10. Chevy Impala: 14M units sold

The numbers are always changing and a new list of the Top 10 best-selling vehicles in history, compiled by 24/7 Wall St. has a new model on top.

There are some surprises on the list, but for the most part it all makes sense. Whether they’ve been in production for a long time or they’re reasonably priced worldwide, the top 10 best-selling cars of all time might not be the most exciting, but are clearly the most popular throughout history.

The Chevrolet Impala is the only GM vehicle on the list and has quite the history since hitting the market 54 years ago. Starting its life as a large two-door performance coupe, the Impala evolved into a versatile sedan. Or as we like to call it, a rental car. Ironically, it isn’t actually offered as a coupe anymore, which seems like a distant memory after 10 generations of upgrades.

The Volkswagen Golf will remain the best-selling car in Europe, but here’s the real news: it keeps the crown with a whopping 484,547 units sold.

Numbers might not mean much to most people, but this will put things into perspective: at 1.6 million units worldwide, BMW stood fast as the world’s largest luxury car brand. Those are worldwide sales figures. VW came close to the half-million mark in Europe alone and with just one model.

As far as American bravado is concerned, we can’t come close to touching those numbers. The top-selling car in the U.S. was the Toyota Camry with 308,510 units. To be fair, all you need to do is delve into the popular world of pickup trucks to find that the Ford F-150 sold about 100,000 more units in the States than the Golf did in Europe, but the fact remains that Volkswagen is killing the competition with their catchy compact.

If VW has its way, the Golf will remain in the top spot for its seventh generation— set to debut at the Paris Auto Show in September. Sales actually dropped by 2 percent last year, though such fluctuations are typical towards the end of a model cycle.

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Vw Golf Review Here

GALLERY: 2011 Volkswagen Golf

[Source: Automotive News]

With the Volkswagen Golf R hitting US dealerships this month, the German automaker has decided to release the “Golf R Drivers Forever” app to bring Golf R information to the masses.

The iPad app will provide access to everything anyone would ever want to know about the iconic performance model and features stories told through the perspective of VW enthusiasts and drivers that helped bring the coveted variant to America. It’ll include a mini-documentary about the world of Volkswagen, an exclusive interview with designer Chip Foose and accounts from key members of the Volkswagen of America Product Marketing team.

“The Golf R app was created to celebrate and thank the Volkswagen brand’s community of enthusiasts because they represent what makes the Golf R special,” said Jon Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “The app will help build awareness around the Volkswagen brand heritage and we are excited to offer this innovative approach that illustrates the performance of the Golf R.”

The 2012 Golf R is the most powerful Volkswagen sports performance vehicle ever sold on American soil. It packs 256-hp and 243 lb-ft of torque through a 2.0L TSI engine. The app is free to download.

Check out a video after the break highlighting what the app is all about.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Golf R Drivers Forever App

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Volkswagen’s Golf is getting a makeover, marking the seventh incarnation of the marque.

Details on the Golf VII are still vague, except the official public reveal, which will take place at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. With the trend towards fuel economy, and the Golf’s history of being a very fuel conscious car, one can only assume that the next generation of the hatchback will move further in that direction. For power plant options, odds are that many of the engine choices from the current model Golf will carry over, such as the BlueMotion TDI engines and the smaller TSI motors – with of course GTI and Golf R models to follow. Then look for an electric model and possibly even a diesel-electric hybrid.

Based on the band’s new MQB platform, the Golf VII will also be getting a little bit lower and a little bit longer as VW looks to draw some sports car looks out of the little hatchback.

[Source: Auto-Motor-Und-Sport]

Volkswagen is out testing the 7th generation Golf, as seen here in spy shots, and the new car looks like it will retain much of the current car’s styling, but get a lower, wider and more aggressive profile.

For North America, expect the 2.0TDI diesel to carry over, but the base 2.5L 5-cylinder is out, to be replaced with a 1.8L turbocharged 4-cylinder (based off of the much-loved 2.0T motor). Golf production may move to the United States, but Volkswagen has been very tight lipped about details, as it remains Volkswagen’s bread-and-butter car in virtually every market except the United States,

Gallery: Volkswagen Golf MKVII

Volkswagen is recalling 168,000 diesel engine vehicles produced from 2009-2012 over a possible leak from the fuel injectors that could start a fire.

The vehicles in question are Volkswagen Jetta, Jetta SportWagen and Golf models as well as the Audi A3 TDI. 161,144 VWs and 7,131 Audis are involved in the recall, while no injuries or accidents have been reported so far. Volkswagen says that about 20 percent of the vehicles in question have fuel injector lines that could be potentially faulty. The company will begin notifying dealers and owners in November.

[Source: The Detroit News]

An enterprising drunkard in Germany found himself in a car accident, of his own doing. So with cops coming, what did he do to escape? He jacked a nearby forklift and attempted to move the car himself.

In the sort of drunk idea that only makes sense when you’re 7 Nordhäusers in, the 27-year old found an idle forklift nearby, drove it over to the site of his wrecked Volkswagen Golf, and attempted to raise the car. Police found the Golf off the ground when they stopped him and took him into custody.

“It must have seemed like a good idea at the time. He didn’t want anyone to call us so he tried to move the vehicle himself. It was, though, very dangerous and illegal,” said an officer.

[Source: German Herald]

This may be the most boring post you will ever read about the Volkswagen Golf R. Even though it has an awesome 270 horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder, all-wheel drive and a choice of 6-speed gearboxes, Volkswagen decided to milk the car for every last drop of “publicity” by launching 4 dubiously dubbed “concept” editions at the Geneva Auto Show.

The “concepts” are merely some Golf R models with unique interior and exterior combinations. The “Oryx White” model is available with a “St. Tropez” interior, while the “Carbon Steel Grey” model has the inside trimmed in “Almandine Red”. A third “Space Grey” model features a carbon fiber interior. The final model apes the “Space Grey” car’s exterior treatments but is finished in Aplomb Blue.

Frankly, we couldn’t care less. Just give us the damn car already. It could be painted in Pig Vomit Brown with an interior made of Hyena hides and we’d still drive it. Unfortunately, we won’t be getting those awesome bucket seats shown in the photos.

Gallery: Volkswagen Golf R Concepts

The Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet has always been a 4-wheeled shot of estrogen, and the new car, is no exception. While at first glance the Golf Cabrio looks identical identical to the Volkswagen Eos, the two cars have a couple key differences.

The Cabrio shuns the complex folding hardtop used on the Eos in favor of a traditional fabric roof. The soft top can be dropped in 9.5 seconds, and allows for greater trunk space. The two cars have an identical wheelbase and interior dimensions, but the Eos is longer overall.

Volkswagen hasn’t commented on whether we’ll see the Golf Cabriolet in America, but it seems to us that the Cabrio and Eos are a bit like the Scirocco and the Golf GTI – two cars that are too similar for their own good to be sold in a relatively small market like America. We can’t say we’re too choked up, and if VW was going to bring a low-volume specialty car, we’d much rather have the Scirocco than this sorority girl special.

Check out AutoGuide’s Geneva Auto Show coverage here

Gallery: Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

Volkswagen just made the famed Nurburgring 24 hour race even more exciting by announcing their Golf24 touring car will compete at the historic endurance event this year.

Along with some seriously aggressive aerodynamics and a much wider track, the Golf24 touring car is powered by a modified 2.5L five-cylinder turbocharged engine that pushes out 398 ft-lbs of torque in addition to its 434-hp. The power plant is combined with a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters.

“With the new Golf24 we are continuing our successful commitment at the Nürburgring 24-hour race. [The race] represents a very big technical challenge…[and] we want to provide an additional highlight in front of a large audience – right in time for the 35th anniversary of the GTI,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen.

The Nurburgring 24 Hour race takes place June 25-26th.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Golf24 Touring Car

[Source: Worldcarfans]