Volkswagen Mid-Size Cars

The third-generation Volkswagen Touareg is bigger than ever, but that doesn’t stop it from moving quite swiftly down the highway. With a 3.0-liter V-6 diesel under the hood, the lighter Touraeg reaches 62 mph in under eight seconds so expect a lot more from the beefy V-8 that’s just around the corner. What you won’t see, though, is the Touareg return to U.S. shores.

The new-for-2019 Touareg was unveiled this past March in Beijing, China. It’s both bigger and lighter than ever and, while retaining its mid-size position, it aims to be more luxurious than the previous two generations as Volkswagen’s flagship model. Currently, only an array of V-6 diesel engines are available, but these units seem to keep up alright on the German Autobahn as seen in the POV video below.

It’s no secret that crossovers, SUVs, and electric vehicles are on top of Volkswagen’s to-do list. Apparently, there’s no such thing as too many SUVs for the German automaker because a new report indicates that VW is working on creating a new model that will compete against the Land Rover Defender. Tentatively called the “T-Rug,” the new SUV will sit on the same MEB platform that Volkswagen uses to underpin its lineup of I.D. electric vehicles. Just as important, the T-Rug will be offered in both three- and five-door body styles. The new SUV is due to come out in 2022.

Volkswagen is readying a more rakish-looking, coupe-like variant of its Atlas high-rider and these leaked shots show us exactly what it’s going to look like from the outside. The overall shape remains true to that of the Atlas Cross Sport Concept shown this year at the New York auto show, but pretty much every detail has been toned down.

Volkswagen is really doubling down on its electrified offerings as of late, adding a range of battery-powered models to a variety of segments and previewing each with a series of concepts tagged with the I.D. sub-branding. Now, we’re getting some info on what the production I.D. models will bring to the table, including a new SUV rumored to be called the I.D. Lounge.

For 2018, Volkswagen is introducing a new Passat GT model. The GT introduces some sporty touches to the Passat line. The Passat has mostly been about sensible family transportation until now, excluding the 2003-2004 Passat W8 perhaps. It would have been very easy for Volkswagen to come up with a sporty version of the Passat but they instead have gone for more luxurious models. It looks like Volkswagen is finally dipping their toes into the sports sedan waters to judge the public’s reaction with the Passat GT.

The European version of the Volkswagen Passat is set to get a facelift for the 2019 model year, bringing it more in line with the new look of the new Volkswagen Arteon and maybe even bring some new updated engines and technology into play as well. It was recently spotted being put through the general testing phase, so it’s time to get the speculation mill running at full speed.

Updated 12/06/2018: The Volkswagen Passat is inching closer to production status and we’ve just updated the gallery below with the latest spy shots.

Well known Volkswagen enthusiast Jamie Orr thought of a fantastic project with Volkswagen of America - to build an awesome custom Volkswagen Jetta S in six weeks’ time and present it at this year’s SEMA. With the photos of his astounding Jetta bathing the fields of social networks all around the world, I am here to tell you about the tiresome, but fun six-week voyage Orr had to take to finish this project. Right now, the White Silver Jetta S is exposed at the SEMA Motor Show, and it showcases a wide array of aftermarket parts. Orr was directly involved with the development of these parts as they basically did not exist six weeks ago. Not in their physical form, not as 3D rendering pieces on a PC, or even as ideas. Well, right now, they garnish the exterior of possibly the best car Volkswagen showcased at SEMA this year. This all-involving project was focused on crafting aftermarket pieces from the ground up.

H&R Special Springs has been in the business of sports springs and dampers for decades and, from time to time, they bring a car to the SEMA Show as a moving display of their latest performance parts. This time, the Jetta R-Line received the H&R treatment, and it looks quite tasty.

The R-line sits in the middle of the current Jetta lineup with an MSRP of $22,945. It’s, as such, a budget commuter, but that doesn’t mean it forgoes build quality and performance. The seventh-generation compact sedan was chosen by three tuners as the starting point for their 2018 SEMA Show projects, one of them being H&R.

"Straight from the factory, the seventh-generation Jetta’s bold new design grabs people’s attention," said Robert Gal, Senior Manager, Performance & Accessories, Volkswagen Sales & Marketing. "The fact that this group of top tuners and customizers chose it as a canvas for their offerings and creativity is further testament to its appeal."

The German company’s modified Jetta features an eye-catching glossy Habanero orange paint with silver stripes on the sides, gunmetal gray wheels that sit adequately close to the wheel arches thanks to the H&R sporty suspension setup, and add-ons to the bumpers that enhance the car’s athletic appearance.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta has entered the record books after setting the land speed record for its class and displacement at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The Jetta set the record with a run that reached 210.16 mph, breaking the previous record of 208.472 mph. The achievement didn’t come with its share of problems, but ultimately, Volkswagen and the team behind this particular Jetta, THR Manufacturing, managed to troubleshoot their way into the record books, putting a successful lid on an attempt that was months in the making.

Please welcome the Volkswagen Atlas tuned by APR, a company well known for its Volkswagen Group projects. The new Atlas comes with a series of important upgrades that transform it from a decent, sensible family hauler into a beast-looking machine that feels more like the Hulk with its green vinyl wrap than it does something you’d use to take your kid to soccer training. The American tuning company that’s specialized in Volkswagen cars got its hands on an Atlas powered by a 2.0-liter, four-banger, and it went all Golf R on it, ultimately increasing the power, improving looks, and transforming the decadent machine into a show-off beast.

Volkswagen introduced the Tanoak Concept at the New York Auto Show with the intention of gauging the public’s interest in the possibility of a production model. It’s taken a bit of time to read into the fleshed-out pickup’s reception, but it looks like there’s momentum within VW that a production model is something that can’t be dismissed outright. No decision has been made yet, and don’t expect one to be announced soon, but a production version of the Tanoak isn’t dead yet.

This weekend saw the 25th running of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and with it, a host of impressive machinery came out to strut their stuff up the short hillclimb course. While there was certainly no shortage of fast cars on hand, one in particular stood out from the rest, as the Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak managed to reset the record books for all-electric racers at the event.

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