Since winning the "Best New Engine of 2006" award from the International Engine of the Year committee, Volkswagen's Twincharger TSI engine has taken the 1.0 to 1.4 liter category by storm, taking the class victory last year and again for 2008. Cited reasons for the win include the engine's high power output and low gasoline consumption.

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Volkswagen is taunting us again with another shot of its 'Ring-bound Scirocco, and this time, we get to see the race-ready hatch in profile. VW has been testing the Scirocco in the run up to the 24 Hours of Nurburgring race that's set to begin on May 24, and according to VW Motorsport Director, Kris Nissen, the Scirocco is living up to expectations. With 300 hp provided by its 2.0-liter TFSI engine, Nissen says that, "the new Scirocco was in its element from its very first lap around the Nordschleife." It's a grueling test and we're looking forward to how the Scirocco fairs later this month.

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The most powerful series production Passat ever built is now available for sale in the UK market. Offered in both sedan and estate bodystyles, the VW Passat R36 is equipped with a naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre V6 engine developing 300Hp and 258 lbs ft of torque. Drive is channeled via a six-speed DSG gearbox through a 4MOTION all-wheel drive system that can divert torque to either axle depending on the grip available.

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With Volkswagen due to make a decision about the location of its first US factory in more than two decades, the next obvious question is what to build there? We had a chance to pose that very question to Steve Keyes, GM of Public Relations for VW of America. According to Steve, the driving force for the factory is two-fold. First and most obvious is the exchange rate issue. With dollar being worth less almost daily against the Euro, it's increasingly difficult for VW to price cars competitively, especially in the mainstream segments where it primarily competes.

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This is Volkswagen’s new range-topping Touareg, the R50. Its party trick is an uprated version of familiar 5.0-litre V10, which wrings a massive 627lb ft of torque and 345bhp from the ageing pump duse engine; an increase of 74lb ft, 36bhp and £3885 over the previous range-topper, the Altitude.

Stamp your right foot to the floor and you will roar past 62mph in 6.7 seconds – faster than you would in a Focus ST. In a car that deserves its own magnetic force field, weighing in at 2602kg, that feels similar to taking a step forward and discovering that the ground has dropped by two foot more than you were expecting.

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The production version of VW's clean BlueTDI engine was unveiled today at the International Vienna Motor Symposium (24-25 April). Developed especially for the North American market, the Jetta BlueTDI features an advanced 2.0-liter common-rail turbo diesel engine that produces 140 Hp and 320 Nm or 236-lb/ft of torque.

Based on the high-tech TDI, which was first introduced in Europe in 2007 with the Tiguan, this four-cylinder diesel engine was redeveloped with internal engine modifications and a NOx trap in order to meet specific operating conditions in the U.S. But apart from being clean, VW supports that the new diesel engine helps the Jetta achieve a fuel economy of up to 60 mpg on the highway. The Jetta BlueTDI will go on sale in the States this summer.

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Volkswagen’s U.S. division has confirmed it will offer free scheduled servicing for its entire 2009 lineup under its new ‘Carefree Maintenance Program.’ The new program covers owners for up to three years or the first 36,000 miles and includes three scheduled maintenance intervals at 10,000, 20,000 and 30,000 miles.

According to VW the previous 5000-mile service is no longer required for most of its vehicles because they have all switched to synthetic oils.

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Volkswagen’s second joint-venture in China with local car manufacturer FAW, introduced the VW Shanghai Lavida’s alter-ego, the new Bora sedan at the Beijing Show. Compared to the Lavida that we showed you earlier today (click here), the VW FAW Bora retains the same wheelbase (2,610 mm), but it’s a tad shorter at 4,540 mm. Visual differences between the two compact sedans include the Bora’s restyled front and rear end along with the different shape of the rear doors.

Like its VW Shanghai counterpart, the 2009 Bora will be offered with a choice of two 4-cylinder gasoline engines that can be paired to either a manual or a six-speed. The new Bora will be available in China in two equipment lines "Trendline" and "Comfortline".

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Volkswagen is popular in China, setting new sales records every year. Reason enough for Volkswagen to develop China-only cars. Volkswagen first showed the Neeza Concept at the 2006 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition.

This year at the 2008 Auto China show in Beijing Volkswagen will have two world debuts. The first will be the Volkswagen Lavida, a sedan based on the previous-generation A4 platform with high end interior, hence the Mini Phaeton nickname. The Lavida will compete in China with the Buick Excelle who will step things up at the show too with the unveiling of their Invicta coupe-sedan concept.

The second world debut, we expect, will be the Neeza in production form. After some comparison, the Lavida and Neeza have plenty of commonalities leading us to believe that an estate version will be debuted alongside the sedan.

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Modern cars are truly all about the style and the design. It seems that more and more people and companies are interested in shaping the product on both the interiors and the exterior before actually going in to design what really lies under the hood. Even though for a hard core motorhead it is what drives the car that is very important, it is the casual consumer who is attracted by the exterior looks. In fact, the looks are a common factor in attracting one and all and we know that it is the casual customer who is more important to the makers.

In the same trend Hofele, the innovative company in the product-range of car-accessories especially for German manufacturers like Audi and VW, recently unveiled the Hofele-Design-Edition kit for the Golf GTI. Using only high-tech accessories and super light materials developed in order to define the elegance of the Hofele Brand the Golf GTI kit features a front bumper with 2 big air intakes, side-skirts fitted as well with two air intakes, but also a rear apron to use with sports muffler.

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If you're a UK dub head who missed out on the 1,500 Golf GTI Edition 30 units sold early last year, here's your chance. After 25 years, VW is bringing back to the UK the Golf GTI Pirelli. Introduced to the tune of 10,500 units into the MkI Golf platform in May 1983 and sold out six months later, the package consisted of special Pirelli “P” alloy wheels. Surely, that doesn't sound like much by today's standards, but back then, it was seriously cool.

This time around VW has basically repackaged the GTI Edition 30 which adds 30 PS over the standard 200hp GTI resulting in a substantial drop in 0 to 60 mph from 7.2 to 6.8 seconds while top speed increase from 146 mph to 152 mph.

Instead of the bitchin 13-inch wheels from 1983, the GTI Pirelli gets fat 18-inch 5 spokes with the obligatory 225/40 R18 Pirelli P-Zero tyres. Body-coloured front splitter, side skirts and rear bumper will be available in reflex silver, diamond black and blue graphite while the rear light lenses get smoked and rear windows tinted. A special Pirelli badge finds on a spot on the bootlid further distinguisheing the new car.

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Volkswagen is recalling the 1999-2005 Passat in the USA for fuel line inspection and possible replacement of items including a fuel tank ventilation valve.

Cars with the 1.8T petrol engine are affected (fuel line inspection), as well as those featuring the 4Motion four-wheel-drive system (fuel tank ventilation valve), and some models with automatic transmission (a potentially damaged heat shield under the exhaust). Owners are urged to take their cars to Volkswagen dealerships, especially if they have noticed a smell of petrol.

No recall for this issue has been announced in Europe as yet - though the problematic 1.8T engine has been recalled before for issues including failed ignition coils - but European Passat owners noticing an intrusive whiff of fuel should contact Volkswagen Customer Services or their local dealer.

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German news publication Handeisblatt is reporting that Volkswagen is looking for ways to increase its output in the booming Chinese auto market. The automaker is reportedly looking at purchasing an existing Chinese facility, or a Fiat plant within the country as a means of extending production.

Winifried Vahland, head of VW China, has said that the current VW facilities are “running at full capacity,” indicating that the company will definitely look to increase its production to meet strengthening demand.

Volkswagen has set goals of selling 1 million cars in China this year and to make the market the company’s biggest outside of Germany by next year. VW is also said to be planning yearly investments of 750 million euros until 2010 to help meet these lofty targets.

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Volkswagen has long since emerged from its standing as a no-frills straightforward automaker with a handful of products to offer a full range of vehicles, including hatchbacks, sedans of all sizes, wagons, vans, convertibles, sport coupes, SUVs, a four-door coupe and even an upcoming pickup truck. The German automaker is banking on that diversity to reach an ambitious sales goal of 6.6 million units per annum within ten years from now.

The svelte new Passat CC unveiled in Detroit will form a big part of the company's push, targeted to sell some 300,000 units around the world over the next six years...pretty ambitious for a niche vehicle, to be sure. Although reports suggest that Volkswagen could be dropping the Passat name from this vehicle (at least in the U.S.) in favor of the "CC" moniker alone, the latest information from the automaker itself (it's a European press release) continues to employ the well-established name, which is the third most popular nameplate in Volkswagen's history behind the Golf and Beetle.

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Thirty minutes ago I was hustling a car through the rolling, glass-smooth two-lanes of Virginia's horse country, my hands happily clasped to a thick, three-spoke steering wheel as I arced the front tires through kinks and bends and wriggles, my feet playing the three pedals as if I were summoning bass notes on a pipe organ, my right hand jumping to the five-speed manual lever to choose shifts up and down, suspension beneath me deftly deflecting road bumps while keeping all four corners locked down and obedient. I was having fun.

I was not driving a Porsche, though. My grins appeared from the helm of a station wagon.

Once a staple of American idiom, the term "station wagon" has in recent decades all but slipped into disuse, now found way back in the synonyms drawer alongside words like "dull," "archaic," and "I'd rather have a big ol' SUV." But as I wrote in a recent Motor Trend column, a lot of us still like station wagons -- and there's about wagons to like. After all, wagons are more nimble than taller crossovers and SUVs, more fun to drive, and often more fuel-efficient.

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