.

GALLERY: 2010 Volkswagen CrossGolf

Official release after the jump: