#2011VolkswagenJetta

Last week was a lot like the British ocean liner Lusitania; it got sunk, but this time around it wasn’t the Kaiser’s fault. Instead of falling prey to a German U-Boat it was torpedoed by the New York Auto Show.

Volkswagen is recalling 71,403 2011 Jetta models due to a problem with the vehicle’s wiring. The issue affects the vehicle’s horn and anti-theft system, and Volkswagen said no injuries have been reported.

Today Volkswagen announced the debut of its important and all-new 2011 Jetta model, lifting the covers at a special event in Times Square. With a goal to sell 800,000 units a year in North America by 2018, VW has high hopes for the new Jetta, which now boasts best-in-class rear legroom, a new chassis, more stylish design and a lower base price with models starting at, “around $16,000.” (According to the European press release, the price is $15,995).

Ahead of the car’s official debut tomorrow, the folks at AutoExpress have released a selection of photos showing the all-new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta sedan. Rather than being based on the same architecture as the Golf, the 2011 Jetta gets an all-new platform.

According to a well-connected forum member at VWVortex, Volkswagen‘s all-new Jetta model will finally be an affordable vehicle on U.S. soil, starting at just $14,950. By comparison, the least expensive current Jetta now starts at $17,735.

Nearly a day after it was first spied testing, the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta has finally been spotted completely undisguised, and if the car looks a little Toyota-esque, then that must be a good thing. Rather than occupying a quasi-premium spot in the U.S. market, VW is going for volume, so the Corolla resemblance is not a coincidence. VW is hoping to push 160,000 Jettas per year, and a lower price and more conservative styling should help, along with a simpler, torsion beam rear suspension rather than the independent unit seen in the previous car.

Much like soccer, the Volkswagen Golf is immensely popular all over the world, with the exception of Canada and the United States. The two holdout countries prefer the Jetta by a significant margin, and Volkswagen is well aware of this – even going as far as to engineer an entirely new Jetta designed specifically with the North American market in mind.