Volkswagen’s manufacturing plant located in Chattanooga, Tennessee announced today that it has produced its 250,00th Passat. 

Production began at the facility on April 18, 2011, with the 100,000 mark arriving just over a year later on May 31, 2012. “Two years ago our team members had just learned to build cars,” said Frank Fischer, CEO and Chairman of Volkswagen Chattanooga. “Today we celebrate a quarter of a million Volkswagen Passats from Chattanooga. I am very proud of this team.”

The 250,000th Passat features a diesel engine, Fender audio package, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

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Fuel efficiency is at the forefront of every new car-buyer’s mind. No one wants to spend $30,000 and find themselves throwing money away at the gas pump, so we’ve compiled a list of the cheapest vehicles that get 40 miles per gallon (combined) in order from most expensive to least expensive.

While great advancements have been made in internal combustion engine technology over the past few years it still comes as little surprise that every car on this list is a hybrid. For those looking for cars that get 40 mpg on the highway alone, keep an eye open for our top-10 next week! And before the comments start rolling in, the $32,000 Prius PHEV Plug-in seen above, did not make our list, due to its limited availability. For fans of the plug-in Prius, check out our latest review.

Pumping gasoline into a diesel Volkswagen voids the warranty and can lead to costly repairs, which is why the brand is kicking off a massive modification campaign.

In it, Volkswagen will retrofit 209,500 cars in the U.S. and 51,600 in Canada to prevent the cars from being inadvertently filled with gasoline. The automaker began fitting its cars with redesigned fuel fillers that will remain closed for a gasoline nozzle, but now the brand says it will replace fuel fillers on diesel versions of the 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Jetta SportWagen (called the Golf Wagen in Canada), and 2010 through 2012 Golf.

“As diesel engine passenger vehicles become more popular, auto manufacturers have seen an increase in the number of misfueling cases where diesel engine vehicles are mistakenly fueled with gasoline,” a notice sent to dealers said. “The resulting fuel system contamination can lead to costly repairs that are not covered under warranty.”

Volkswagen will begin notifying owners of the campaign on May 28 and will replace the fuel fillers through its authorized dealer network.

[Source: Automotive News]

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We are back with this week’s instalment of AutoGuide’s newest, interactive weekly feature ‘Commute, Toy or Destroy’.

Once again, we present to you, our faithful readers, a choice of three vehicles. We are asking you to decide which one you would make your daily driver, which one would become a weekend Autocross machine and which one should be blown up by a 500 shot of nitrous.

Remember, the commuter car you must live with every day. The toy would be only available to you for occasional use on weekends or car meets and the final car would be the one you’d leave the keys in the ignition in a shady neighborhood.

This week we select icons of affordable performance from the late 1980s that represent three different continents. First, from North America is the Ford Mustang 5.0. Yeah, the storied Foxbody ‘Stang. Next, from Asia is an incredibly fun-to-drive light weight hatchback, the Honda CRX. Finally, representing Europe is the highly engaging Volkswagen Corrado. So what are your choices going to be?

1987-1993 Ford Mustang

The ‘foxbody’ Mustang (which refers to its ‘fox’ platform) was in production for a long time. In 1987 it was refreshed and modernized, but that didn’t matter too much. The 5.0 L V8 (4.9 L to be technical) was all the Mustang faithful cared about as it made this budget sports car not only a good performer, but also a great vehicle to modify into an absolute terror.

1988-1991 Honda CR-X

In 1987, the CRX received modern sheet metal, a better suspension and a significant bump in power; especially in Si models. Although power still barely exceeded the 100 hp mark, the fact the CRX weighed in at only 2,000 lbs. meant it was still fairly quick. This light weight also meant the CRX was incredibly nimble in the corners and fuel efficient. Later in life, this car became the darling of the import tuner community.

1988-1995 Volkswagen Corrado

When the Corrado first came out, many claimed it to be one of the best handling front-wheel drive cars ever made. Twenty-five years later and many are still in love with this three-door veedub. If handling prowess wasn’t enough, two letter and number combinations still set Corrado fans hearts a flutter; G60, which refers to the 158 hp 1.8 L supercharged four-cylinder and VR6, which was the name of the 178-192 hp narrow angle V6 engine.

Volkswagen’s VR6 engine will continue into another generation despite past rumors that suggested otherwise.

The German maker is previewing the engine in its Design Vision GTI concept, which it unveiled with 503 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. While the production version won’t make that much power, LeftLane News reports that the engine will continue, citing an anonymous company source.

It isn’t clear if the engine will power another Golf VR6, but the engine will likely power some of the brand’s larger nameplates including the Touareg, CC and Passat.

SEE ALSO: Volkswagens VR6 Replacement Could Be Audis Turbo-Five

Previous reports suggested that the VR6 would be axed because of increasingly strict emissions standards in favor of the turbocharged five-cylinder unit Audi uses.

[Source: AutoCar]

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The creative and hands-on group of Volkswagen newbies have just revealed their latest project, dubbed the Volkswagen GTI Cabriolet Austria at this years Wothersee meet.

Donning the national colors of Austria, where the Worthersee meet is held, this convertible GTI sports some fancy work, and isn’t just some amateur hack-job. The red and white themed convertible features 330 hp from a 2.0-liter turbocharged motor, which is paired to the brand’s sporty DSG dual-clutch transmission.  The car is thoroughly done up in Austria’s colors from the exterior paint, to the side-view mirrors and even the brake calipers.

Inside, the project feature some impressive customization with black, red and white Recaro seats with the country’s name stitched into them. The practical rear seats have been swapped out for a bone-shattering 2,250 watt sound system.

SEE ALSO: Volkswagen ‘Design Vision GTI’ Revealed with Supercar Performance

This is the sixth project from the apprentice group at VW. The team of thirteen are aged 17-23, and come from both Volkswagen’s Osnabrück and Wolfsburg locations. The project joins other impressive concepts and treats presented at this years GTI meet turned Volkswagen Auto Group showcase which happens annually at Worthersee, Austria.

GALLERY: VW GTI Cabrio Austria

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The big reveal at the annual GTI meet in Wörthersee in Austria has just been uncovered with a very special race-prepped Volkswagen GTI concept that could see track-duty in the very near future.

Based on the all-new 7th generation Golf hot hatch, the Design Vision GTI adds two cylinders and an extra turbo to the factory turbocharged 4-cylinder. This twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 has then been pumped up to produce 503 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, which hits the ground using a dual-clutch gearbox and all-wheel drive.

Easily enough to transform a standard GTI’s tires to smoke, the concept has been fitted with 235/35/20 front tires and massively wide 275/30/20 rears. With optimal grip, it’s capable of hitting 0-62 mph in just 3.9 seconds – roughly the same as a Lamborghini Gallardo. As for top speed, it’s rated at 300 km/h or 186 mph!

Looking like a Lamborghini inside with its new instruments and generous use of Alcantara, it’s a minimalist approach with as few buttons as possible. Paddle shifters are used to change gears while a redundant center shifter has a racing-inspired design.

Simplistic, it’s also modern, designed to be a race car for a new generation with a large central display with information showing the racing circuit, lap times and information on competitor cars. Those watching the car perform are also given the option of unique in-vehicle and track views thanks to the car’s numerous onboard cameras.

Housing the massive tires is a dramatically wider body that’s almost three inches broader, while the concept is also 2-inches lower overall while being roughly half an inch (15 mm) shorter in length. More than just dimensions, VW says this shows the versatility of the Modular Transverse Matrix (MBQ) architecture shared between this concept and the factory GTI, allowing for the front axle to be moved closer to the front of the car for less overhang.

VW says the, “ratio of height to width in particular indicates that the concept car belongs on the race track,” and even goes so far to announce in a release that Super GTI “could start tomorrow in a racing series!”

GALLERY: VW Design Vision GTI Concept

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Volkswagen has teased yet another concept that will be making its debut at this year’s Worthersee event, an Amarok R-Style concept pickup truck.

Promising to bring a new perspective on the traditional pickup, the Amarok R-Style concept features unique styling and is packed with high-tech accessories. The concept will be powered by a 3.0-liter, V6 TDI engine with 272 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

SEE ALSO: Volkswagen Design Vision GTI Teased with 503-HP

According to the German automaker, it accelerates to 62 mph from a standstill in 7.9 seconds. To give it an aggressive stance, the Amarok R-Style concept features a widebody with carbon fiber front and rear bumpers. The widened stance allows the pickup to ride on 22-inch wheels wrapped with 295/35/22 tires.

As for the inside, Volkswagen teased plenty of carbon fiber on the interior components in addition to bucket seats and an angular-styled steering wheel.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Amarok R-Style Concept

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Volkswagen is heading to this year’s Worthersee event with a concept race car, a 503-hp Design Vision GTI.

Based on the seventh-generation GTI, the German automaker has transformed it into a sleek race car that “could start racing tomorrow.” The design team was led by Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design of Volkswagen Brand, and features an aggressively wide body fitting 235-wide tires in the front and 275-wide tires in the rear. 20-inch wheels will be bolted onto the race concept, and Volkswagen claims it can reach a top speed of 186 mph.

Powered by a 3.0-liter V6, the concept car is turbocharged with direct injection and provides 413 lb-ft of torque to back up the 503 hp. All the power is sent to the wheels through a DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission and the automaker’s all-wheel-drive system. The Design Vision GTI can hit 62 mph from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds.

But it’s not all about speed, large 15-inch carbon-ceramic brake discs are found up front while 14-inch rotors adorn the rear. As for the dimensions, the Design Vision GTI is 0.6 inches shorter than a regular GTI and is 2.2 inches lower and 2.8 inches wider. The vehicle is finished in a White Club paint while the add-on parts were painted a contrast Piano Paint Black. The GTI insignia as well as the strip in the front has been finished in red.

As for the interior, race-inspired changes were made to give the vehicle a “pure GTI” feel, concentrating on the essentials but with style. Alcantara and Nappa leather were used in the cabin while the rear seats have been tossed out in exchange for an X-shaped cross member to strengthen the chassis.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Design Vision GTI

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Volkswagen is adding a carbon fiber roof option to the Golf that will cut up to 20 lbs. from the car.

The option will appear on the performance variants of the Golf and offer improved handling and marginally better fuel economy. According to Volkswagen research and development chief, Ulrich Hackenberg, the German automaker is developing a set of waterproof joints to seal the lightweight roof to the car’s body and its windshield.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Volkswagen Golf: First Look Video

Carbon fiber roofs and panels are becoming more commonplace on high-end sports cars, and for Volkswagen to offer it on its higher-end Golf models is a smart move. The BMW M3 for example comes with a carbon fiber roof as standard, another piece that sets it apart from a standard production 3 Series model.

[Source: Edmunds]

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The on-again, off-again Volkswagen roadster is now on again according to Volkswagen design chief Walter de Silva.

The 2009 BlueSport roadster concept (above) garnered plenty of attention but has been on hold since the German automaker didn’t have a strong business plan for it. But according to de Silva, the project still has plenty of support with executives within the brand.

“I’m not the only one in our company who is convinced that a small roadster wouldn’t be the worst thing for Volkswagen,” said de Silva in an interview with Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport magazine. “This is a vehicle that we particularly like, and we always have in mind.”

The BlueSport concept was unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show powered by a 2.0-liter, turbo-diesel engine with 178 hp and 256 lb-ft of torque. Even back then, it had strong fuel economy figures of 54.7 mpg while accelerating to 62 mph in 6.6 seconds with a top speed of 140 mph.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport]

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The next-generation Volkswagen Golf R is currently undergoing testing and it is believed that the range-topping hatch will make between 290 and 300 hp.

A final decision hasn’t been made by the German automaker, but it has been confirmed that the new Golf R will also have all-wheel drive.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Volkswagen Golf R Spied at the ‘Ring’

The Audi S3 is fitted with VW’s new EA888 engine and makes 300 hp. Since the S3 is essentially a luxury version of the upcoming Golf R, it is likely that the Volkswagen Golf R will have 300 hp.

But even if VW decides on 290 hp as the final performance mark, the new Golf R will be a rocket compared to the model it’s replacing. The current Golf R is powered by a 2.0-liter, turbo-four engine with 256 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque.

[Source: Car and Driver]

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