Volkswagen News

How it works?

When you want to parallel park your car you just press the Park Assist button and use the indicator before your car passes the parking space. Ultrasonic sensors in the front bumpers will scan the space to see whether it is big enough.

You then stop the car, select reverse gear and let go of the steering wheel. Park Assist shows you its intended reverse path on your multifunctional display, then puts the car into the best starting position and steers automatically into the space. Even though you don't have to steer, you're always in control of your car, working the accelerator or brake and the clutch. And you can deactivate the system immediately by taking over the steering or by braking to a standstill.

Parking in even smaller spaces. We've developed an enhancement to Park Assist that can help park your car when you want to reverse into even smaller spaces, in one or more moves. This semi-automatic system leaves you to assess the suitability of the parking space yourself, while you operate the accelerator and brake. You keep control of the car at all times, and can deactivate the parking assistant immediately.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Hybrid Touareg

The Touareg Hybrid offers such uncompromising power with efficiency you will be impressed for a hybrid to perform so well.

This is thanks to Volkswagen’s latest “parallel hybrid” technology where the petrol engine, electric motor, clutch and automatic transmission all work together.

From 0-31mph only the electric motor is used (LOW LOAD SITUATIONS, HIGH VOLTAGE (HV) BATTERY SUFFICIEBTLY CHARGED), with the petrol engine decoupled it consumes no energy and creates no emissions.

When the driver brakes, the energy normally lost during the braking phase is converted into electric energy and stored in the HV battery.

During rapid “kick down” acceleration, the electric motor works together with the petrol engine to provide all the power you need whilst reducing emission’s compared to a normal petrol engine car.

The Touareg selects the most efficient drive at all times, from on-road performance, climbing ability, towing to off-road capability.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

At least now there's a good and interesting alternative to the Mini. Any euphoria with this version should last.

Comfort

On normal suspension and 18-inch wheels it picked up far too many surface imperfections. You can't get the Beetle with the Golf's clever adaptive damping - well, we can't have the Beetle outperforming the halo GTI, can we?
Performance

You'll be able to get it with the 2.0-litre TFSI engine out of the Golf GTI, only in the Beetle it produces a slightly lower output of 197bhp and 206lb ft. Other engines will be available, from the brilliant 1.2 TSI to a 1.6 diesel with Bluemotion tech. We only got a chance to try the top 2.0-litre, but reassuringly it's still as smooth as ever. There's plenty of punch in all the gears so 0-62mph only takes 7.5secs.
Cool

Better than before to be seen in, but still not really cool.
Quality

Inside, there's a nod to retro - the weird glovebox, the body-coloured dash plastic, the pulley grab handles - but mostly it's stock VW parts bin switches. Weirdly, though, some of the plastics feel cheap and that glovebox is especially poor. Flimsy stuff, and not what you expect from Volkswagen.
Handling

The steering is more precise and, because of the wider track, there is an impressive amount of grip. But don't go thinking you'll be getting a cute Golf GTI - the Beetle doesn't have quite the precision of the Golf. It's just not as crisp.
Practicality

The Beetle isn't practical, because the sloping tail cuts out rear seats and boot space. But at least the rear seats fold. And the cabrio doesn't lose boot space when the roof folds, because it just sits on top like a rucksack.
Running costs

It's available with a 1.4-litre TSI and a 2.0-litre diesel and petrol - that diesel returns 57.6mpg and emits just 129g/km of CO2.