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Breath-taking all-time record at the legendary hill climb on Pikes Peak with a pioneering, fully-electric drivetrain and a spectacular look – the Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak has already justified the use of many superlatives. The 500-kW (680-PS) prototype sports car has now been crowned “Race Car of the Year” twice – by specialist German magazine Auto Bild Motorsport and by British car magazine BBC Top Gear. This recognition from two renowned and high-circulation magazines follows a year of success on the track.

Back at the end of June, Romain Dumas (F) set a new all-time record of 7:57.148 minutes with the ID. R at the “Race to the Clouds” on Pikes Peak, smashing the previous record for the extremely demanding, 19.99-kilometre hill climb by 16 seconds and made headlines around the world in the process. This triumph made the ID. R the first fully-electric racing car to come out on top in direct sporting competition with cars powered by combustion engines. The ID. R is the motorsport forerunner of the ID. family of electric cars, which Volkswagen will launch in 2019.

“We wanted to achieve two things with the ID. R. Set a new record on Pikes Peak and show how dynamic, emotional and powerful electromobility can be,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets, who received the award from Auto Bild Motorsport at the formal gala during the Essen Motor Show in Germany on Friday evening. “When it comes to the sporting result, we far exceeded our expectations and completed the fastest assent of Pikes Peak in the history of the race. However, having these two popular magazines from Germany and Great Britain acknowledge this effort and crown the ID. R their ‘Race Car of the Year’ underlines the fact that we have also achieved our goal from a communication point of view. We are delighted with these awards.”

“Technological milestone”, “complete and honed” –
praise aplenty for the ID. R

In justifying their choice of “Race Car of the Year”, the editors at Auto Bild Motorsport were not sparing with their praise: “It is the fastest hill climb car ever built – and at the same time a technological milestone.” The BBC Top Gear magazine also focussed on the innovative concept. “Powered by electricity not only to defy oxygen starvation at altitude, but also develop the instant torque necessary for teleport-level acceleration. So complete, so honed, surely the ID. R is now the template for success at Pikes Peak,” wrote BBC Top Gear magazine.

From 30 November to 09 December, the ID. R Pikes Peak will be on display at the Volkswagen stand (hall 3, stand 3A43) at the Essen Motor Show, Europe’s leading fair for sporty vehicles.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

The Beetle, along with the the New Beetle, is a true icon in the history of automobile manufacture. Volkswagen of America, Inc. celebrates the last production year of the Beetle and Beetle Cabriolet with the “Final Edition” special models2. The two particularly stylish Beetles will be presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2018 (28 Nov – 9 Dec 2018).

America has always been one of the markets in which the Beetle has been very successful and the cult Volkswagen has many followers and fans. As a tribute to this icon, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is presenting two exclusive special models to its customers at the Los Angeles Auto Show: The Beetle Final Edition and the Beetle Cabriolet Final Edition. Both versions have extensive equipment and high-quality decorative elements.

This special series is inspired by the “Última Edición” of the VW Beetle, from which the legendary Volkswagen was finally adopted in the year 2003. Like the “Última Edición”, the “Final Edition” is also available in the exclusive colours of Beige (Safari Uni) and Light Blue (Stonewashed Blue). The Final Edition models are also available in Pure White, Deep Black Pearl Effect and Platinum Grey. The fabric roof of the Cabriolet is designed in a classy brown colour. The Final Edition models can also be recognised by the “Beetle" lettering on the tailgate.

The Beetle special models are powered exclusively by a 130 kW/176 PS 2.0 TSI engine in combination with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

The Volkswagen Group is investing heavily in its future. Over the coming five years to the end of 2023, the Company will be spending almost €44 billion alone on the future issues of e-mobility, autonomous driving, new mobility services and digitalization in its vehicles and at its plants. This represents approximately one-third of total expenditure for the 2019-2023 planning period and is the outcome of the Group’s planning round, which has now been completed and was discussed and endorsed by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft at its meeting today.

“One aim of the Volkswagen Group’s strategy is to speed up the pace of innovation. We are focusing our investments on the future fields of mobility and systematically implementing our strategy”, Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, said on Friday after the regular Supervisory Board meeting.

Focus on further improvement in earnings at all brands and in all Group units

The Volkswagen Group is working consistently on improving earnings at all brands and companies in order to finance the enormous challenges of the future from its own resources.

Programs to secure the agreed targets have been initiated by the brands and companies. Frank Witter, Group Board Member for Finance and IT, commented: “We stand by our investment and cost targets, we are focused and disciplined, and we will systematically continue on our chosen path.”

Both the capital expenditure ratio and the research and development ratio in the Group’s Automotive Division are to continue to decline to a competitive level of 6 percent from 2020 onward. The net cash flow target of a minimum of €10 billion by 2020 remains valid. The diesel crisis will, however, still impact cash outflows in planning years 2019 and 2020.

The joint ventures in China are not consolidated and are therefore not included in the plans. These joint venture companies provide their own funding for investments in plants and products.

Partnerships are a key success factor for shaping the future

In addition to investment planning, the Supervisory Board also consulted on further groundbreaking future projects at its meeting on Friday. The talks with Ford about an industrial cooperation announced earlier are progressing positively so far. The two companies complement each other very well in terms of both products and regions. The joint development and manufacture of a range of light commercial vehicles is at the core of the envisaged cooperation.

Volkswagen expects significant synergy effects from the potential to lower costs or increase performance via scales. Ford and Volkswagen will nevertheless remain competitors, as the proposed cooperation does in no way concern commercial, marketing or pricing strategies. Additional fields of cooperation outside the light commercial vehicle segment with the potential for expanding collaboration have also been identified.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Drivers can now add a host of fashionable and sophisticated black features to their Tiguan with the new “Black Style” R-Line design package, making the compact SUV yet more elegant and dynamic-looking.

The Comfort and Highline1 specification packages for the Tiguan can now be combined with the “Black Style” R-Line design package. It is available in the following colours: Mother-of-Pearl-Effect Oryx White; Pure White; Indium Grey Metallic; and Pearl-Effect Deep Black for the Tiguan.

An overview of “Black Style” R-Line elements includes:

Bumpers in “R”-styling and side member trim, wheel housing extensions, and air intake ribs in black
R-Line black roof spoiler
19-inch black “Sebring” alloy wheels
Black roof rails
Tinted rear side windows and rear windscreen with ability to absorb up to 90% of light
Black mirror caps
Black rear bumper strip
Black window strips
Black trim strips on the bumpers and door add-ons
Black middle strip in radiator grille
R-Line leather multifunction sports steering wheel

The “Black Style” R-Line design package for the Tiguan is available from EUR 3,365.00. For a more athletic appearance still, drivers can opt to add 20-inch black “Suzuka” wheels for EUR 490.00.

The first Tiguan was launched in 2007 and is a global bestseller for the Volkswagen brand. The second generation of this vehicle was launched in 2016 and became the first Volkswagen SUV to be based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB). This was followed by the Tiguan Allspace in 2017, which is almost 22 centimetres longer and comes with up to seven seats.

The Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace are key pillars of the ongoing Volkswagen SUV campaign. The two variants of new Tiguan had sold over 600,000 units by the end of September 2018, with over 4.6 million Tiguans in total sold since 2007. The Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace are now produced in four countries (China, Germany, Mexico and Russia) and are available all over the world. The Tiguan OFFROAD2 with 4MOTION all-wheel drive as standard has recently been made available to order.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Volkswagen is today unveiling the Tarok Concept to the world at the São Paulo International Motor Show (6 to 18 November)2. The all-wheel drive all-rounder combines the progressive features of the latest generation of digitally networked SUVs with the versatility of a cleverly designed five-metre pick-up. Its innovative new features include a large variable loading area, which can be extended thanks to the folding rear panel in the spacious four-door double cab. As with the technical layout, the Tarok Concept has been designed from scratch down to the very last millimetre.

Volkswagen has succeeded in merging the practical advantages of the Tarok Concept with a lifestyle-oriented design. Klaus Bischoff, Head Designer at the Volkswagen brand, explains: “With its striking Targa-inspired roof bar, charismatic front end, three-dimensional LED lighting strip in the rear, and powerful yet stylish side panels, the Tarok Concept’s expressive design makes it the first pick-up to combine the stylistic elements of an urban SUV with an authentic off-road design.” Bischoff continues: “The Tarok’s DNA adds an exhilarating dynamic to the segment.”

One important design feature in the five-seater Tarok Concept is its variable loading area concept. The floor space can be extended by opening the tailgate or using the brand new mechanism that allows the bottom of the passenger cab rear panel to be folded down. As a result, drivers can also use the back of the cab to transport extra-long items. Analogous to this variability, the maximum load is correspondingly high at around one tonne.

The interior indicates a new way forward for Volkswagen in the pick-up segment, with its primarily digital design. Eye-catching elements include a colour-keyed crossbar in Cypress Metallic that stretches across the entire dash panel. This crossbar surrounds a glass-covered Infotainment system, digital air conditioning controls and a Digital Cockpit, which together form the main cockpit elements with all displays and controls on a single visual and operational axis.

The Tarok Concept is powered by a 1.4-litre 110 kW / 150 PS four-cylinder TSI engine, which can be driven in Brazil as a TotalFlex Fuel Unit both with pure ethanol (E100) as well as a gasoline-ethanol blend (E22). The TSI engine in the Tarok Concept is also combined with a 6-speed automatic gearbox and permanent 4MOTION all-wheel drive.

It is certain that Volkswagen will soon be offering a series version of the Tarok Concept on the market in Brazil, with barely any changes. The avant-garde pick-up also has the potential to boost Volkswagen’s model range in other global markets. The future series model will start out with a 2.0-litre turbo diesel direct injection (TDI) TSI engine that also delivers 110 kW / 150 PS.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

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