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Watch Two Tuned Performance Wagons Go For The Kill In Epic Series Of Races

Posted on October 23, 2021 6:00 am by admin

What Brings The Heat To The Race?

The Subaru WRX STI wagon is tuned by Racedynamix. It features a 2.0-liter, EJ207 STI engine that makes 500 horses. The mods on this build include an SC46 turbo, a five-speed Pfitzner Performance gearbox that powers all four wheels, and a Syvecs S6 ECU with anti-lag, launch control, flat-foot shifting, and rolling launch. It rides on semi-slick tires on all four corners.

The Volkswagen Golf R Estate is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine. Power is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The mods on it include a Venom 500 turbo, an Autotech high-pressure fuel pump, a Revo low-pressure fuel pump, and a Wagner intercooler. It is riding on Michelin PS4S tires.

The Subaru weighs 1,150 kilos (2,535 pounds), giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 434 BHP/ton. The Volkswagen has a stripped interior, but still weighs 1,500 kilos (3,307 pounds) – significantly more than the Scooby. This gives it a power-to-weight ratio of 333 BHP/ton.

0-60 mph

0-60 mph: Winner – Volkswagen

The Subaru took just 3.168 seconds to touch the mark, but the VW was even quicker. It sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 2.974 seconds

The first round was the 0-60 mph individual test. Here, the Subaru took just 3.168 seconds to touch the mark. The Volkswagen, on the other hand, was quicker. It took just 2.974 seconds to touch 60 mph from a standstill. Well, thank the dual-clutch auto gearbox and the all-wheel-drive system.

Winner: Volkswagen Golf R Estate

Quarter-Mile Run

Quarter-Mile Run: Winner – Subaru

The Scooby ran the distance in 11.382 seconds at 125.66 mph. The German was almost as quick, taking 11.507 seconds at 122.49 mph to complete the distance

The Scooby went first and ran the quarter-mile in 11.382 seconds with a trap speed of 125.66 mph. The Volkswagen Golf R Estate was a tad bit slow, but still fairly impressive. It took 11.507 seconds at 122.49 mph to complete the quarter-mile distance.

Winner: Subaru WRX STI

Quarter-Mile Races

Seeing how closely matched both the wagons were in their respective quarter-mile runs, the race was going to be exciting. The Subaru was quicker off the line in the first race and managed to keep the lead till the very end. It looked like it would be a mighty close race, perhaps one of the cars beating the other by the nose, but it wasn’t. The WRX STI wagon beat it by at least three car lengths.

Winner: Subaru WRX STI

The driver of the Golf R Estate, Yuri, wanted to give it another shot. So, they raced again to see if the German wagon would get a better and smoother start off the line. As it turns out, it did! The Golf R Estate sped off the line, leaving the WRX STI in the dust. The latter was able to get quite close by the end, but not enough to win. With the way the Subaru was going, the result could’ve been different had this been a half-mile race. But, the Japanese hit a snag and that could’ve been the reason for the result.

Winner: Volkswagen Golf R Estate

The next two races belonged to the VW. In one of these, the Subaru hit a hurdle, but the next one was as close as it could get, which the German eventually won again

After fixing it up, they raced for the third time, and this was the closest race of them all. The wagons were neck-and-neck halfway, but then the Volkswagen edged slightly forward. In the end, it won by barely a car length.

Winner: Volkswagen Golf R Estate

Roll Race

The rolling race was up next. The Subaru had a better kickdown here and got the lead as soon as they touched the starting line. The Volkswagen couldn’t catch it and eventually lost the race. There was just one roll race, and it belonged to the WRX STI wagon.

Winner: Subaru WRX STI

Watch this epic race below and share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

📂This entry was posted in Uncategorized 📎and tagged drag racing race cars station wagon Subaru Subaru WRX video Volkswagen Volkswagen Golf
First Look: 2022 Volkswagen Jetta and GLI

Posted on August 23, 2021 3:01 pm by admin

Volkswagen has gained plenty of momentum during the last several years by rolling out a procession of now SUVs, from the little Taos to the big Atlas, but unlike some competitors, the German automaker isn’t giving up on the passenger car market.

Volkswagen’s push to expand its SUV line-up hasn’t hampered its efforts to keep its sedans up to date as evidenced by the new Jetta.

And so, for 2022, VW is updating two of its most important sedan offerings, the Jetta and the GLI. The two models receive styling and technology updates, while the base sedan also gets an updated powertrain that delivers a nearly 8% increase in horsepower.

“It definitely comes down to value,” said Rachel Whitwell, the compact car product specialist for Volkswagen of America. “The people who are buying compact sedans are still looking for a very affordably priced vehicle that offers good space … (low) cost of ownership and value,” she added during a media backgrounder ahead of today’s unveiling.

Jetta and GLI actually start out with the same underpinnings, much as VW does with the Golf and GTI lines. Jetta targets buyers on a tighter budget. But it gets some additions this year that could make it seem more refined, according to Whitwell.

More power for Jetta

That starts with the engine upgrade. The old, 147-hp inline-4 is replaced by a 1.5-liter package now shared with the Taos crossover. It uses a variable geometry turbine, coated cylinder liners and other enhancements to boost power to 158 hp and 184 pound-feet of torque.

The new2022 VW Jetta and Jetta GLI get powertrain updates for the 2022 model year.

And while final EPA numbers have not been calculated, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta is expected to improve over the sedan’s current fuel economy, which reaches as much as 30 mpg city, 41 highway, said product planning chief Hein Schafer.

The 2022 GLI retains its 2.0-liter turbo engine producing 228 hp and 258 lb-ft. The sedan is offered with a choice of a 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The new Jetta engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic.

Design “enhancements”

Both new models receive modest exterior updates for 2022. That starts with new grilles and revised front and rear bumpers.

“On the GLI,” noted VW in a release, “its characteristic red accent strip sits between the bars, and the lower front fascia features the legacy honeycomb detail. LED headlights and daytime running lights (DRLs) are standard, with top trim Jetta models and GLI having projector LEDs.

The new GLI retains its 2.0-liter turbo putting out 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

Both cars get cabin updates, as well. Contrast stitching — red on the GLI — is now standard. So is VW’s Digital Cockpit, with an 8-inch gauge cluster on the Jetta, and 10 inches on the GLI. The steering wheel buttons on the sportier model also switch to capacitive touch for 2022. There’s plenty of other technology, including center touchscreen infotainment systems, and optional in-car WiFi.

Advanced driver assistance systems such as Front Assist, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert are now standard on Jetta, and the upgraded IQ.DRIVE driver assistance technologies are available as options on Jetta, while they come standard on GLI.

A tough market

Pricing hasn’t been released yet but, considering the shrinking market for sedans, it’s expected to hew close to the current numbers when the 2022 VW Jetta and GLI models reach showrooms during the fourth quarter of this year. The Jetta currently starts at $18,995 — before delivery fees and other charges. The GLI carries a base MSRP of $26,345.

VW still offers a broad range of sedans and hatchbacks, but it will drop the base Golf models for 2022, recognizing the realities of an SUV-crazed market. Passenger cars make up only 22% of the brand’s current U.S. sales and it’s “a tough one to estimate” whether that will drop even further, said Schafer. But VW is hoping that the Jetta and GLI updates will help it retain a reasonable share in the compact sedan market.

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Volts, er, Volkswagen’s April Fool’s Day Prank a Jolt to the System

Posted on March 31, 2021 12:31 am by admin

Oh those wacky Germans!! As quickly as it got here, VW took it away: Voltswagen is the company that never was.

A lesson for wannabe pranksters: if you’re planning an April Fool’s Day joke, stick to April 1st.

That lesson apparently got lost in translation over at Voltswagen, er, Volkswagen headquarters when the company intentionally leaked an “internal document” on March 29 indicating it was planning to change its name as a way to highlight a dramatic, mega-billion-dollar shift to battery-electric vehicles.

Like so many others, automotive PR departments have often found ways to tweak the media on April 1 and the closer a supposed story hews to reality the better the joke — though news veterans have learned to tread cautiously with everything they see that day. VW’s gag, it seems, gained credibility because of the timing, even though it would have generated major skepticism had it come out two days later.

But “There will be no renaming of Volkswagen of America,” the company now says after receiving numerous angry calls from those fooled by the supposed name change — including, we will admit, TheDetroitBureau.com.

Good one, guys … good one

Volkswagen of America chief Scott Keogh, left, and VW AG CEO Herbert Diess share a laugh, knowing what was going to be unleashed on the U.S. media.

As readers will note, we did question whether this was part of a short-term marketing campaign, rather than a real, permanent name change. After all, other companies have taken similar steps. IHOP in 2018 announced it was becoming IHOB, a short-lived switch, it turned out, to promote the fact it offered more than just pancakes for breakfast.

Indeed, the stunt was intended to highlight the launch of the Voltswagen, er, Volkswagen ID.4, the carmaker’s first long-range battery-electric vehicle targeting the U.S. market. It began rolling into American showrooms this month.

“The alleged renaming was designed to be an announcement in the spirit of April Fool’s Day, highlighting the launch of the all-electric ID.4 SUV and signaling our commitment to bringing electric mobility to all,” said a statement from VW released the day after the rouse, 36 hours before April Fool’s Day.

The right amount of credibility for a fake release

The thread of credibility was, in fact, there for at least a short-term use of the name Voltswagen. The German company is going all-in on electrification, committing to spend more than $80 billion to bring at least 50 all-electric models to market by mid-decade. Its high-line Bentley brand will only sell battery-electric vehicles by 2030 and while the flagship VW brand hasn’t committed to going completely BEV, global CEO Herbert Diess has strongly hinted that is in the works.

Volkswagen has designated $86 billion to bring more than 50 EVs to market in the next few years, including the ID.4.

“We have said, from the beginning of our shift to an electric future, that we will build EVs for the millions, not just millionaires. This name change signifies a nod to our past as the peoples’ car and our firm belief that our future is in being the peoples’ electric car,” said the fake VW release, purportedly quoting Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America.

VW already did adopt a new name for its electric vehicles. They are being grouped together under the ID banner. An all-electric hatchback, the ID.3, went on sale in Europe last year. Other models are coming, including the ID.Buzz, a modern, battery-powered take on the legendary VW Microbus.

Volkswagen isn’t alone, one rival German automaker marketing its BEVs through the new Mercedes-EQ marque, another opting to call its electric models BMW i. And Hyundai just launched a new battery-car sub-brand called Ioniq.

VW’s reaching out to promote its electrification efforts shouldn’t be surprising. The automaker’s global CEO Herbert Diess declared a goal of becoming the world’s leading EV manufacturer, his goal to “overtake” today’s top seller, Tesla.

Whether the Voltswagen stunt will short-circuit the launch of the ID.4 isn’t certain. But wary journalists are likely to be far less willing to get charged up the next time a VW press release arrives.

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📂This entry was posted in Uncategorized 📎and tagged *Daily News* Automakers Automobiles Business Charging Coupes Crossovers/CUVs Electrified Vehicles Europe EVs Executives Markets Personalities Sedans SUVs Technology thedetroitbureau.com U.S./North America Volkswagen Volkswagen fools media with April Fool's prank Voltswagen an April Fool's joke VW April Fool's Day prank vw news VW proves German automakers do have a sense of humor
Ford Outperforms GM, FCA in Third Quarter Sales

Posted on October 3, 2020 2:50 pm by admin

Ford said the F-Series finished the third quarter strong with a 17.2% increase in September.

Ford Motor Co. outscored its Detroit rivals, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler during the third quarter by reporting a smaller sales decline and picking up share in the pickup market.

Ford, reporting a day after GM and FCA, was down 4.9% compared to a year ago. GM and FCA reported 10% declines during the third quarter as the industry showed signs of recovering from the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, which stalled sales last spring.

“Despite the challenging pandemic environment, our retail unit sales were down only 2 percent and we had our best third quarter of pickup truck sales since 2005,” said Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president of sales marketing and service. “F-Series finished the quarter on a high note with September sales up 17.2% with over 76,000 F-Series pickups sold. This is a testament to our winning product portfolio and the performance of our great dealers.”

(U.S. new car sales show signs of life in September.)

Volvo Cars enjoyed its best September sales results since 2004.

FCA’s Ram pickup deliveries slipped 3.4% year over year to 156,157 pickups during the third quarter as the Chevrolet Silverado pickup from GM fell 5.4% to 145,525 units. Subaru and Toyota reported sales gains in September as actual sales gains versus the previous year.

Volvo Cars USA maintained its upward momentum trend announcing its fourth consecutive month of year-over-year growth. Retailing 10,274 cars in September 2020, the strong result represents 10.2% growth over the same period last year and marks the best September result for the brand since 2004.

Honda brand sales climbed 11% as trucks set a September record with a 20.4% jump, while Acura September sales increased 16.6% on strong performances from MDX, RDX and ILX. “September marks a high-water mark for Honda sales this year with double-digit gains and our first month in positive territory since the pandemic began,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations at American Honda.

(Automakers expected to report strong September sales.)

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported total September sales of 24,237 vehicles, an increase of 28.7 percent compared to September 2019. Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA) today reported third-quarter 2020 sales of 24,857 vehicles, an increase of 1.5% over the same period in 2019, and up a significant 49% over the previous quarter of 2020.

Mitsubishi Motors saw sales rise 1.5% versus last September and a 49% compared with the second quarter of 2020.

Volkswagen of America reported its sales 7.6% and Porsche Cars North America Inc. said third quarter U.S. retail deliveries rose 5% from the same period a year ago, continuing a recovery trend from coronavirus lockdowns in the first half of 2020.

September 2020 sales benefitted from two extra sales days, and the Labor Day holiday weekend, which fell in August for 2019 results. Incoming figures from reporting automakers are reflecting year-over-year improvements for the month, and on an unadjusted volume level the sales tally for the month is expected to be up 2-3% year over year the first time since February 2020 the market will realize a monthly y/y improvement,” noted IHS analysts Stephanie Brinley.

(Tesla hits quarterly delivery record but Wall Street is not impressed.)

“The SAAR reading for the month is expected to improve from the 15.2 million unit reading in August, possibly bumping against a 16-million-unit pace. But this would still be well below the 17.2 million unit reading of September 2019,” she said.

📂This entry was posted in Uncategorized 📎and tagged *Daily News* Automakers automakers seeing sales rebound in September Automobiles Business Coupes Crossovers/CUVs Executives Ford Ford outperforms Detroit rivals in September Honda Markets Mitsubishi Monthly Results Personalities Porsche Sales Sedans September auto sales in U.S. SUVs thedetroitbureau.com Trends U.S. monthly auto sales results September U.S./North America Volkswagen Volvo