THE GOOD 12 - PART XI

VOLKSWAGEN GTI

The Rabbit, then Golf, now Rabbit (and in many parts of the globe, still Golf) isn't the prototypical performance car foundation. The hatchback, in and of itself, is not exactly a stunner. Basic versions of this vehicle can be had with as little as 75bhp in some countries.

In fact, with the current GTI, Volkswagen harks back to the first generation, not only with plaid seats, but - more importantly - with a rediscovered down-the-road adeptness. Great advertising, spectacular wheels, a futuristic transmission, and a punchy turbocharged four-pot combine to generate plenty of true GTI cred.

And when it comes to hot hatchbacks, a vehicle's accreditation carries sway into the future, affecting the sales of future generations. Let's be honest: if the current GTI drove like the VR6 of 2000, there wouldn't be enough takers to make the development worth VW's worthwhile. As it is, the GTI is a driver's car, going so far as to assure at least some sales of the next generation, on this model's reputation alone. For that, GoodCarBadCar gives honour.

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Engines: 200 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque from a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder.

Mileage: City high = 21mpg. City low = 22mpg.

Base USD Price: $22,730

Anything Else? Unimpressively, taking the GTI up another notch to all-wheel drive/V6 (the R32) adds way too much cost and subtracts way too much involvement. The GTI is the Gabbit happy medium.

JAMAICAN GTI

Just noticed a review of Volkswagen's Golf/Rabbit GTI in the Gleaner. That's a Kingston newspaper, for those of you who don't follow Caribbean media. You've read countless test drive stories of Volkswagen's hot-hatch, but you may've forgotten to hear it told with a proper accent.

Mario James is the writer, here's the link. That GTI is a sweet car, mon. Cool Runnings, indeed.

C/D'S 10BEST

Car&Driver names their 10Best. A few dozen auto websites and blogs tell you about it straight away. GoodCarBadCar gives you more than that. Sure, the 10Best are named below, but so is an interesting fact about each. I do declare, GoodCarBadCar's own awards will be revealed beginning on the 20th of this month thru till New Year's Eve.

Car&Driver differs from many print publications in their award formats. So many place great distinction upon one new car. The problem therein? What if that one new car wouldn't have cut the mustard amongst the previous year's competition? That would be embarrassing. Also, is there really only one notworthy car displayed each year? No, there's plenty. We live in a great age for automotive ingenuity.

So, if you were a member of C/D's 10Best last year - come on back, y'all. If you're new or significantly revised and below the maximum price limit (2X the average price of new cars sold in America), come on down. Eight - yes, eight, of last year's winners made it back onto C/D's list.

BMW 3-SERIES: 17 straight years for the 3-series in 10Best, aided no doubt by a turbocharged 6-cylinder that outmuscles a 90's-era M3 and can manage a tussle with last year's M3.

CADILLAC CTS: The CTS just happens to be MotorTrend's Car of the Year and the only direct 3-series competitor on the list. Although priced like a 3, the CTS is sized like a BMW 5 and can honestly stand toe to toe with both.

CHEVROLET CORVETTE: If 430 horsepower isn't enough, but 505 is way too much, one simple option box 'check' gives you 436.

CHEVROLET MALIBU: Stuck in the past, the 4-cylinder engine is still mated with a 4-speed auto. However, the 6-cylinder/6-speed auto combo is world-class.

HONDA ACCORD: Seemingly ordinary, the Accord now offers 200 horsepower more than the original 1976 Accord.

HONDA FIT: The next Fit has already debuted, but the current Fit can hustle through C/D's lane-change test faster than a Ferrari F430 Spider. Deal with the rough ride, folks. It's worth it.


MAZDA MX-5: The optional hardtop can be lowered in 12 seconds, adds just 79 pounds to the featherweight Miata, and doesn't take sole possession of your trunk.

MAZDASPEED 3: The turbocharged, hatchback 3 forces its front wheels to deal with an extra 130 lb-ft of torque as compared with a 'regular' 3, itself a pretty decent little hatch.

PORSCHE BOXSTER/CAYMAN: Since coming into existence in the 90's, the Boxster has seen horsepower upgrades ten times.

VOLKSWAGEN GTI: Apart from 197bhp, awesome seats, wicked 5-spoke wheels and a communicative nature, the GTI also has the advantage of awesome commercials.

VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO STUDIE R HONOURS NURBURGRING 24 HOURS VICTORY

In the most recent Nurburgring 24 Hours race, Volkswagen's hot new Scirocco finished first and second in their class. Hans Stuck and Carlos Sainz were driving high-performing modified Sciroccos with 321 horsepower. In honour of those victories (and those cars) Volkswagen has released photos of the impressive Scirocco Studie R. From the normal VW Scirocco's classy lines we now see a more aggressive stance with larger wheels and some actually appropriate graphics, from which Renault could learn a lesson. Oh, there's also 266 horsepower, too. 

As you'd expect from VeeDub, the direct-shift gearbox is fitted. The Italian graphics are applicable thanks to the vehicle's debut at the Bologna motor show. Read more about the Scirocco in this GoodCarBadCar.net Top 5. Strip away some of the auto show glitz and you likely have the Scirocco R20T.

OTHER NUMBERS FROM CAR & DRIVER'S JANUARY ISSUE

The Good Car Guy already filled you in on Car & Driver's 0-60 testing of eleven cars in its January issue. Other important Numbers are viewable below.

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24 - miles per gallon observed by C/D editors in the Mini John Cooper Works Clubman, the best figure in a comparo where the Mini finished sixth. Its EPA city and highway figures were also the best-in-test.

18- miles per gallon observed by C/D editors in the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, the worst figure in a comparo where the Lancer Ralliart finished dead last. Its EPA city figure was worst-in-test and its EPA highway figure was tied for worst-in-test.

156- top speed, in mph, of the 260-bhp Chevrolet Cobalt SS, limited by aerodynamic drag, placing the Chevy tops in a seven-way comparo where it finished third overall

19- miles per gallon observed by C/D editors in the all-wheel drive Acura TL, better than what was managed by the aforementioned Mitsubishi with its 1.7L-smaller engine, 68 fewer horsepower, and 445 fewer pounds.

33- miles per gallon observed by C/D editors in a Volkswagen Jetta, which with a 140-bhp 2.0L turbodiesel, still had to propel 3353 pounds.

24- miles per gallon observed by C/D editors in a Hyundai Elantra wagon which posted identical acceleration figures to the Jetta TDI with one extra horsepower, 99 fewer lb-ft of torque, and 321 fewer pounds

0.61- roadholding, measured in g's, of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, as tested by C/D on a 200-ft skidpad.

1.08- roadholding, measured in g's, of the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, as tested by C/D on a 200-ft skidpad

18- difference in sound levels, measured in decibels by C/D, between the loudest car of the year, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, and the quietest cars of the year, the Ford Flex Limited and Dodge Journey R/T, both of which let out 65 dBA at 70mph 

BREAKING NEWS - TOYOTA, LEXUS, AUDI & MERCEDES-BENZ, MINI POSTING RECORD SALES IN CANADA

Ironically, on a day when Canada's figurehead Governor General, Michaelle Jean, will fly home from Europe to deal with a political crisis that was precipitated to some degree by a lack of extra funding to the automotive manufacturing sector, Toyota says that its best ever year (and it's only December 2nd) comes as a result of Canadian-built models. Excuse the long sentence - The Good Car Guy gets excited over irony.

Not only has Toyota already surpassed 2007's record-setting sales total through just eleven months, but Audi has done so, as well. Lexus and Mercedes-Benz both posted their best-ever Novembers, too.

Details will be forthcoming over the next day or so regarding both American auto sales for November as well as Canadian sales figures. For now, consider that Toyota Canada sold more than 200,000 cars in one year for the first time ever and did so in just eleven months. Lexus Canada sold at a record-setting pace for the 8th consecutive month. Audi Canada set an annual record for the third straight year but did so this year in just eleven months. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz's year-to-date growth stands at 27.7% through November.

Toyota's Corolla, Matrix, and RAV4 along with the Lexus RX350 all posted huge sales gains and are all built in Canada.

UPDATE: Mini has joined the flock of best-ever folk with its eighth-consecutive month of record sales and a best-ever November. Chrysler, Honda, Acura BMW, and Volkswagen are all down - some by large margins - but Jetta sales are waaaaaay up because of new Clean Diesel TDI availability

VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO POLICE CAR, RATHER; POLIZEI

Historically, one of the most actively read posts at GoodCarBadCar.net revolves around police cars. Strange as it may seem for a site full of auto enthusiast reading material for people who probably prefer to avoid police cars, the cars The Good Car Guy recommended to police departments seem to attract attention. 

Check out numerous police links from GoodCarBadCar.net and enjoy the pictures of this Volkswagen Scirocco Polizei, a vehicle that was put together for the Essen Motor Show and the TUNE IT! SAFE! program.

VW 'ROCCO FOLLOW-UP

The Scirocco was here and gone. Kinda. We all want it, we were teased by it, and were told we wouldn't likely get it, and it's now confirmed we can't have it.

At least as far as North America goes, Stefan Jacoby (US Volkswagen chief) says the R32 and GTI are enough. The niche is full, he suggests in an i-view with Car&Driver. "The [2009 Scirocco] is lovely, but we can’t have everything", Jacoby says, because he believes they need to press on with their core products.

Sure bud. That's why you're pursuing a diesel Phaeton for America. Core products it is.

Read The Good Car Guy`s Alarm! for Volkswagen to learn more about this topic.

CAR AND DRIVER ANNOUNCES 10BEST FOR 2009

From the time he was knee high to a grasshopper - whatever that means - The Good Car Guy has been a faithful believer in Car & Driver's 10Best. That's part of the reason why GoodCarBadCar.net's The Good 12 is modeled after C/D's 10 Best; with realistic cars (under $71K this year) that can be recommended year-after-year if they remain better than the opposition. Don't believe that GoodCarBadCar.net will always be in firm agreement with C/D's editors.

This year Car & Driver named two domestics to its 10Best list. Added to that were four from Europe and four from Japan. The list is below with a sentence from Car&Driver and an additional thought from The Good Car Guy. Keep in mind, The Good 12 v2.0 begins revealing itself on the eighth of December.

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BMW 3-Series: "Is this perfection? History has shown that there’s always room for improvement. But even so, in our view, no current family of cars comes closer to that elusive target." 

TGCG: No argument here.

Cadillac CTS & CTS-V: "Cadillac has created many memorable cars. This one is unforgettable." 

TGCG: Stretching only slightly less, I'd say that the CTS is memorable, the V version unforgettable.

Chevrolet Corvette: "... the standard Corvette coupe and convertible continue to deliver a level of performance and style that’s unbeatable for the money." 

TGCG: Indeed, it is the ZR1 and Z06 that show what tremendous value the regular 'Vette represents, even Chevrolet can't make its own car look overpriced.

Honda Accord: "It’s equally clear that the Accord has evolved steadily to maintain its position as a mainstream pacesetter."

TGCG: Contrary for the sake of being contrary, the thought that at some point Honda may need to revolutionize the Accord rather than simply evolve their midsize car can't help making a nest in my brain; not because Honda will need to but because I want them to. The Accord was a Good 12-winner last year.

Honda Fit: "If there’s a better combination of thrift, practicality, and fun-to-drive, we haven’t seen it yet."

TGCG: In last year's Good 12, regarding the old Fit, " The Fit possesses sharp steering, a snickety-snick gearshift or even a 5-speed automatic, and remarkable economy."

Infiniti G37: "We're not immune to the appeal of more power, of course, but there's more to the G's story than increased muscle."

TGCG: The G was a winner at GCBC last year, too. Competition has stiffened, however, even as the G improved.

Jaguar XF: "As pleasant as it is to behold, the XF’s most compelling attribute is outstanding dynamics."

TGCG: Only the letdown from the C-XF concept that led up to the XF keeps it from attaining glory at GoodCarBadCar.net.

Mazda MX-5 Miata: "... the steering provides that rare sense of connection that makes the car an extension of the driver's will."

TGCG: Yet, not as much of an extension as it once was. It is not the Miata's downfall - no not at all -  just a small discouraging factor that makes me wonder why C/D infuses such exaggeration. 

Porsche Boxster/Cayman: "Neither of these mechanically identical mid-engined cousins can be called inexpensive."

TGCG: A problem, is it not? The Boxster is so deserving, the Cayman incredible but undeserving. So much more money for slightly better handling and the loss of drop-top ability?

Volkswagen GTI: "As an added bonus, GTI ownership includes an exceptionally high practicality factor."

TGCG: The GTI isn't special because its fun... for a hatchback. It is fun first and foremost; its hatchbackness secondary.

RUINED!

"Take a sad song and make it better", sang the Beatles. Ford decided to switch the lyrics to: "Take a pretty car and make it much worse".


I shan't be harsh. Ford's Verve sedan - the 4-door is a necessary body configuration to compete in China - has just debuted and it proves how adding a trunk can ruin a terrific body. Nevertheless, the Verve sedan is still a terrific looking automobile, just very awkwardly proportioned from some angles.

Chevy's latest Malibu is a much better car in every way when compared with its predecessor. Yet that car, the Malibu sedan, was taken to a new level of ugliness when stretched and fitted with a hatch. As if the front end hadn't been bad enough already, Chevrolet designers outdid themselves at the rear.


The story is much the same, but switched around, at Nissan. The Versa hatchback appears athletically honed and toned in the way a 6-foot tall, 120 pound 14 year-old boy deals with a basketball bouncing off his size 14 shoes. Then again, Nissan's late-coming Versa sedan appears athletic.... only in how it compares with a first time quarterback attempting to escape Michael Strahan.


Volkswagen's Golf/Rabbit/GTI doesn't stun you with its beauty or uniqueness. It does the job, however, and manages to offend few while cutting a clean line. Then again, the same car can be morphed into the Golf Plus Dune. Gross.


The Peugeot 206 was a very successful and cheeky French hatchback. The same French automaker managed to convert it into a dreadfully awful and dowdy 'saloon'.



Toyota imported the Echo sedan to North America and left every passerby with a bad taste in their mouth. How did such offensive bodywork escape the same design HQ as its companion, the Echo hatch?

NOT FULLY RECANTING, THE GOOD CAR GUY SEES LINCOLN MKS AND VW PASSAT CC AND RE-THINKS POSITION

Countless dozens of cars have appeared at dealerships in the lifetime of The Good Car Guy that forced a complete turn around of previous beliefs. 

The first sighting of a Lamborghini Countach resulted in a, "I still want one, but man, she ain't pretty". Unless painted black, the latest Chevrolet Malibu isn't nearly as handsome and classy as first believed. BMW's latest M3 is still a little too soft, but a whole lot more aggressive in the flesh than in photos. Chevrolet's first-generation Avalanche wasn't good to begin with but became absolutely wretched during a drive-by.

Two of the most recent examples are positives, however. With great love for the Mercedes-Benz CLS, The Good Car Guy wanted to love the Volkswagen Passat CC, too. The CC is, after all, a Mercedes CLS on the cheap. Alas, in pictures, the Passat CC was bloated and disappointing. Considering the Passat wagon was a better starting point than the Passat sedan anyway, one couldn't be too surprised.

Likewise, the Lincoln MKS was such a departure from the direction GoodCarBadCar.net believed Lincoln should go.  That direction? The Lincoln Continental concept of 2002 was all-American goodness. The MKS is a Euro-Japanese amalgam of ideas mixed with a nasty grille.

However, in hindsight The Good Car Guy wishes a little more softeness had been used in describing these two vehicles. After witnessing a few MKSs drive by in urban situations (without being able to see the front end), the Lincoln has some serious presence and looks expensive. Will the MKS manage to garner a Good 12 spot? No, but it's far from The Bad 8.

The story is similar for Volkswagen's Passat CC. Looking long, low, and lean in real life, the CC actually fulfills its Benz-CLS-on-the-cheap mandate rather well. Nah, it's not a recommended purchase - there's just too much better stuff available for the price - but the CC isn't ugly in the metal. It's quite nice.

GERMAN CAR NEWS

30,000 recent-model BMW's will be recalled because of stalling. X5's, 5-series', and 6-series' cars with BMW's 4.8L V8 from model year 2006 and 2007 are susceptible to interrupted fuel delivery. Cool and dry conditions are the lead-up to the problem. BMW dealers can fix the problem quickly and without charge, so if you think your car is a potential problem vehicle, contact your BMW store.

The hybrids at the LA Auto Show seem so large. Chevy's Tahoe Hybrid won the Green Car of the Year award, Mercedes hybrid debut is of its largest sedan, and Porsche showcased its Cayenne hybrid in America for the first time. Porsche wants to see a 26mpg rating from its Cayenne in addition to lower emissions. The big news relative to Porsche's first hybrid is its strong battery power.

Porsche believes that while cruising, the engine can be automatically shut off at speeds as high as 75mph, approximately 45mph higher than other hybrids. What Porsche fails to tell you is that other hybrids are often incapable of holding those speeds on battery power alone because of the "perfect storm necessities". Did your Prius just climb a steep hill with air-conditioning after a 3 hour drive with little braking? Then it won't hold 30mph using batteries alone.


Volkswagen's production Tiguan is handsome and not terrible expensive. To be truthful, I expected it to be ill-proportioned and overpriced. 2.0L and a turbo form the base engine, which, along with a 6-speed auto or manual, create a suitable GTI-inspired powertrain. The $22,490 USD base VW Tiguan won't include 4Motion all-wheel drive, but it will carry six airbags. RAV4's and CR-V's priced lower than $22,490 are also less powerful than the Tiguan.

130 VOLKSWAGEN '09 PASSAT (AND DERIVATIVES) RECALLED

A handful of '09 Volkswagen Passats, Passat wagons, and Passat CCs will be recalled because they "may have an electromechanical steering gear control unit that can malfunction due to a damaged capacitor". That basically means that where you point the car and where the car goes may not be associated. Problem arisen.

Before you shout to your friends that Volkswagen has built 130 cars that steer the opposite direction of where you turn, let me remind you that this hasn't been happening over 5mph and it's only been happening immediately after the vehicle's started. Nevertheless, "the driver's steering input is not properly processed"? That is scary stuff. Early in December Volkswagen will begin this Recall by simply replacing the steering gear.

As an aside, let it be known that The Good Car Guy's previous disgust with the Passat CC rests now only on its purposelessness, not on its appearance. However, seeing the Passat trio together revealed that the regular Passat wagon is still a better looker than the Passat CC and their less expensive brother, the Passat sedan.

HOW CONSUMER REPORTS RELIABILITY RANKINGS RELATE TO GCBC AWARDS

Late last year and in early 2008, The Good Car Guy handed out twenty awards. Well, let's be honest: eight of them were shameful awards. The Good 12 and The Bad 8  place significance on vehicles that can be purchased by people you and I know - no Ferraris, Lamborghinis, or Bentleys. Of the hundreds and hundreds of different models available to the North American consumer, The Good 12 tells you which you should buy if at all possible in 2008 and The Bad 8 makes very clear which cars you should not buy if at all avoidable.

Of course, those vehicles are in the running for 2009's Good 12 and Bad 8. If they're still the best, they ought to be recognized that way. But before that comes, it appears that Consumer Reports has released its reliability rankings, pieces of news in which many consumers (how ironic) place a great amount of trust.

So, how do those rankings compare with The Good 12 and The Bad 8? Have a look below.

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Small Cars: Consumer Reports says the Scion xD and Mini Cooper Clubman are at or near the top while the Nissan Versa sedan is the worst. The Good 12 holds fast on the regular Mini Cooper while the Versa sedan resides in The Bad 8.

Family Cars: Consumer Reports puts the Toyota Prius and Kia Optima at or near the top with the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger platform-mates at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent on the topic.

Sporty, Coupes, & Convertibles: Consumer Reports places the Lexus SC430 and Volco C30 at the top with the Chrysler Sebring convertible and Saturn Sky at the bottom. The Bad 8 has both the Sebring and Lexus SC in its grasp.

Luxury Cars: Infiniti's M35 and Lexus IS250 are CR's most reliable; the V8-powered Cadillac STS and V8-powered Mercedes-Benz E-Class are at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net speaks neither well or ill of all four.

Minivans/Wagons: The Toyota Matrix and Scion xB are the best of the bunch in CR's rankings, the Chrysler twins (Town & Country, Grand Caravan) are the worst. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent.

In the SUV/truck arena, the Toyota Tundra; Honda Ridgeline; Toyota Sequoia; Honda Pilot; Lexus RX400h; Honda Element, and Toyota FJ Cruiser are all leaders of their respective packs. Conversely, the Ford F-250; Land Rover LR2; Saturn Vue in V6 all-wheel drive form; Land Rover Range Rover; Volkswagen Touareg; V8-powered and diesel-fired Mercedes-Benz GL-Class; and the Dodge Dakota 4x4 are all unreliable by Consumer Reports' standards.

One more thing: Consumer Reports also said the Honda Fit; smart fortwo; and Infiniti G35 are "also very reliable". Those cars are in The Good 12.

VOLKSWAGEN UPS THE up!

There was a flock that gathered around the photos of Volkswagen's up! concept, not just here on GoodCarBadCar, but at every automotive publication, I assume. As The Good Car Guy worded it back in September, "The up! concept is an attempt by Volkswagen to return itself to a time when Volkswagen meant Volkswagen - People's Car....Volkswagen wants the up! to mobilize the world.... the up! is pure VW. And a return to pure Volkswagen roots is the best thing Volkswagen could do right now."

Read the whole first GoodCarBadCar reation to the up!

The up! is to the original Beetle what the Space up! is to the Type 2/Kombi/Transporter. This bigger vehicle is up! based, powered by up! and simply provides a more spacious version of a very inexpensive car. (Doesn't it sound like we're discussing a bad energy drink?)

Volkswagen has big plans to mobilize the planet, especially the massively populated places like China and India but other emerging markets, too. Forget not North America; tis all we ask.

MOTOR TREND NAMES SUBARU FORESTER ITS SUV OF THE YEAR

On its website, California-based Motor Trend has announced that the Subaru Forester is their SUV of the Year.

Other SUVOTY contenders included the BMW X6, Infiniti FX and EX35, Honda Pilot, Kia Borrego, Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Journey, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Flex, Nissan Murano, Lexus LX570, and Toyota Sequoia. The Good Car Guy profiled the Forester in a 3 To Beat back in February where it performed admirably as well as in Part III of Dreams VS Reality with the Infiniti FX45 and Porsche Cayenne. Subaru's advertising for the Forester has garnered plenty of positive attention, as well.

Although there are dozens of different numbers that Motor Trend factored in when determining the SUVOTY, read below to see a list of the contenders in order of their fuel efficiency as tested by MT. In an era where fuel is expensive and families are struggling, the efficiency of family haulers is more important than ever. 

Subaru Forester (awd): 20.1 mpg

Volkswagen Tiguan (fwd): 17.3 mpg

Nissan Murano (fwd): 17.3 mpg

Subaru Forester (turbo awd) 16 mpg

Infiniti EX35 (awd): 15.8 mpg

Honda Pilot (awd): 14.9 mpg

Ford Flex (awd): 14.9 mpg

Dodge Journey (3.5L awd) 14.9 mpg

Kia Borrego (V8 4wd): 13.6 mpg

Lexus LX570 (4wd): 13.2 mpg

BMW X6 (I-6 awd): 13.2 mpg

Infiniti FX50 (awd): 12.9 mpg

Toyota Sequoia (4wd) 12.8 mpg

Chevrolet Traverse (awd): 12.1 mpg

2009 SKODA OCTAVIA - 61 PICTURES

Updating the Skoda Octavia (a car you have heard of... maybe?) is an important project for Volkswagen, now the third biggest auto conglomerate in the world. When you hear "Skoda Octavia", you must think Volkswagen Golf. Except now when you think Volkswagen Golf, you don't. You actually think Volkswagen Rabbit.

Here at GoodCarBadCar.net, we call that car the Gabbit. Perhaps you see no similarities between the Gabbit and Skoda Octavia. Volkswagen and Skoda don't want you to. Following the Skoda label at GoodCarBadCar reveals some lovely unique designs, but the Octavia flavour remains more traditional; not that the Gabbit is the most exciting vehicular design to ever pass before your eyes.

Indeed, for 2009 the updated Octavia with "bolder headlamps", a more "robust radiator grille", and a one-piece bumper doesn't make this vital Skoda even as exciting to look at as the European Ford Focus and certainly doesn't strike buyers as hip in the way Renault's Megane manages. Turbocharged 1.4L and 1.8L four-cylinders will be available with a seven-speed direct-shift gearbox. Yes, underneath this car is impressive.... especially at Skoda prices.

And that's why Skoda sells a lot of Octavias. They're not just "good for the price" because, as a Gabbit, the architecture and technology is already good. No, the Octavia is good at a higher price, but downright desirable at prices that undercut its VW siblings and many other competitors.

VOLKSWAGEN R50 - Slightly bigger than R32

Volkswagen has provided us with two very upmarket Golf/Rabbits in the last few years. Based on the Golf MKIV and then the Golf MKV, the R32 was and is a performance and luxury oriented Gabbit. For around $33,000 USD, Volkswagen will sell you an all-wheel drive, 250 horsepower, DSG-equipped, look-down-your-nose-at-GTI's small hatchback.

Figuring that the 'R' could be perfectly well suited to a much larger vehicle, VW showcased a Touareg performance diesel in Australia. Just your typical, everyday V10 diesel - 350 horsepower and nuclear levels to twist. 627 lb-ft of torque does not relate well to fuel efficiency, the normal diesel catchphrase. However, it does a swift Touareg make.

Additional bodywork makes for a very hot Touareg. Do recall that the original VW sport-ute arrangement was with Porsche. Volkswagen got the handsome, Porsche got the performance. Audi came along and added space and versatility. It doth not yet appear what the R50 will fully and completely be, but the potential for improved on-road dynamics must be considered. Consider, that is, the Cayenne's otherworldly handling.

ALARM! Yes to Phaeton, no to Scirocco?

Stefan Jacoby. Remember that name. I haven't met the man and likely won't, so I hope he won't take this personally.

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Umm... sir. Is 'sir' alright? OK then, Herr Jacoby it is. Maybe it's because you're new to North America, having left Europe and the Volkswagen homeland of Germany, but it seems to me that you don't understand us very well. And by us, I mean everybody who found living on this continent of North America.

We want the Scirocco. You presented the concept but it seems now that was just a tease; a taunt. Since that time, you voiced your fear of the ultra-niche market, suggesting that your lineup would be fragmented with too many niche vehicles.

Also, Herr Jacoby, we don't want the Phaeton. I know, I know, it'd be a different car altogether than the previous boat of a people's car. That car was an offense to our intelligence; acting as if the Audi A8 your company builds isn't more worthy of our serious dollars.

I'll give ya this: you may've seen the pics, the market study, and the pricing scheme. I haven't. Yet a statement like this, "I think it fits perfectly in the market. We will bring it back," could undo any credibility you ever had, not only with VW enthusiasts or the blogosphere, but with financial analysts and S-class, 7-series, XJ, and A8 owners.





Volkswagen's are for people like me, Stefan - regular guys. I don't want to see the biggest, baddest lawyer in the city driving a car with a VeeDub badge on the front. I don't want an awesome commercial like the one seen below to be linked to a barge that does next-to-nothing better than its competitors.

Scirocco and up!; yes. Phaeton; no. You can't seem to figure it out Jacoby, so I did it for you.