Volkswagen

Volkswagen has launched a new coupe SUV – the company’s very first – for the European market, jumping on the wagon started by the BMW X6 way back in 2008. This is the new TAIGO, but if it looks familiar, it’s because it’s not actually new – it’s also known as the Nivus in Brazil. The TAIGO will be built in Spain and will slot between the T-Roc and T-Cross, but it’s really little more than a T-Cross with a less headroom. Higher trim levels will come with VW’s new IQ Light LED matrix headlights and an illuminated radiator grille.

The TAIGO will only be offered with FWD and, believe it or not, will only be offered with a gasoline engine. There’s a 1.0-liter three-cylinder or a larger, 1.5-liter four-banger with output ranging from 95 to 150 horsepower. A five-speed manual will be standard on three-cylinder models while four-cylinder models will come with a six-speed. VW plans to offer an options seven-speed DCT if you’re willing to pay for it. This is no performance coupe SUV, though, so top speed will sit at 210 km/h or about 130 mph. It will be sold in 28 different European countries, but pricing wont’ be available until closer to its official launch.

The Volkswagen Passat is officially dead in the United States. Well, not quite yet, but it’s definitely taking its last breaths as Volkswagen prepares the Chattanooga plant in Tennessee for production of the Atlas, Atlas Cross, and all-electric ID.4. As the U.S. market bids farewell to the Passat, it’s going to honor it in the only way it knows how – a special edition. The car you see here is just one of four configurations, with a total of 1,973 examples being built. Why 1,973? Because 1973 was the first year the Passat was offered.

Volkswagen will produce 411 examples of the Passat special edition in a combination of Aurora Red Metallic with a Titan Black interior. This model represents the original production code of the Passat – 411. Next, there will be 423 examples of the passat finished in Racing Green Metallic with a Mauro Brown interior. 423 represents the Chattanooga, TN area code. Another version finished in Pure White with Mauro Brown interior will be produced in just 524 examples, representing the opening date of the Chattanooga plant: May 24, 2011. Finally, the fourth iteration of the Passat special edition will be offered in Grey Metallic with a Titan Black interior. 615 represents six generations of imported Passats (6), one generation assembled in Chattanooga (1), and 5 decades of U.S. sales (5).

Outside of the exclusive exterior paint and interior theme, there’s not a whole lot to set the Passat special edition apart from the pack. The seats inside will feature a “x of 1973” tag on one side and “Chattanooga 2011” on the other. Comfort sports seats will come standard with Vienna leather while the exterior will ride on distinctive 18-inch, fifteen-spoke wheels. Pricing for the Passat special edition comes in at $30,295 but the Aurora Red Metallic will add an extra $395 to the ticket.

A drag race between two stock midsize pickup trucks is about as scientific as a drift competition with shopping carts. Pickup truck buyers are rarely interested in the performance aspect of these vehicles, but Carwow still gives us the answer to a question we never thought of asking – which is the quicker pickup truck. This time it’s the Toyota Hilux and Volkswagen Amarok that line up for a quarter-mile drag and despite the two vehicles being very similar on paper, the outcome is quite decisive.

When Volkswagen revealed the Mk.8 Golf R, everyone was very impressed. The familiar 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger was massaged to deliver 315 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque – a nice improvement of 27 horsepower and 30 pound-feet over the MK.7 Golf R. On top of this new Golf R brought the future with it thanks to some awesome high-end tech like that cool all-digital dashboard. In the end, the Golf became a formidable competitor for cars like the Honda Civic Type R, beating it out in almost every category except top speed, which it lost by 2 mph (167 mph vs. 169 when the Golf was equipped with the performance package.) But, what if this kind of performance isn’t enough? Wait, who am I kidding? This is TopSpeed, and it’s never enough. Well, I suppose it’s a good thing that ABT has our back, and even thought what I’m about to tell you is going to sound pretty awesome, it’s going to get better in the future too!

Alfa Romeo, as a brand has been dying for years, and it seems that no matter what happens, things just keep getting worse. The move from bad to worse seems to have started right around the time that the revival of both the 8C and GTV nameplates was cancelled, right around the same time that FCA – before the Stellantis merger, of course – started skinning it to the bone as the 4C Spider landed on the chopping block. By 2020, the Giulietta was discontinued and we were promised a new compact electric SUV in 2020. Now, under new leadership, Alfa Romeo is discontinuing the Giorgio platform, and more recently announced a plan that included delaying models like the Tonale and raising prices – a weird move for a company that can’t sell vehicles to save its life. Things could have been a lot different if FCA sold Alfa to Volkswagen. In fact, the opportunity was there twice in the same decade.

Recently, a new consortium offered close to $9.2 billion in order to buy Lamborghini off VAG. Theoffer was turned down and a new offer was made. That offer, too, was apparently turned down, but that doesn’t mean the German concern is not in the midst of deciding what to do with its assets. Bugatti has enjoyed a good run under VAG ownership and the French manufacturer continues to come up with limited editions based on the Chiron. With that being said, it appears not all is as good as it looks on the outside. Volkswagen Audi Group is currently debating on whether Bugatti should continue to be a part of the company’s portfolio or not and a certain Croatian manufacturer might take the opportunity.

Every now and then, Volkswagen releases a random concept that showcases aftermarket mods and the potential of said model in the hands of someone willing to make some mods. Cars like the Volkswagen Golf GTE HyRacer showed us what was possible with the Golf while the Jetta GLI concept most likely gave birth to a few stunning blue Jettas on the road. There was also the Tiguan SE R-Line Black Rino Concept that somehow blended functionality with a low-rider stance. Now, Volkswagen is growing its enthusiast fleet again with the Arteon Big Sur concept.

The Volkswagen Golf has been a mainstay in VW’s lineup since the Mk1 was introduced way back in 1974. Over nearly 50 years of history the Golf hasn’t changed a lot. Sure the body has changed, and the technology has be drastically improved as you’d expect, but it’s followed the same general recipe over all these years – it’s a compact hatchback (and wagon) that can be both economical and fun, the latter of which being true if you find yourself behind the wheel of a Golf GTi or Golf R. No Golf that VW has sold to the public even comes close to the level of cool that’s exuded by the car you see here: a mid-engined Golf GTI with the heart of a Bentley Continental GT. You want the definition of hot hatch? Well, this is it.

Volkswagen has a plan to slap its EV performance badge – aka GTX – on every single model in its electric fleet. This means that everything from compact cars to sedans and SUVs will all be offered with a higher level performance in their top trims. Thanks to Volkswagen’s CEO, Ralf Brandstätter, we might know what the brand’s first hot hatch will be, and it’s not what you’re thinking….or maybe it is.

Volkswagen recently announced the ID.4 GTX. With it, the German brand announced the beginning of its sporty EV lineup. What’s more important, however, is that during that same presentation, the new ID.5 was shown for the first time and with it, an ID.5 GTX was confirmed. This is the latest vehicle to utilize VW’s MEB platform for EVs. Moreover, the ID.5 will be a sleeker version of the ID.4. Think of it as an ID.4 Coupe.

When Volkswagen introduced the new 2020 Mk.8 Golf, we got to feast eyes on the Golf GTI, GTD, and GTE, a blend of trims that pretty much covered every desire imaginable. Later we got to lay eyes on the 2021 VW Golf R and Golf GTI Clubsport. I don’t need to tell you why any of these models is special, but did you know that only the Golf GTI and Golf R are sold here in the United States? That’s right! Outside of these two models, the rest of the Golf lineup is a forbidden fruit. It might seem a little early to think about the next-gen Golf considering the 8th generation is still practically brand new, but will there be another generation? And, what happens after that? Well, with the way the automotive industry is changing, that’s a very good question.

In case you haven’t noticed, outside of a few entry-level cars like the Hyundai Kona EV and Chevy Bolt, for example, electric cars are pretty fast. And the cost to make even an entry-level EV fast isn’t all that high. EVs are opening the door for automakers to expand their performance lineups exponentially, and Volkswagen will be one of the first as the GTX badge be slapped onto an entire fleet of high-performance EVs. So, which model will we see next?

Volkswagen has decided to step on the gas (pun unintended) and launch a new range of performance EVs with the ‘GTX’ badge. The automaker has introduced its first car under this series based on the ID.4 called the ID.4 GTX. The EV comes with significant performance upgrades over the standard model and also comes with some aesthetic changes. An additional motor, enhanced power outputs, and new headlight detailing are some of the differences here. The performance, however, comes at the cost of the range since Volkswagen has made use of the same battery pack as the standard ID.4. What is more important to you?