Now available in (Think) Blue: VW reveals the Beetle TDI Clean Diesel at the Chicago Auto Show

Posted on 22 February 2012 by

The Volkswagen Beetle is known for inducing smiles, and the latest addition to the Beetle family is no exception.  This month at the Chicago Auto Show Volkswagen announced that a TDI Clean Diesel model of the 2013 Beetle will be available this Summer.

The 2013 Beetle TDI is the first TDI Clean Diesel Beetle we’ve offered since 2006, but we think you’ll agree that it was worth the wait. It’s the most fuel-efficient Beetle yet, with a predicted fuel economy of 29 mpg city and 39 mpg highway. Besides its excellent efficiency, what sets this model apart is what’s under the hood.

The Beetle TDI makes the most of Volkswagen’s innovative 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection Clean Diesel engine, which puts out 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. That’s great news for your right foot, because all that extra torque equals substantially more responsive driving.

We don’t use the term “Clean Diesel” lightly. Like our other TDI models, the Beetle TDI features an exhaust system with a particulate filter and no less than three catalytic converters: one for oxidation, one for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and one for hydrogen sulfide. For those of you who aren’t chemistry majors, that means that engine emissions are reduced. For that, we can all breathe easier.

The Beetle TDI will be available in three trim levels, including a TDI with Sunroof and a TDI with Sunroof, Sound, and Navigation. All three levels are very nicely equipped, with standard features like power windows with one-touch up/down; cruise control; V-Tex Leatherette seating; the Kaeferfach secondary glove box; Bluetooth®; a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel with audio controls; three auxiliary gauges; Keyless entry with push-button start; and a Media Device Interface with iPod® cable.

Behind the wheel with Danielle Gumro: Why she loves the Touareg, in her own words

Posted on 25 August 2011 by

It’s a story as old as time: girl meets Touareg, falls in love, and drives happily ever after. (That’s a thing, right?) We recently caught up with Volkswagen product specialist Danielle Gumro to get her thoughts on her daily driver, a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel.

Danielle’s Touareg—which she nicknamed her “Miracle Whip”—is more than just a great way to get around; it also doubles as a personal assistant. The Touareg’s voice command feature is especially handy when either of them needs to fuel up. “I love being able to locate things so simply by just pressing a button and telling my Touareg what I need. ‘I need coffee. I need diesel. I’m hungry.’” She also loves that she can open the back hatch right from her key fob when her hands are full. And even though the sweltering summer temps have prevented her from using them, she’s looking forward to trying out the heated seats and pressing the Touareg’s REST button this winter. (Editor’s Note: “REST” is the German word for “residual,” and the button enables the vehicle’s residual heat function, which keeps the cabin warm, even when the engine off and you’re running short errands.)

When we asked Danielle what she likes best about driving a TDI, she answered, “The fuel economy, definitely. I also like the way that it performs—it gives me a little pep in my own step,” she added, referring to the powerful low-end torque, but also to something else. “Once you know what diesel technology is all about, it’s like being in on the secret. You feel cooler. Let’s just say that if I had a collar on right now, it’d be popped.”

Like Danielle, the Touareg is always up for a challenge and does everything in style; this dynamic duo gets lots of attention, no matter where they go. Danielle recounts one story involving a valet who drilled her for information on the Touareg. “He had no idea Volkswagen made something that luxurious” Of course, as a seasoned product specialist, she was more than equipped to answer all his questions.

While Danielle isn’t planning to drive her Touareg across 14 countries like the TDI Panamericana team recently did, she does have a few road trips on her calendar. Stay tuned to the Touareg Blog for more on that.

16,000 miles, 14 countries, 3 people, 1 world record: Rainer and team complete the TDI-Panamericana Challenge in record time

Posted on 25 July 2011 by

By now, you know that Rainer Zietlow and his team Carlos Fernandez and Marius Biela completed the TDI-Panamericana Challenge ahead of schedule. But did you know that they also set a new world record for driving the length of the Pan-American Highway? The challenge was their way of commemorating the 75th anniversary of the world’s longest road, because nothing says “I love you” quite like crossing through 14 countries and covering nearly 16,000 miles in a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI® Clean Diesel SUV—and doing so in only 12 days, three full days fewer than the previous record-holder.

10-07-2011_1_Mexico_BielaAfter a few weather-related delays, the drive kicked off July 2nd at the southern tip of South America in Ushuaia, Argentina. Thanks to the team’s hard work and round-the-clock driving schedule, they went from southern to northern hemisphere—and winter to summer—in just 12 days. Along the way, they passed through Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Canada, ending their journey in Deadhorse, Alaska. The team overcame several logistical nightmares, triumphed over foot-deep potholes and dealt with more than a few challenges courtesy of Mother Nature, including (but not limited to) icy roads, a blinding sandstorm in the Chilean Desert and dense fog in coastal Ecuador. All in a day’s work for the team. (OK, 12 days’ work, but who’s counting?)

12-07-2011_4_Bisons_Canada_BielaBut there was more to this drive than proving the Touareg’s mettle: as with all of his previous challenges, Rainer donated 10 Euro cents for each kilometer driven during this trip to two villages in Latin America managed by Plan International, a charity organization that works in 48 developing countries to promote children’s rights and lift millions of children out of poverty.

Tell us: what was your favorite part of the tour?

Remember: you can always relive Rainer’s adventures online at www.tdi-panamericana.com, where you’ll find photos and videos documenting the journey from start to finish.

Rainer’s team drove a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel. The Touareg’s 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 TDI® Clean Diesel engine and 4MOTION® all wheel drive (AWD) system deliver the performance and durability required to tackle the many twists and turns of the Pan-American Highway. The engine provides an impressive maximum torque of 406 lbs.-ft. at 1,750 to 2,250 rpm while producing 225 horsepower at 3,500 to 4,000 rpm.

In order to account for the demands of the TDI-Panamericana Endurance Challenge, Rainer’s Touareg has been modified to include:

• Innovative Inmarsat satellite technology for live communication, even in the most remote areas
• The largest tires that fit the Touareg to better address bumpy roads throughout South America
• An additional 300-liter fuel tank to extend the distance the vehicle can travel between refueling

The All-New 2011 VW Touareg Supercharged Hybrid: More Than A Beast. A Rare Beast.

Posted on 17 March 2011 by

The joy of driving, the excitement of performance, and high standards of German Engineering are requirements that set the stage for every Volkswagen. Power, intelligence and efficiency come together in almost every feature of the 2011 Touareg Supercharged Hybrid. With stats like 380 hp and 428 lb/ft torque the Touareg a beast. However, since the power comes from a supercharged hybrid engine, the Touareg is more than just a beast. As the world’s first supercharged hybrid, it’s a Rare Beast.

As you may already know, a hybrid achieves its energy efficiency by combining the use of an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. The Touareg Hybrid also uses technologies like regenerative braking, which helps replenish the battery by using kinetic energy produced by the brakes. For immediate power off the line, boost mode supplies maximum outputs from both the electric motor and combustion engine.

What’s under the hood isn’t even what’s most exciting. Inside, almost every available luxury feature has been incorporated… standard. A huge panoramic sunroof sits over both front and rear seat passengers, plush Vienna leather seating surfaces are found throughout, and the top-of-the-line in-dash technology will guide and entertain you for hours.

This Rare Beast is much more than a powerful ride. It’s a groundbreaking example of what
happens when Volkswagen ingenuity meets hybrid technology.

To get a feel for this Rare Beast, check out its origin story, anatomy and habitat at http://www.vw.com/hybrid