VW’s new carsharing service aims to be a little different from the rest
Volkswagen has entered the carsharing market with the launch of its WeShare service in Berlin, Germany. Hoping to appeal to environmentally minded folks, it's the first such service to offer a fleet made up entirely of electric vehicles. WeShare will expand to other European countries in 2020, and possibly beyond.
Volkswagen says no thanks to outsiders as it develops its own operating system
The Volkswagen Group is taking software development into its own hands instead of joining forces with tech companies. It's assembling a team of over 5,000 engineers to design an operating system that will equip all of its cars by 2025. The vw.os system will exchange information with the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud.
Watch as Volkswagen’s ID R racer wins the ultimate EV bragging rights
The Volkswagen I.D. R has set a lap record for electric cars at Germany's Nürburgring Nordschleife. The electric race car's lap time of 6:05.33 beat the previous record by 40 seconds. Volkswagen was looking for another challenge for the I.D. R after setting the overall record at Pikes Peak.
This tuned Volkswagen Golf GTI sports a hologram-controlled audio system
Volkswagen apprentices crammed a hologram projector into the trunk of a Golf GTI hot hatchback. VW said the hologram was built using currently available tech, but that it isn't ready for use in production cars. Volkswagen commissioned the car for the annual Wörthersee meet.
VW may shift $56 billion in battery spending from Samsung over concerns
Volkswagen may shift some of its electric-car battery business away from Samsung over concerns that a deal with the Korean firm will unravel, according to a new report. Volkswagen plans to spend $56 billion on batteries to power a growing lineup of electric cars.
Volkswagen is launching a full range of EVs, but it doesn’t want to be Tesla
Volkswagen is preparing to release the 2020 ID.3, an electric, Golf-sized model developed for Europe. It sheds insight into the brand's future EVs, including ones built and sold in the United States. Digital Trends spoke to Volkswagen board member Jurgen Stackmann and learned what it means for the future of VW.
Volkswagen prepares its electric ID R race car for its toughest challenge yet
The Volkswagen ID R electric race car will head to the Nürburgring to set a lap record. With Romain Dumas at the wheel, the ID R will try to become the fastest electric car around the grueling, 12.9-mile long track. The record attempt is taking place in the summer of 2019 with a car built specifically for the occasion.
Sick of civilization? Volkswagen’s Atlas Basecamp concept lets you get away
Volkswagen revealed the Atlas Basecamp concept ahead of its debut at the 2019 New York Auto Show. Built for overlanding, this family-hauler was upgraded jointly by Volkswagen and aftermarket manufacturers. It received a lift kit, fatter tires, a roof rack for mountain bikes, and it tows a camper trailer.
Would you buy the Tarok compact pickup truck? Volkswagen wants to know
The Volkswagen Tarok pickup truck concept will make its United States debut at the 2019 New York Auto Show. The truck first appeared at the 2018 Sao Paulo Auto Show, and VW wants to see what U.S. buyers think of it. Volkswagen has been teasing a U.S.-market pickup truck for awhile.
Volkswagen ID Roomzz concept has rear lights you can customize with an app
Volkswagen unveiled the ID Roomzz concept at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show. It takes the form of an Atlas-sized SUV with a high-tech, lounge-like interior and an electric powertrain. The Roomzz will enter series production in 2021, and it will go on sale in China shortly after. U.S. sales haven't been confirmed yet.
Volkswagen puts self-driving cars to the test on the streets of German city
Volkswagen is testing prototype self-driving cars in Hamburg. The automaker claims this is the first test of autonomous cars on the streets of a major German city. Five self-driving cars operate with human safety drivers on board. VW is working with Hamburg's government on other tech initiatives.
The 2019 Arteon reigns over the Volkswagen lineup with style and aplomb
Volkswagen is known for being sensible and conservative when it comes to design, but with the 2019 Arteon, it cut loose and created a stylish car that could appeal to customers on a more emotional level. The fastback-like sedan goes on sale in April 2019 with a 268-horsepower turbo four and plenty of tech inside.
Volkswagen wants more high-performance R models — even electric ones
Though Volkswagen won't sell the T-Roc R in the United States, it wants to expand its lineup of high-performance cars over the coming years, and one of the new additions could join the Golf R in American showrooms. Looking ahead, Volkswagen sees a market for high-performance electric cars developed by its R division.
Volkswagen plans more SUVs — and you might be able to subscribe to them
Volkswagen will add more SUVs to its lineup in the coming years. It's planning a five-seat version of the Atlas, and an entry-level crossover positioned below the Tiguan. The company isn't giving up on sedans, however. It's also evaluating the possibility of launching a subscription service in America.
Volkswagen’s hot-rodded T-Roc R is ready to shred its tires to confetti
Volkswagen has released a hot-rodded SUV named T-Roc R. Based on the T-Roc, a sub-Tiguan model sold in Europe, it receives a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine borrowed from the Golf R and tuned to make 300 horsepower. The result is a family-hauler which takes 4.9 seconds to reach 62 mph from a stop.
Volkswagen offers a pair of cool scooter designs for zipping around town
Volkswagen has unveiled a couple of nifty scooter concepts for zipping around town. The smaller, sleeker Cityskater can reach speeds of 12 mph and has a range of 9 miles, while the heftier Streetmate can hit 28 mph and travel 21 miles. Both designs will be shown off at this week's Geneva Motor Show.
Psychedelic Volkswagen Microbus from Woodstock returns for an encore
With its trippy paint scheme, the Volkswagen "Light" bus became a symbol of the 1969 Woodstock music festival. VW teamed up with the artist who created this rolling mural to stage a comeback in time for Woodstock's 50th anniversary. Volkswagen will also launch the Microbus-inspired I.D. Buzz in 2022.
The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI spices up the compact sedan segment
Volkswagen unveiled the 2019 Jetta GLI at the annual Chicago Auto Show. The hot-rodded model receives a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine from the GTI plus an array of brake and suspension upgrades. It stays true to its heritage by being comfortable inside and relatively low-key on the outside.
Some of Volkswagen’s electric models will wear a ‘Made in the USA’ label
Confirming rumors, Volkswagen has announced it will build electric cars in its Chattanooga, Tennessee, factory. The facility currently produces the Passat and the Atlas. Scott Keogh, president of Volkswagen's American division, told Digital Trends that electric car production will begin around 2023.
Volkswagen previews a quick-charging mobile power bank for electric cars
Volkswagen will begin placing mobile charging stations for electric cars around its hometown of Wolfsburg, Germany, in early 2019. Developed in-house, these devices are like giant portable chargers that store enough electricity to charge about 15 electric cars. Series production will begin in 2020.
Driving a prototype 2020 Passat at Volkswagen’s Arizona Proving Ground
Volkswagen’s Arizona Proving Ground is where new cars are torture tested, including the 2020 Passat midsize sedan. The new Passat and other models are subjected to Arizona’s sweltering summers, frozen in giant test chambers, and run for thousands of miles on test tracks.
Volkswagen’s electric retro van could deliver your Amazon parcels in 2022
The Volkswagen I.D. Cargo concept is an electric, connected delivery van based on the I.D. Buzz concept from 2017. It boasts up to 350 miles of range and cool features like solar panels on the roof and a 230-volt outlet for power tools. It's not just a concept: production will begin around 2022.
Volkswagen and Mobileye plan autonomous ridesharing service for Israel
Volkswagen and Mobileye plan to launching a ridesharing service in Israel using autonomous electric cars. Development work will begin in 2019, with full-scale commercialization in 2022, according to the partners. Many other companies plan to use self-driving cars in ridesharing programs.
How VW plans to leave its dirty diesel past behind with its own EV charging network
We sat down with Volkswagen Group of America’s CEO, Hinrich J. Woebcken during the annual Monterey Car Week in California, who explains how the company plans to support its new line of electric vehicles with a factory-backed charging network in collaboration with start-up, Electrify America.
Volkswagen’s next-generation lights will keep you safer, look good doing it
Headlights serve an important purpose when you're behind the wheel, but that functionality doesn't have to stop the lights from looking cool. Volkswagen's new LED headlights, called IQ.Light, don't just light up the road in front of you. They also look dang good while doing it.
Volkswagen partners with Microsoft on connected car platform
Volkswagen and Microsoft announced a partnership agreement to develop VW's Automotive Cloud. Based on Microsoft's Azure cloud and IoT technologies, the VW Automotive Cloud will power consumer and secure data services as well as telematics for all VW brands, including Audi, Porsche, and Lamborghini.
Check out the tuned, resto-modded, and high-tech GTIs at Volkswagen’s home show
About 4,000 cars attended the GTI Coming Home event in Wolfsburg, Germany, and we couldn't find two identical cars. Most of them were modified to one degree or another. Our favorite car at the event blended 1980s style with 21st century tech, including Bluetooth connectivity and touchscreen navigation.
At Bonneville, a 210-mph Volkswagen Jetta is nothing unusual
The Bonneville Salt Flats are the ultimate temple of speed. Follow along as Volkswagen attempts to set a record with a modified economy car, and see what makes Bonneville so special. Racers have been setting speed records on the salt flats since 1914, and continue to push the limits every year.
Volkswagen built a 210-mph Jetta, and broke a land-speed record with it
A modified 2019 Volkswagen Jetta just set a land-speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the G/BGC class. Boasting a 600-horsepower engine, the Jetta hit 210 mph on the salt. The Bonneville land-speed race car serves as a preview of the upcoming Jetta GLI performance model.
Volkswagen finally squashes the Beetle with 2019 Final Edition
2019 Volkswagen Beetle Final Edition marks the end of the line for VW's most iconic nameplate. Volkswagen has no immediate plans to replace the Beetle after production ends next year. The 2019 Beetle Final Edition is available as a coupe or convertible in SE or SEL trim levels.
We drove the Volkswagen concept pickup that truck fans will drool over
We get a unique opportunity to briefly drive Volkswagen’s Atlas Cross Sport and Tanoak Concepts during the annual Monterey Car Week. The Cross Sport will arrive in 2020 as a smaller version of the full-size Atlas crossover SUV while the Tanoak tests the waters for a potential midsize pickup truck.
Volkswagen will spend $4 billion to connect its cars to the Internet of Things
As part of an effort to dramatically simplify the onboard systems of its cars, Volkswagen on Thursday announced a $4 billion investment in a new platform it calls vw.OS. The first cars running the new platform, part of its I.D. electric car line, will appear in 2020.
Love driving? Waze’s data scientists want to show you the fun way home
In the United Kingdom, Waze and Volkswagen have teamed up to launch a campaign named GTI Superdrives that identifies the best roads for driving enthusiasts. Data scientists singled out the 75 greatest roads in the U.K. Volkswagen told Digital Trends it won't launch a similar campaign in the U.S.
Massive data breach exposes trade secrets from Tesla, Toyota, and others
Security researcher Chris Vickery found about 47,000 sensitive files posted on a backup server by a Canadian company that specializes in automation. The 157-gigabyte batch included sensitive documents that details how major companies like Ford, Tesla, and Volkswagen build cars. The information has been taken down.