1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle Coupe Black on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Volkswagen throws a Polo-palooza with four new or upgraded models

Volkswagen unveiled a parade of new and upgraded Polo models at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, including the Polo TSI BlueMotion, Polo TDI BlueMotion, Polo BlueGT and CrossPolo (pictured above). While they will likely never make an appearance this side of the pond, it is fun to see what European subcompact drivers will be driving later this year.
The new BlueMotion models represent the most efficient petrol and diesel options in their class, according to VW. The BlueMotion TDI offers just 73 horsepower from its diesel engine but gives the equivalent of 76 miles per gallon (US) in the EU test. The BlueMotion TSI brings a little more power with its 88-hp petrol engine and has a combined rating of 57 mpg (US) in the EU cycle.
The Polo BlueGT provides a balance of performance and economy, and for the 2014 model, it gains a 9-horsepower boost to its 1.4-liter turbocharged to give drivers 147 hp at the press of the accelerator. This year's car also has an optional Sport Select suspension with electronically controlled dampers to improve handling a bit. It's still fitted with active cylinder management to use as little gas as possible when cruising.

Audi CVT suit settlement given green light, 64,000 cars covered

Audi drivers, listen up. If you bought or leased a 2002-06 model-year A4 or A6 with a factory-installed Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) that failed, you may be entitled to reimbursement under a recently settled class-action lawsuit with corporate parent Volkswagen.
According to Automotive News, the settlement covers about 64,000 vehicles and alleges that "manufacturing and design problems caused the transmissions to fail and left owners stuck with repair costs." While the suit also argues Audi was aware of these issues (going so far as to hide that knowledge from consumers), the settlement stops short of acknowledging any wrongdoing by the German automaker.
Audi drivers are eligible for a cash reimbursement if their CVT repairs occurred within 10 years or 100,000 miles of the date they bought or leased the vehicle before June 19, 2013. To be eligible for compensation, drivers must submit a claim form (found here) with supporting documents by November 18.

Happy 60th to the VW Karmann Ghia

Volkswagen's product portfolio may be as extensive these days as any other carmaker in the business. But if you still think of the original Beetle as synonymous with the brand, that's probably because a) you're old and b) the Beetle was the company's only product until the mid-50s.
Sixty years ago Wilhelm Karmann (founder of the eponymous coachbuilder) was in Paris for the auto salon and met up with Luigi Segre and his team from Carrozzeria Ghia who showed him what was essentially a "Beetle in a sports coat." A month later they showed it to Volkswagen chief Heinrich Nordhoff who, setting aside his conservative tastes, approved it for production. And so the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia was born, giving the German marque a second product line. It still used Beetle mechanicals and was built at the same Karmann factory in Onsabrück that was already assembling the Beetle Cabriolet.
It took another couple of years to put the design into production, but from 1955 to 1974, Volkswagen and Karmann built 362,601 coupes and 80,881 of the subsequent convertible that arrived in 1957. Today the Onsabrück factory is part of the VW Group, handling production of the Golf Cabriolet, XL1 and Porsche Boxster and Cayman, and with that original Karmann Ghia prototype as part of its factory collection.