Volkswagen
Volkswagen
is recognized as one of the top small diesel engine
manufacturers, and is partnering with Mercedes and other companies
to market BlueTec clean diesel technology, calling it BlueMotion.
Volkswagen has offered a number of its vehicles with a TDI
Turbocharged Direct Injection engine, which lends class-leading fuel
economy to several models. According to the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, four of the ten most fuel efficient
vehicles available for sale in the U.S. in 2004 were powered by
Volkswagen diesel engines
They were in a three-way tie for 8th (TDI Beetle, TDI Golf, TDI Jetta)
and ninth, the TDI Jetta Wagon. As of 2007, VW has not yet offered a
gas-electric hybrid powertrain such as that in the Toyota Prius
(though a diesel-electric hybrid 5th generation Jetta was produced
as a test vehicle). In addition, all Volkswagen TDI diesel engines
produced from 1996 to 2003-2006 can be driven on 100% biodiesel
fuel. For the 2007 model year, however, strict U.S. government
emissions regulations have forced VW to drop most diesels from their
U.S. engine lineup, but a new lineup of diesel engines compatible to
U.S. standards are due for 2008.
The 2006 Eos hardtop convertibleVolkswagen long resisted adding an
utility vehicle to its lineup, but it finally relented with the
introduction of the Touareg in the early 2000s, sharing major
components with the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 sport utility
vehicles. Though acclaimed as a fine handling vehicle, the Touareg
has been a modest seller at best. Some automotive analysts blame the
Touraeg's absence of a third-row seat, the relatively poor fuel
economy, and the high vehicle mass. VW plans to add a compact SUV
with styling influences from its "Concept A" concept vehicle. On
July 20, 2006, VW announced that the new vehicle would be called the
Tiguan. One major irony of Volkswagen's current North American
lineup is the absence of a minivan, considering that VW is credited
for inventing the minivan with its original Transporter, but the
firm is currently developing just such a vehicle for the U.S. and
Canadian markets with DaimlerChrysler named the Volkswagen Routan,
with current plans to introduce it in 2008. Volkswagen is also
considering a new entry-level model for the North American lineup. A
venture with DaimlerChrysler to produce such a vehicle was
considered but dropped as of September 2006. Due to technical
difficulty adapting the Polo to meet North American vehicle
regulations, VW presented in 2006 the "Iroc" as a concept of the
proposed 2009 Scirocco as a potential new small model.
In September 2006, Volkswagen began offering the City Golf and City
Jetta only for the Canadian market. Both models were originally the
Mk4 Golf and Jetta but were later replaced with the Brazilian
versions of the Golf Mk4 and Bora. The City Golf and City Jetta were
introduced to compete with the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit.
Volkswagen's introduction of such models is seen as a test of the
market for a subcompact and, if successful, may be the beginnings of
a thriving subcompact market for Volkswagen.
When Martin Winterkorn became the eighth postwar CEO of Volkswagen,
the company made several personnel changes in Wolfsburg. Though the
VW Group already had their presence in India with Škoda Auto,
Volkswagen introduced the Passat and Touareg with TDI engine to
India's automobile market in September 2007.
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