First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen CC

Is "four-door coupe" an oxymoron or a clever twist on automotive design rules? That was a popular question among the 50 or so journalists invited to drive Volkswagen's new CC from Atlanta to Nashville last week.

The seemingly contradictory term was apparently first used to describe the Rover P5 Mark II in 1962, but was revived more recently when Mercedes introduced its CLS in 2004. In both cases the cars' low rooflines defied conventional saloon styling and needed a unique descriptor for marketing pizazz.

When rumors of the VW CC began to leak out, some speculated the CLS would be its main target. But Volkswagen learned from the disappointing U.S. acceptance of the Phaeton: Luxury buyers pay for brand cache as much as they do for supple leather and high-tech gadgets. This time around, says Brett Scott, VW's product planning manager, they expect many of their customers to be Camry and Accord shoppers attracted to the CC's stand-out styling.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen CC

Pics Aplenty: 2009 Volkswagen Golf VI

Click above for high-res gallery of the VW Golf VI

Though we got a preview of the sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf earlier this month, it took VW this long to get its act together and release the full gamut of official images and details. In addition to the new exterior and interior, the Golf VI will also be offered with four TSI gas engines and two TDI diesels, and the superlative 6- and 7-speed DSG transmissions will replace automatic trannies in all but the entry-level models. Electronic nannies will include DCC Adaptive Chassis Control, Park Assist, a Rear Assist rearview camera and the Park Pilot with a visual display. Pricing hasn't bee released yet for Europe, but expect it to start low and end high.

Gallery: Volkswagen Golf VI

Audi A4, Q5 could be built Stateside

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Audi Q5.

Taking a lesson from BMW, who have been successfully manufacturing cars and SUVs in Spartanburg, South Carolina for more than a decade, Audi may seek manufacturing capabilities for their A4 sedan and Q5 SUV in the States. The new Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, just announced last week, may be tasked with building upwards of 200,000 vehicles per year -- including the two Audis. Estimated to cost $973.5 million, the 1,359 acre plant is large enough to handle the domestic production for VW, Audi, and even shareholder Porsche... although the proud automaker from Stuttgart vehemently denies even considering it.

Rumormill: Volkswagen partnering with KTM on motorcycle?

Shortly after the revelation that Volkswagen wished it hadn't passed up on the opportunity to purchase famed Italian bike maker Ducati, comes a word that the German automaker has plans for its own line of motorcycles. What we can say for sure is that the rumored bike isn't likely to look anything like the picture above, which nonetheless is an interesting mash-up of an Aprilia trellis frame along with bodywork from MV Agusta. At least the artist chose good stock from which to pilfer. KTM, more and more a serious manufacturer itself, is the likely source of bike-specific components and is rumored to be providing technical know-how to VW as a sort-of repayment for the help it received in designing the awesome X-Bow, which uses an Audi engine. KTM is known in the bike realm for producing excellent engines, so basing a possible VeeDub VeeTwin on existing Katoom architecture strikes us as a good idea. What also strikes us as a good idea is the reconsideration of the ill-fated GX3 three-wheeler, which was axed over fears of possible litigation. If VW were to sponsor a range of two-wheelers already, though, the GX3 would be a much safer bet for future production. Let us cross our collective fingers on this one.

VW's new Jetta TDI now eligible for $1,300 federal tax credit

Hybrid owners aren't the only ones eligible for tax breaks. Buyers of Volkswagen's new diesel powered Jettas will be able to recoup $1,300 of the purchase price from our friends at the IRS. The Internal Revenue Service has decreed that the Jetta TDI qualifies for the Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle income tax credit. That means that a diesel Jetta will cost about $700 more than a regular gas Jetta. By now most Volkswagen dealers across North America should have a Jetta TDI demonstrator on the lot. Deliveries to customers should start around the end of August or early September. During the media drive of Mercedes' new Bluetec diesel SUVs recently, company officials expressed hope that those vehicles would also qualify for the tax credit. Thanks to Connor for the tip!

Volkswagen considering offering Polo in U.S. market

The Rabbit is currently the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered vehicle in Volkswagen's U.S. fleet, getting around 26 mpg on the EPA's combined city/highway cycle. But V-Dub wants something better for the U.S. market. Speaking with Bloomberg, VW CEO, Stefan Jacoby revealed that the automaker is considering bringing a subcompact vehicle, similar to the Polo, to the U.S.

With the Toyota Yaris rated at 32 mpg and the Honda Fit coming in at 31 mpg (combined city/highway), Volkswagen is hoping to meet or exceed the competition. While it's unlikely we'll see the current Polo on U.S. shores anytime soon, it's expected that the next generation will be available in the States in 2010 when the new Jetta is released, followed by a new midsize sedan that will replace the Passat.

The additions and revisions to VW's product line is an effort by the automaker to boost U.S. sales to 800,000 units by 2018, nearly tripling the 230,571 vehicles it sold in 2007. VW is also looking to build a new engine plant in Mexico, along with its recently announced Tennessee plant.

eBay find of the day: BTTF SriLorean

The seller states he's not really sure what this car is worth. Here's our estimate: it's worth even less than a regular '89 Scirocco with 123,000 miles. Why? Because it's been molested into a Delorean imposter. Not just any Delorean, either, but the Back To The Future Delorean, which so many people feel compelled to recreate as a rolling manifestation of their overdeveloped love for a movie prop. Don't get us wrong, the BTTF DMC's masterful design has had astounding resonance with the public, becoming a real icon of its time. It's just that while the original design by Andrew Probert and Ron Cobb was something new, rehashing it endlessly for twenty-five years has gotten tiresome.

With that out of our system, let's go on to say that the seller has a sense of humor about this car. It was used to promote a primary school play, +1 for kickin' it with the kiddies, and there's obviously a lot of effort here. It's also heartwarming that the mods were perpetrated on a somewhat more common Scirocco, versus a rarer Delorean. The Flux capacitor and time circuits have not been tested, according to the seller, so caveat emptor. If it actually works, we'd love to go back and whisper in VW's ear to build more Sciroccos, and do likewise with Johnny Z, too. Bids currently stand at £156 with the reserve not met, so you're not yet OUTATIME. Thanks for the tip, Tim!

Many dealers report selling out of Jetta TDI, Tiguan TDI possible

Volkswagen dealerships are reporting strong demand for the brand-new 2009 Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen TDI. Some dealers have even sold out before their first TDI even showed up on the lot, despite the fact that customers won't actually be getting their cars for at least another month or so. The two-thousand dollar premium buyers are asked to pay along with diesel prices, which are hovering in the $4.70 to $5.00 range, have not hampered buyers' hankering for a new fifty-state diesel passenger car. It probably doesn't hurt that VeeDub oil-burners have a reputation for über-reliability, with a number of sales coming from past TDI owners.

In contrast to strong Jetta TDI sales, VW's other recent model, the Tiguan, is not doing as well as hoped. How about adding a diesel engine option to the little crossover? Apparently, dealers are asking and they may get what they want. After all, the Tiguan's engine bay readily accepts the TDI engine from the Jetta since the two vehicles share a similar Golf-based platform. Our affection for the oddly-named mini-ute would surely increase exponentially if it were granted the turbo-diesel.

Volkswagen Scirocco R32? Teaser image surfaces

With the Volkswagen Scirocco now out in the public domain, Volkswagen appears to be on a campaign to keep our attention piquied with this teaser shot that has been floating around cyberspace. The image shows a darkened glimpse at the front end of a potentially beefier Scirocco, with the R in the reflection colored the bold blue that has become the trademark color of Volkswagen's performance badge.

If the R-type Scirocco got the same 247-hp 3.2-liter VR6 and 4Motion all-wheel-dive from its Golf/Rabbit R32 stable-mate, and some of the styling cues from the Scirocco GT24, we could have quite the stormer on our hands.

Fuel sipping station wagons sold in Europe

Do you have a small family and a dog? For many Europeans in that or a similar situation, station wagons are the ride of choice, despite the SUV and minivan craze. Buying a station wagon often means that you're buying a fuel efficient vehicle which can carry lots of stuff, and some of these vehicles can even seat seven. The key to an fuel-saving family hauler is finding that elusive combination of being compact in size, roomy inside and fitted to a efficient powertrain. Compact minivans, SUVs and CUVs sometimes fit these qualifications, as we discussed when we posed a list of European fuel saving people carriers. That list included some station wagons that seat seven, and today's list expands on that and shows the 20 most fuel-efficient station wagons on sale in Europe. Don't think all of them are made by European automakers. Find the full list after the jump.

Officially Official: EPA rates 2009 Jetta TDI at 30/41mpg

The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI is coming to VW dealers this summer as the first of the new batch of 50 state clean diesels and the official EPA fuel economy numbers are now out. The diesel has come in with ratings of 30mpg on the urban cycle and 41mpg on the highway cycle. Those numbers are a bit lower than expected, with Volkswagen having implied previously implied that 40mpg both city and highway were possible. More recently they have indicated that real world highway figures of up to 60mpg were possible. Regardless of the expectations we might have had, these numbers are a huge improvement over the current 2.5L five cylinder and 2.0L turbo offerings. The 34mpg combined figure is a 41.7 percent improvement over the 2.5L and 36 percent boost over the 2.0L. The Prius is rated at 48/45mpg city/highway. We'll be looking forward to our chance to evaluate a new Jetta TDI to see how it does in the real world. Update: We just talked to VW spokesman Keith Price about the EPA numbers and his response was that the VW TDIs typically do better in real world mileage performance than the official ratings. We'll reserve judgement until we get our hands on one in late June.

Best Buy's Geek Squad getting smart-er?

We're not going to comment regarding the capabilities of Best Buy's Geek Squad, the team of technology-savvy guys and gals working at the big box retailer which makes house calls to fix computers and the like. We will say, though, that their choice for the geeky-team-vehicle of a black and white Volkswagen Beetle (the new one, not its elder) seems fitting. Here's a topic or conversation, though: Could they find a geekier vehicle? Well, some people seem to think of the smart fortwo is a chick car, though that theory seems to have been mostly debunked. Would the smart be a better fit for the Nerd-Herd Geek Squad? If you think so, perhaps you'll be happy to find that the diminutive smart is actually in use as the nerd-mobile of choice in the UK. I don't know about you, but if I were a geek (watch it, buddy!), I'd rather be seen in a smart. Just saying...

More creative incentives: Buy a VW Routan and get $1,500 for college

The new Volkswagen Routan minivan hasn't even gone on sale yet and there is already an incentive on its hood. This one, however, is not your typical cash back deal. Instead, Volkswagen is working under the assumption that the people likely to actually purchase a Routan are those with kids to haul. As such, VW of America is teaming up with Upromise to provide buyers with $1,500 towards a higher education savings plan. Upromise is a company that works with retailers to provide cash back bonuses when one of their registered credit card is used for purchases. Those rebates can then be transferred to a 529 education savings plan. To be eligible for the college bonus, you have to pre-order the Chrysler-built Routan by the end of August and take delivery by the end of November.

First new VW Jetta TDIs now in transit to U.S. dealers

For everyone who has been waiting anxiously for the new fifty state legal Volkswagen Jetta TDI to arrive at U.S. dealers, it appears things are inching a little closer. A reader the other day spotted a transporter filled with Jettas festooned with TDI signage headed northbound on a North Carolina freeway. Andrew called a local VW dealer who confirmed that these were actually among the first batch of TDIs that will be available for test drives at dealers around North America for the next couple of months before they go on sale later this summer. We first reported on VW's plans back in February at the Chicago Auto Show. From the initial batch of 1,000 cars, each dealer will get one car initially and more will arrive through the course of the summer. Volkswagen expects about half of the 15,000 Sportwagens for 2009 to be TDI powered with about 30-40 percent of the sedans. Keep your eyes open for the new Jetta TDI and if you can snap some photos put them up on Flickr or some other site and send us a link. In the meantime check out the driving impressions of the gas-powered Jetta SportWagen.