New Volkswagen Touareg

Compared to the outgoing model, the new 2011 Volkswagen Touareg is 200 kg lighter, more efficient and showcase a longer and lower body with a design that follows the direction established by the Golf Mk VI, the new Polo, and the New Compact Coupé concept.

Stop/start technology will be standard, and for the first time, a hybrid drivetrain is available as well.

Rated at a combined 375HP and 428 lbs-ft of torque, the hybrid model may be a miser, but certainly won't be a slouch. A 47HP electric motor supplements a supercharged 6-cylinder, and at low speeds the Touareg Hybrid is fully electric.

(Car Body Design's news)

Volkswagen New Compact Coupe

Presented at the 2010 Detroit Motor Show, the Volkswagen New Compact Coupe is a concept car that features an efficient hybrid drivetrain with a 7-speed DSG and a well-proportioned design with similarities with the Audi model line-up.

Volkswagen’s New Compact Coupe is said to have class-leading dynamics, achieves 45 mpg.

The new hybrid-powered compact coupe concept car has a top speed of 141mph and accelerates to 60 in 8.1 seconds.

Looking quite a bit like a mini-A5, one wonders if VW is again stepping on Audi’s toes with this concept.

The similarities to currently available Audi products can be seen in more than one spot and from more than one angle.

Audi/VW could be guilty of a simple case of quasi-self flattering, but–very likely–Audi execs find it to be disconcerting. Cannibalism or not, at first glance, it’s pleasing to the eye.

The compact coupe has a solid stance, handsome profile, appropriate proportions, and very well resolved surfacing.

All this encapsulates a gas-electric hybrid drivetrain mated to a 7-speed DSG… and its driver will be quite comfortable in what appears to be a well laid out, cleanly detailed, and nicely appointed interior.

To see the full article Click Here!

(Car Body Design's news)

Camaro Designer joins Volkswagen Santa Monica

Sang Yup Lee has astonishingly resigned from GM and joined the VW design team in Santa Monica as Cheif Design of Exteriors. Among Lee's works are the exterior design of the new Camaro and the Stingray Corvette Concept featured in the Transformers sequel.

His journey to his automotive design celebrity started in Korea receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Hongik University, after which he moved to Southern California receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from the Art Center College of Design in Transportation Design.

Having done internships at Pininfarina and Prosche, Sang Yup might make a rather interesting edition to the ever expanding VW power house.

Good Luck Sang Yup, we look forward to reporting on what work you will be pushing out of the Southern California Design team.

Volkswagen Amarok

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has unveiled its new pickup, named Amarok, which will be launched worldwide in 2010. The model line-up will include a four-door double cab and a single cab version and will feature a VW Design DNA-inspired front end.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has released the first official images and more details of its new pick-up, the Amarok, which will be available as a four-door double cab version from launch with a single cab model to follow in 2011.

The name "Amarok" means ‘wolf’ in the language of the Inuit, one of the Eskimo people who live in northern Canada and Greenland who highly regard the wolf as king of the wilderness and a figure of robustness, endurance and superiority. It translates into ‘he loves stones’ in the languages spoken in South America.

The official photos show the Amarok reflects the latest Volkswagen design DNA with frontal styling in line with the latest Transporter and Golf. It is 5.25 m long with a ladder frame chassis and will be offered with a choice of rear-wheel drive and switchable or permanent 4MOTION all-wheel drive.

The Amarok has a generous payload capacity of up to 1.15 tonnes and maximum towing limit of 2.8 tonnes. Its 2.52 m² cargo area has the largest dimensions in its class at 1,555 mm long and 1,620 mm wide, plus a best in class width between the wheelarches of 1,222 mm, which means that for the first time on a mid-size pick-up, it is possible to load Euro pallets sideways, saving on space.

The switchable all-wheel drive is engaged by the push of a button, and also has low off-road gearing. The full-time all-wheel drive version is a rarity in the pick-up sector, and uses a Torsen differential to distribute drive at a 40:60 ratio to the front and rear axles for excellent vehicle dynamics and high traction, and also ensures that the wheel with the best traction always gets the most power. A rear differential lock is available.

The choice of engines includes two 2.0-litre fuel-efficient, Euro5 compliant, common rail TDI engines producing 163 PS, with torque of 400 Nm at a low 1,500 rpm, or 122 PS with maximum torque of 340 Nm from 2,000 rpm. Both engines have a six-speed manual transmission.

Production of the Amarok is about to start at the Volkswagen factory in Buenos Aires, Argentina ahead of its worldwide launch starting in its native South America in early 2010 and in Europe next summer, with first models expected to be in UK Volkswagen Van Centres in September 2010.

Key markets for the Amarok include South America, South Africa and Australia.

(Car Body Design's news)

Volkswagen Up! Lite Concept

Presented by Volkswagen at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Up! Lite Concept is a compact four-seater hybrid focused on efficiency which thanks to its 0.8 liter engine, the aerodynamic design and the weight under 700 kg achieves a fuel consumption of 2.4 liter/100km.

Premiered at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Up! Lite is defined by Volkswagen as "the world’s most fuel-efficient four-seater". It consumes 2.44 l/100 km (70 mpg/highway) and achieves CO2 emissions of just 65 g/km.

The Up! Lite features a hybrid powertrain consisting of a new TDI engine with 38 kW/51 hp, an electric motor designed as a pulse start module (starter, alternator and E-drive) and 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG).

Compared to the E-Up! concept car presented at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, he Up! Lite is lower in profile and – to satisfy more demanding aerodynamic requirements – it is longer, nearly reaching the length of the Polo (3.98 meters). The resulting drag coefficient Cd value is 0.237.

The safety frame is made of aluminium, steel and carbon fiber.

The design of the car is characterized by clean lines, as though sculpted from a block of aluminium.

The radiator grille closes and opens automatically depending on the cooling needs of the engine (“active thermal management”).

The Up! Lite concept has a top speed of 160 km/h (100 mph) and accelerates to 100 km/h in a 12.5 seconds.

To see the full info Click Here!

(Car Body Design's news)

Volkswagen NMS: preview sketches

Volkswagen has released a new design sketch of the upcoming sedan model, currently known as NMS (New Midsize Sedan), which could replace the Passat and go on sale in the US market as a 2012 model.

The new official design sketch follows the first one which was unveiled back in February 2009 and shows less squared-shapes and the VW's familiar front end with the horizontal grille. The cabin is expected to be larger than in the current Passat.

The new model, targeted to the US market, will be built in about 100,000 units per year at VW's new Chattanooga, Tenn. plant from spring 2011 and will be launched as a 2012 model.

(Car Body Design's news)

Volkswagen L1 Concept: the design

Volkswagen E-Up Concept

Presented by Volkswagen at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the E-Up! Concept is a 3+1 seater, compact urban car which is powered by an electric motor, features a range of up to 130 km and previews a future production model that could be launched in 2013.

(Car Body Design's news)

VW Passat CC Wins Design Awards

Last night in Essen, Germany, The VW Passat CC four-door coupe was presented with the "red dot Design Award 2009 - Best of the Best".

During the ceremony held at Aalto Theater in Essen Martin Kropp, designer at Exterior Design Studio 1, accepted the "red dot Design Award" for Volkswagen.

On last March the Passat CC, first unveiled at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, was awarded the prestigious "iF Product Design Award 2009" in Hanover.

At the end of May the coupé also won the renowned "Australian International Design Award" in the "Automotive and Transport"category.

(Car Body Design news)