Volkswagen New Compact Coupe concept

It might be cold consolation to those of us desperate for a Scirocco in the States, but the Volkswagen Compact Coupe Concept has the potential to fill that particular hatch-shaped hole in our hearts – with a bit of green cred to boot.

With a sharper, more sculpted front fascia than its Golf and Jetta siblings, a deep swage line running the length of the sides and a rather anonymous (exhaust-less) rump, the Compact Coupe – as we mentioned earlier – comes across as the poor man's Audi A5. And the interior is something to behold.



Not only does it put the segment stalwarts to shame in both style and space, VW took pains to make the rear seats actually inhabitable. There's ample leg room and a trick center console with independent climate controls for both passengers, a quad-zone setup we hope makes the transition to production.



Although there's sure to be countless variants of the Coupe when it arrives in production guise (were sure a few versions of the 2.0T will find their way underhood), in the "concept" motivation is provided by a 1.4-liter TSI inline-four, putting out 150 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque. However, when partnered with its hybrid system (a 20-kilowatt electric motor drawing pour from a lithium ion battery), output is boosted by 27 ponies to 177 hp and an equal amount of torque. VW estimates that U.S. mileage should average around 45 mpg and with its hybrid setup, the Concept Coupe can be driven in full electric mode for an unspecified range. With it's seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, VW pegs the Coupe's 0-60 time at 8.1 seconds, with a top speed of 141 mph

2009 Volkswagen Scirocco

Volkswagen’s Scirocco is built on the same platform as the Rabbit, which dooms its chances of being sold in the U.S. With the GTI and R32 already sold here, company execs tell us they have enough halo vehicles for one segment and will leave the Scirocco on the docks when ships bearing VWs head for the Americas.



Too bad, because in addition to its low-roof shooting-brake styling, the Scirocco holds some neat tech bits inside its three-door body. Among the selection of gas and diesel four-cylinders is a TSI engine that is both turbo- and supercharged for 158 horsepower. As in the GTI, a six-speed manual will be standard and a six-speed DSG automated manual will be optional, but the TSI engine will also be available with a new seven-speed DSG that we are hoping to see in U.S.-market GTIs soon.

Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion

The Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion version of the mid-sized Volkswagen Passat is coming to the Geneva Motor Show in March. BlueMotion is the model designation VW is applying to the cleanest, most efficient variant of each of their platforms, and the Passat BlueMotion model is rated at 46 mpg which is pretty impressive for a car of this size. The CO2 emissions are rated at 136g/km.

That efficiency means that a Passat BlueMotion can go almost 840 miles between fill ups. The BlueTec-equipped four cylinder diesel is rated at 105 hp and has a top speed of 120 mph, if you happen to be on one of the remaining unrestricted sections of the autobahn. It's unknown at this point if the Passat BlueMotion will come stateside, although other diesel Passat models should be headed this way, now that oil-burners are starting to catch on. The VW press release is after the jump.



Low fuel consumption: Passat BlueMotion consumes just 5.1 liters of diesel over 100 km

It just keeps running: Passat BlueMotion with 1,350 km range

Wolfsburg, Germany - The new Passat BlueMotion – no other vehicle of its size consumes less fuel. The saloon needs exactly 5.1 liters of diesel for 100 km. And just as convincing: a CO2 emission level of just 136 g/km. The world premiere of the Passat BlueMotion is 6th March at the Geneva Motor Show.

With the new Passat BlueMotion, Volkswagen is forcing ahead with the launch of vehicles that are particularly efficient and environmentally friendly. The first BlueMotion model was the Polo in the summer of 2006– an immediate success and its production figures have already been increased threefold due to the high demand throughout Europe. "BlueMotion" is now the seal of quality for a model version with the lowest rate of fuel consumption.

With reference to the new Passat BlueMotion this means: an average of 5.1 liters of diesel over 100 kilometers. The Passat Estate BlueMotion needs 5.2 liters (137 g/km) – also a top value, even in comparison to vehicles worldwide. Both body versions have a driving range of up to 1,350 kilometers with a full tank! With an average annual distance driven of 15,000 kilometers, this means that the driver only needs to refuel eleven times a year with an average of 68 Euro* in fuel costs per month.

Volkswagen can achieve such low consumption figures through the fine tuning of the engine, which was already extremely efficient. In this case a 77 kW / 105 bhp TDI engine with a diesel particulate filter fitted as standard. This fuel efficiency does not, however, reduce levels of agility. The Passat BlueMotion can accelerate up to 193 km/h (Estate: 190 km/h) if required. That is an element of the BlueMotion philosophy: fuel efficiency and agility in a combination that still makes driving fun.